Founding of the North Carolina Republican Party
Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I admire the North Carolina Republican Party. March 27th 1867, one hundred forty-seven delegates convened at Raleigh in the Capitol House Chamber to establish the state GOP. The one hundred one whites represented three factions: Unionists, ex-Confederates who had repudiated the rebellion, and northern arrivals. Most of the forty-six blacks were former slaves. William Holden, a newspaper editor appointed Provisional Governor for the six months immediately following the Civil War, organized the event. As he stated: "Let our loyal people, and especially the colored people, trust no man who will not promptly say he is a Republican." Boldly proclaimed: "We do this day with proud satisfaction unfurl the brilliant and glorious banner of THE REPUBLICAN PARTY and earnestly appeal to every true and patriotic man in the State to rally in its support." ...