The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1937-01-29
Pr ; : ent Figure In Political Life
DisI IS Participation O. Negro
PeON y National Elections Of IS
Bg James ". Ford
Vice Presidential Candidate Of
The Communist Party

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people. the most crucial election
since the Civil War. Eminent men
and women who had hitherto been
considered moored to Republican,
ISM were dissatisfied with The mo-
mination OF Landon and the re-
dictionary Republican program. A
revolt took place among the rank
and file. At tie opening Of the
campaign the revolt had not chys-
tallized: It was solidified during
the short period Of a four-molith
campaign. A tidal wave Of resent
ment seemed to grow higher every
day.
The Negro people were alarmed
BY the facts piling up daily which
exposed the forces Of reaction IN
and around the Republican Party.
Old line colored politicians tried
to convince them Of the need to
support the Republican Party.
Roscoe conkling Simmons, Perry
Howard and other Negro Repub-
lican leaders in their usual role Of
long standing service to that party
made extraordinary efforts to hold
the Negro people to their old ties.
Negroes Break Old Ties
Chicago was the rocl-rlbbed ha-
ven Of Republicanism among Ne
groes. It was pathetic. up to the
very day Of election, to see the
faith that some colored people
placed in the victory Of Landon.
Their leaders controlled all ave
nues Of information and opinion.
The Chicago Defender, one Of the
oldest and largest Negro iaswspa-
pers, was the mouthpiece Of the
Republican Party. It was regret
table that there was 80 little means
Of bringing the breadth Of politi-
cal discussion, going on through
out the country. into Chicago. On
y the axcellept campaign Of Har-
~ Haywood. Communist candi-
date for Congress-. brought the
real issues to the people Of the
South Side Of Chicago.
The Roosevelt landslide saw rs
Negroes elected to the state legis-
latc~es of nine states and one to
the Congress of the United States.
The majority were Democrats. In
several instances Negro Republi-
cans were succeeded by Negro De-
mocrats. No Negro legislative
candidate running on the Demo-
cratic ticket was defeated.
A Political Revolution
Despite all Of the work Of the
Chicago Defender, in Chicago, no
minally a Republican stronghold,
Negroes gave Roosevelt major
ity of their votes. 1t was only in
the second and third wards Of
Chicago Gas in Vermont and in
Maine) that there was Repub-
lican majority and this was the
only Negro community anywhere
in the country.
It is estimated that 100000 Me-
groes voted in Pennsylvania, the
majority giving their vote to Roo
sevelt. Six Negro Democrats were
elected to the state legislature in
that state. Pennsylvania, which is
nominally Republican, is another
example Of the political revolution
that took place among Negro vot-
ers.
For the first time in history Ne
groes in Michigan voted the Demo-
cratic ticket.
over 10000 Negroes voted
four to one in Harlem and two to
one in Brooklyn for Roosevelt.
The Negroes gave Roosevelt a ma
jority in every state in the union
where they voted in large num-
bers. It is estimate dthat the vote
was rs percent in New England;
IS percent in New Jersey; so per-
cent in West Virginia: so percent
in Missouri, In Kansas, where
Roosevelt won by majority Of
5000 votes. Negroes voted two to
one against Landon.
Approximately 5000 Negroes
voted in Durham. North Carolina,
and 5000 in Raleigh. the majority
going for Roosevelt. TWO Negroes
were elected magistrates in Dur
ham on the Democratic ticket. In
Raleigh. Negro was elected JUS
tice Of peace on the Democratic
ticket and became the first Negro
to be elected to public office on
any ticket since Reconstruction.
In indianapolis, Indiana, the
Democratic Party claimed every
Negro precinct by over 70 percent.
Tne Negro people emerged from
this election in far better posi-
ton than ever before. They had
taken a step in the political life