Wrong on Race: The Democratic Party's Buried Past

by Bruce Bartlett

Book Overview

On the tails of an election with the subject of race at the forefront, Wrong on Race uncovers a hidden past that many Democrats would rather see swept under the carpet. Ranging from the founding of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 023060062X
• ISBN13: 9780230600621
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Wrong on Race/ Right on Facts

"Wrong on Race" is a factual nonpartisan account of the ugly past of the Democratic Party. It is a wonderful asset to my Political Science Library. If one is intensely interested in knowing the truth about world's oldest political party, this book will increase your knowledge.

Tracking down hypocrisy

Bruce Barlett states that his investigation of race found that virtually all of the virulent racists were Democratics. This countered the legend of them being the paragons of race. He succeeds in backing his view. The book starts with Jefferson and ends at the present time. He provides a fair assessment of individuals and provides the notes to back up his assessment. His section on Woodrow Wilson was eye opening. Definitely tarnishes the image of this former president. He also explodes the the myths of FDR and JFK. Mostly flash and no action. I find his explanation of the Southern Strategy plausible. There are many factors to former Democrats becoming Republicans and saying it is purely racial is a sign of obtuse thinking. The book provides a good review of the racial policies since the founding of this nation. It is a key component to help in our understanding of our nation's history in regards to race.

"Wrong on Race" Very Revealing

I found the book to be an excellent read. Up until the mid-1960's, the Democratic Party was the party of slavery and segregation. One Democratic politician in the late 19th century referred to the Democratic Party as the "white people's party" and the Republican Party as the party of "equality." He meant it as a derogatory remark against the Republicans. Frankly, I had to stop reading this book at night because it made me so angry that I had a hard time falling asleep. Bartlett hit a "home run" with this book. It is quite an "eye opener." Dennis Figiel

A Real Eye Opener

Prior to writing this review, I went to the web sites of both the Democratic Party & the GOP to check their records on civil rights & women suffrage. Here's what I found: The GOP's history page talks about its founding to oppose slavery & the passing of a number of civil rights bills, & its later support for women suffrage. The Democratic history page (which is older then the GOP) only talks about civil rights & women rights cica post-1960. This in itself is an eye opening. This books exposes the ugly racism in the Democrat Party's past. Starting with Thomas Jefferson personal views on people of color to President Jackson defying the US Supreme Court in order to force Native Americans to move West (the Trail of Tears). Even 20th century Democratic heros had a failing grade on these issues. From the overrated Wilson (who in my book is a true racism who barred Blacks from coming to Princeton University while he was President there. Despite the fact that other Ivy League schools were opening their doors to people of color.), to FDR who appointed a klanman to the US Supreme Court & did little to help people of color. (In fact it took A. Philip Randolph who will planning a march on Washington in 1941 to force FDR to sign Executive Order 8802, barring racial discrimination in the national defense industry.) And let's not talk about him forcing Japanese Americans into internment camps... Truman faired better, but I shocked to find out that he wanted to join the klan. He was denied because he wasn't willing to not hire Catholics. Nonetheless, he as President desegregated the armed forces & was willing to take political risk in backing civil rights. Thus causing Strom Thurmond (who a Democrat then) to ran on State's Rights on a 3rd. party. In truth, the party never really supported civil rights until they saw the writing on the wall, that most Whites want to see Blacks get fair treatment under the law. Sadly, most Black Americans don't know this & still vote 90%+ for a party that never really were looking out for them. Even today, on issues like school choice, tradition marriage, & immigration, the party's of the opposing side of what most Blacks believe. Also, when it's known that a Republican gets support from White Nationalist groups like 9 years ago when some were members of the Council of Conservative Citizens, it made national news while racist views by Dems (Black & Whites) are underplayed a la Obama's former pastor. Personally, I'm not in either party, but this is a great read on the Democratic Party's buried past.

Very Interesting

The book was interesting, I learned much I didn't know. For a student of politics and history, it is always good to have as much information as possible, in order to draw one's own opinions. The information the book presents was certainly new to me, history is an avocation and so I am more informed than a casual reader,nevertheless the book provided me with much new information and food for thought.