… g (Tyson, Oct. 25). In the end, Kennedy’s campaign was a success, and he won the election by merely 100, 000 votes.
Kennedy’s 2 year reign, as President was not a complete accomplishment for African American race relations. Kennedy did name Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court, but many of the objectives which Kennedy promised to fulfill, never came to light. The Kennedy staff actually helped stop the movement by standing on the sideline and not taking action during the demonstrations in Albany. However, Kennedy did make several important strides for the civil rights movement. One of Kennedy’s accomplishments was sending federal troops to Alabama to eliminate George Wallace’s intervention of school desegregation. Kennedy’s finest performance came in a national address, to the American people.
On June 11, Kennedy spoke of the ethical imperative of providing African Americans with first class citizenship (Lawson, 28). Kennedy also played an integral role in the passing of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. Along with A. Phillip Randolph, Kennedy made it clear to the American public that legislation needed to be passed to eliminate Jim Crow. Overall Kennedy’s short term as president did not accomplish what it promised to do, but it played an essential role for legislation to pass in the future.
The 1964 election was a strong indication of how far or how short civil rights had come in the United States. Johnson had just passed the civil rights act of 1964 so he had overwhelming support of African Americans. Johnson’s re-election was not an easy task. The first obstacle he had to get around was George Wallace. Wallace never planned to run for President, but decided to run after receiving great acclaim for his gubernatorial Gergely 7 inauguration speech. Wallace was one of the few remaining racists in the Democratic Party, and was astern believer in state rights.
Wallace believed that the federal govt. had no place in telling states how to mandate racism. “Segregation now! Segregation tomorrow! Segregation forever! (Carter, 1) ” Wallace had strong following, but had insufficient funds to win the Democratic ticket. However, Wallaces’s support was scary, as he received 34 percent of the vote in Wisconsin and 43% in Maryland (Marble, 83). The next obstacle Johnson had to overcome was Barry Goldwater, a Republican from Arizona.
Goldwater had similar stances to those of George Wallace regarding states rights. He was supported by many racists including Strom Thurmond. Goldwater even neglected to sign the civil rights bill of 1964. His platform on race made him lose the election. The South had very few electoral votes and a blatantly racist person could not be elected. On the other hand, it was frightening how much support these segregationists had allover the country.
The 1968 election was the last where conservative segregationists were part of the Democratic Party. Richard Nixon, George Wallace, and Hubert Humphery were the three main players of the 1968 election. Nixon had presently been Governor of California, and once again was opposed to federal govt. interfering with state-run policies regarding race. Nixon, though knew one could not win an election by being a”foam-at-the-mouth segregationist” (Carter, 27). This was the main reason for choosing Spiro Agnew ash is running mate.
Nixon would win over the moderates and Agnew, “deployed as s surrogate Wallace ” would win over the Southern racists (Carter, 28). Nixon took a big lead early in the campaign, and there was only one person who could possible lead him Gergely 8 to suffer defeat. George Wallace was that man. “At least as early as 1966, Nixon had grasped the threat that George Wallace posed to his personal political future and the fortunes of the Republican Party (Carter, 31) ” Nixon knew he had to concentrate on the South or else Humphery would take the election. Nixon did this by making it apparent he did not agree with forced bus sing and protection of state rights was important for the preservation of individual freedom. By the end of 1968 election, Nixon again saw his lead shrink to about ten percent.
In actuality, the segregationists were shooting themselves in the foot by running against each other in different campaigns. Due to a terrible campaign by the Democrats, Nixon won the election of 1968, but he would never forget how the presence of Wallace almost caused him defeat. The election of 1968 was a clear image of how much racial tension there was in the United States. The final polls gave Wallace a tremendous total of 13. 5 of the popular vote, and this is reason enough to believe that racial hatred was still prevalent in the United States (Multi ed. com).” Richard Nixon began to plan his reelection campaign in the first weeks after his inauguration (Carter, 35).” Nixon believed Wallace would once again pose a tremendous threat to the election in 1972.
Nixon planned out conniving tactics to ensure Wallace would never make it on the ballot. The most notable being, giving money to Wallaces’ opposition so that Wallace would not win his Gubernatorial election. This did not work. Wallace ran for President in 1972, but this time he went under the Democratic ticket.
Wallace was never able to make a run for the nomination because he was shot during the democratic primaries. The Democratic nomination went to George Mcgovern. A man with strong beliefs, against segregation. Throughout Nixon’s first tenure as President, he Gergely 9 sent mixed messages on his racial stance. Out of necessity Nixon was forced to take action on the ” increasing polarization of the American society” (Carter, 36). Nixon was influenced by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a young liberal, who; “skillfully mixed race relations into the Presidents contempt for by scathingly attacking social workers, urban planners, and a welfare establishment that he characterized as a grasping corps of middle-class apparatchiks who, intent on survival, nurtured the politics of resentment” (Carter, 37).
This, along with appointing several liberals, confused voters who generally knew Nixon as a man who was opposed to forced busing and Affirmative Action. Nixon was in-fact using a strategy to bring in the lower class white vote. Nixon took these measures, not to help black America, but to convince white blue-collar voters. People who were close to Nixon knew he was a racist. This is proven on several occasions, the most obvious being the “hardhat incident.” During this incident, Nixon sported a hardhat when he visited construction workers who hit black demonstrators.
Nothing during his administration was centered on helping the advancement of African Americans. The election of Ronald Reagan brought back an individual who was ignorant in regards to race. The previous four years under the Carter administration was a disaster for the United States, so many felt a Republican needed to be in office. The Carter administration promised much advancement for African Americans, none of which came into light. Due to factors regarding race, and lack of control with the economy, Carter lost the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan. Reagan platform was based on massive military build up and the opposition of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Carter, 59).
He Gergely 10 even called the act an embarrassment to the South. Reagan’s politics were strictly against social spending. He canceled several plans, which the Democrats put in during their short term in power. Reagan had no regards for the lower class society, which was mostly black. Reagan began a tax plan that the lower 50%of Americans would receive an increase in taxes, the top 50-90% would receive little change, and the top 1% would actually receive a 60% increase in net income (Tyson, Dec. 13).
Reagan told the public he did not differentiate between races. “I have black friends (Tyson, Dec. 13).” His platform shows he had total disregard for the betterment of African American’s in regards to their economic well being. Disgust with the Reagan campaign was apparent in 1984, when 89% of African Americans voted for Walter Mondale (Tyson, Dec. 13). Racism is still apparent in the United States in this year of 1999.
We have made several strides, but it is clear ghettos are filled with African Americans and other minorities. Until an integrated middle class is established the battle for racial equality will not end. Programs such as Affirmative Action and Welfare a remaking significant differences, but more needs to be done. We must do everything in our power to heal the scars, which slavery and racism created.