attitudes of presidents towards African Americans

Warren G. Harding (1921–1923) — Republican

-Harding was more sympathetic towards African American civil rights than many politicians of his time, although he did not support full racial equality in practice.

-In his 1921 speech in Birmingham, Alabama, Harding argued that African Americans should have equal political and economic opportunities.

-He supported anti-lynching legislation, including the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill (1921), which aimed to make lynching a federal crime.

-However, he was unwilling to confront the Southern Democrats strongly enough to ensure the bill became law.

-His presidency therefore showed some recognition of African American civil rights, but limited federal action.

Overall attitude: Moderately sympathetic to civil rights, but cautious about challenging Southern opposition.

Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929) — Republican

-Coolidge continued some Republican support for African American civil rights, particularly opposition to lynching.

-He publicly stated that African Americans should have equal rights as citizens.

-However, his administration did not make civil rights a major priority.

-The Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill failed to become law because of opposition from Southern Democrats, and Coolidge did not make overcoming this opposition a central priority.

-Coolidge also spoke at a Confederate Memorial in 1924, demonstrating that his approach to race was complicated and that he was willing to appeal to Southern opinion.

Overall attitude: Accepted the principle of African American citizenship and some civil rights, but generally avoided strong federal intervention.

 Herbert Hoover (1929–1933) — Republican

-Hoover was less willing to make African American civil rights a major federal issue.

-His priority was largely economic stability, particularly after the Wall Street Crash and the beginning of the Great Depression.

-African Americans were particularly badly affected by the Depression, with approximately half of African Americans unemployed by 1932.

-Hoover did not introduce major federal civil-rights legislation to address racial discrimination.

-His approach reflected the Republican tendency at the time to avoid directly confronting Southern segregation and racial discrimination.

Overall attitude: Limited commitment to active federal protection of African American civil rights; economic problems dominated his presidency.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945) — Democrat

-Roosevelt's attitude was more complicated: his administration provided African Americans with greater federal assistance, but he was cautious about directly attacking segregation and discrimination.

-The New Deal gave African Americans access to relief, employment and welfare programmes that had previously been less available. The Library of Congress describes the New Deal as providing more federal support to African Americans than at any time since Reconstruction.

-Roosevelt appointed a number of African Americans to government positions and had African American advisers, increasing their influence in Washington.

-However, many New Deal programmes discriminated against African Americans. For example, aspects of the Agricultural Adjustment Act harmed black sharecroppers.

-Roosevelt did not strongly support federal anti-lynching legislation. He feared that supporting it would alienate Southern Democrats whose votes he needed to pass his New Deal programmes.

-During WWII, however, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 (1941), banning racial discrimination in defence industries and establishing the Fair Employment Practice Committee.

Overall attitude: More supportive of African Americans than previous presidents in terms of economic assistance and government representation, but politically cautious about challenging segregation and Southern Democrats.

 Eleanor Roosevelt — First Lady

-Eleanor Roosevelt was much more openly supportive of African American civil rights than her husband.

-She worked closely with civil rights organisations such as the NAACP.

-She supported efforts to introduce a federal anti-lynching law.

-In 1936, she corresponded with NAACP leader Walter White about how to build congressional support for anti-lynching legislation.

-She also used her position publicly to challenge racial discrimination and supported African American participation in New Deal programmes.

-Her views sometimes put her at odds with FDR's more cautious approach. The Library of Congress specifically identifies Eleanor Roosevelt as supportive of the NAACP's anti-lynching campaign, while FDR was reluctant to support it because of the political consequences.

Overall attitude: Strongly supportive of African American civil rights and more willing than FDR to publicly challenge racial discrimination.