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William Crum, venerable African-American Doctor appointed by Theodore Roosevelt and hated by Democrats

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor William Crum, born in South Carolina, February 9th 1859. His father was a German immigrant and his mother, a free black. He studied medicine at Howard University in Washington DC and went on to specialize in treating infectious diseases. Twelve years, Dr. Crum chaired his county GOP. He was delegate for the 1900 Republican National Convention. Theodore Roosevelt appointed him collector of customs at Charleston. Democrats filibustered against the nomination, because this would have placed him in authority over white people. Page 142 of Back to Basics for the Republican Party explains that they relented after the persistent President nominated him a fifth time. President William Howard Taft later named Dr. Crum the Ambassador to Liberia. There, he helped its government determine borders and resolve a financial crisis. Back to Basics for the Republican Party  is my ...
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the Crittenden Compromise

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I praise our Party’s resolute opposition to slavery. January 16th 1861, the Crittenden Compromise failed in the U.S. Senate. All Republicans voted no. Earlier, the GOP-controlled House refused to even consider it. In an effort to appease secessionists, Kentucky Senator John Crittenden had proposed guaranteeing slavery and even allowing expansion into the Southwest. President-elect Abraham Lincoln denounced any "proposition for a compromise in regard to the extension of slavery" because the Compromise "would lose us everything we gained by the election." Back to Basics for the Republican Party  is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see  www.grandoldpartisan....
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James Watson Webb, estimable Whig Journalist and Republican Ambassador

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I salute James Watson Webb, born in upstate New York, February 8th 1802. He started out clerking at a store, then served eight years as commissary lieutenant and explorer. He resigned from the army to publish a newspaper in New York City. To him goes credit for coining the term “Whigs” to describe political opponents of Andrew Jackson. Democrats hated Webb for championing abolition. Outbreak of civil war, President Lincoln offered to commission him brigadier general. This he declined, accepting instead the ambassadorship to Brazil. His son was awarded the Medal of Honor for helping to defeat Pickett’s Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Back to Basics for the Republican Party  is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more informatio...
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Austin Blair – War Governor of Michigan

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Austin Blair, born in upstate New York, February 8th 1818. He worked the family farm, then attended local colleges. After passing the bar, the ambitious Whig relocated to Michigan. His political career began with election for county clerk, soon followed by the state house. He attended the Free Soil Party's 1848 national convention. At the first-ever Republican state convention – July 6th 1854 – Blair chaired the committee that wrote the platform. That autumn, he was elected state senator. In 1860, he attended the Republican National Convention and was elected Governor. Outbreak of civil war, Blair pledged that: "Michigan is loyal to the Union, the Constitution, and the laws and will defend them to the uttermost; and to proffer to the President of the United States, the whole military power of the State for that purpose." His admin...
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Vice President Pence cast a Tie-Breaking Vote to Confirm a Cabinet Secretary

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I spotlight an unprecedented act in the U.S. Senate. For the first time, a Vice President broke a tie to confirm a Cabinet nominee. February 7th 2017, Mike Pence cast the deciding vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. The final tally: 51–50 DeVos had been Republican National Committeewoman and Chair of the Michigan GOP. Democrats opposed her for advocating school choice. Back to Basics for the Republican Party  is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see  www.grandoldpartisan.com .  Here is a  YouTube Video  about this article. Here is a  TikTok Video  about this article. Here is an  Instagram Video  about this article. Here is my  Substack ...
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Joseph Simon, the first Jewish Republican Senator

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Joseph Simon, born in Germany, February 7th 1851. He emigrated to Oregon as a baby with his family. The ambitious Republican studied law and served on the Portland city council. In 1880, he won first of three state senate terms. Simon chaired the state party, then from 1892 to 1896 was Republican National Committeeman. In 1898, the legislature elected him a U.S. Senator. After leaving Congress, he won a term as Mayor. Back to Basics for the Republican Party  is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see  www.grandoldpartisan.com .  Here is a  YouTube Video  about this article. Here is a  TikTok Video  about this article. Here is an  Instagram Video  about this article. ...
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the Last Photograph of Ronald Reagan

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Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I spotlight the last known photograph of Ronald Reagan. It depicts him and wife Nancy at their home on his 89th birthday. That was February 6th 2000. They were kissing, while enjoying a cake. June 2004, I had the honor of being among those who applauded Nancy Reagan as the President's coffin was transferred from hearse to caisson. Back to Basics for the Republican Party  is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see  www.grandoldpartisan.com .  Here is a  YouTube Video  about this article. Here is a  TikTok Video  about this article. Here is an  Instagram Video  about this article. Here is my  Substack  about this article. Michael Zak is author of  Ba...
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