Democratic Party

• 
• SOURCE: Politico
  10/18/2020
  

  Former Democratic power broker James A. Johnson dies at 76

  James Johnson's business, policy and philanthropy resume led a colleague to call him "the chairman of the universe." 

• 
• SOURCE: The New Yorker
  9/29/2020
  

  Harry Reid on the Senate, the Supreme Court, and a Time for Major Change

  Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin interviewed former Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid, who suggests the time has come to remove the filibuster from the Senate rules in response to the undemocratic nature of the chamber. 

• 
• SOURCE: TPM
  9/28/2020
  

  The Democrats Now Face A Historic Opportunity For Structural Change

  by Gregory P. Downs

  Democrats have seen the consequences of their caution in 2009. In 2021, they may have the opportunity to learn from the boldness of the 1880s.

• 
• SOURCE: The Hill
  9/23/2020
  

  History Professor: Democrats Should Work Around SCOTUS Like Abe Lincoln Did

  Associate Professor of History at Princeton University and Jacobin contributor Matt Karp said on Hill TV’s “Rising” Wednesday that Democrats should learn from former President Abraham Lincoln to work around a conservative-majority Supreme Court. 

• 
• SOURCE: New York Times
  9/16/2020
  

  How the Black Vote Became a Monolith

  by Theodore R. Johnson

  Despite the political diversity within Black America, the political system's accommodation of bigotry and the political utility of appeals to white identity have pushed the overwhelming majority of Black voters to cast ballots for the same party. 

• 
• 9/27/2020
  

  Where Does the Democratic Party Stand on War, Peace, and International Relations?

  by Lawrence Wittner

  While moving from a party platform to a change in policy is difficult, especially where the Pentagon is concerned, the Democrats seem to recognize a broad-based desire to return America to international cooperation and allocate resources to other national priorities like public health. 

• 
• SOURCE: New York Times
  9/2/2020
  

  Disdain for the Less Educated Is the Last Acceptable Prejudice

  by Michael J. Sandel

  Joe Biden has a secret weapon in his bid for the presidency: He is the first Democratic nominee in 36 years without a degree from an Ivy League university. His campaign may test the pervasive belief that elite academic credentials are a necessity to govern.

• 
• SOURCE: CNN
  8/27/2020
  

  Yes, Republicans Freed The Slaves. They Were NOT These Republicans.

  Political scientist Andra Gillespie describes how the party power shifted in this country.

• 
• SOURCE: New York Magazine
  8/20/2020
  

  The 48-Year Journey of Joe Biden's Democratic Party

  The Democratic Party has changed considerably since Joe Biden first attended a party convention, making his constant presence in the party noteworthy.

• 
• SOURCE: Made By History at The Washington Post
  8/19/2020
  

  The Virtual Democratic Convention Ignores Milwaukee At Its Peril

  by Mike Amezcua

  The 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago offers a cautionary example for Democrats today: the party's success depends on recognizing and meeting the needs of its constituents. 

• 
• SOURCE: Smithsonian
  8/20/2020
  

  Fannie Lou Hamer’s Dauntless Fight for Black Americans’ Right to Vote

  by Keisha N. Blain

  As Hamer and her Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party colleagues pointed out to the 1964 Democratic National Convention, a “whites-only” Democratic Party representing a state in which one out of five residents were black undermined the very notion of representative democracy. 

• 
• SOURCE: Vox
  8/17/2020
  

  The Triumph of the Nostalgiacrats

  Democrats have scheduled a convention that’s more about celebrating the past than winning the future.

• 
• 8/18/2020
  

  Historians Watch the Virtual Democratic Convention

  The groundbreaking virtual convention caps off with Joe Biden's acceptance. What do historians think? 

• 
• SOURCE: Made By History at The Washington Post
  8/18/2020
  

  How Bill Clinton Turned a Dreadful Convention Speech into Political Stardom

  by Robert Fleegler

  Clinton used a series of television appearances and self-deprecation (and a saxophone) to recover from bombing at the 1988 Democratic convention.   

• 
• SOURCE: Daily Beast
  7/27/2020
  

  The History of America’s Most Racist Frat Was No Secret—Except to Joe Kennedy III

  “The Birth of a Nation” was based on a Kappa Alpha member’s book. The frat—which still hails Robert E. Lee as its “spiritual founder”—praised the film for showing its Klan ties.

• 
• SOURCE: Made By History at The Washington Post
  8/13/2020
  

  Stacey Abrams Could Have as Much Impact on 2020 as Kamala Harris

  by Liette Gidlow

  Stacy Abrams's work to protect voting rights and ballot access may be a decisive factor in the 2020 election. 

• 
• SOURCE: USA Today
  8/11/2020
  

  Kamala Harris Vice Presidential Pick Launches Biden Towards A Cabinet That Looks Like America

  by Lindsay M. Chervinsky

  Joe Biden's selection of former rival Kamala Harris suggests he will follow other successful presidencies and appoint a cabinet that brings different views to policy discussions. 

• 
• SOURCE: Politico
  8/12/2020
  

  ‘She May Very Well Hold The Key To Biden’s Win’

  A group of women scholars and activists including Keisha N. Blain, Jo Freeman, Oneka LaBennett and Treva Lindsey give perspective on Kamala Harris's selection as the Democratic vice presidential candidate.   

• 
• 8/11/2020
  

  Historians React to Biden's Choice of Kamala Harris for VP

  The California Senator will be the first African American woman and the first person of south Asian heritage to appear on a major party presidential ticket. Historians discuss the impact of the selection. 

• 
• SOURCE: New York Post
  8/8/2020
  

  Queens Powhatan and Pocahontas Democratic Club Considers Name Change

  Columbia professor Mae Ngai, co-director for the school’s Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, called the use of Pocahontas’ name “clueless.”