William Barton Rogers – Founder of MIT
Grand Old Partisan honors William Barton Rogers, born December 7th 1804. College of William & Mary hired him to teach science. In 1835, he conducted a geological survey of Virginia. His investigations spurred development of Appalachian coal mining. He chaired the first meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Though a slave-holder in his early years, Rogers observed that the 'peculiar institution' encouraged violence throughout society. He married an abolitionist. The astute intellectual relocated to Boston, partly because of threats from pro-slavery Democrats. He supported Abraham Lincoln for president. The secession crisis moved him to write: "It is difficult to divine how the slavery problem is to be settled; but one thing is certain, that the control of the slave interest in the politics of the continent is done forever."
and:
"The greatest event beyond comparison of the war, is the late proclamation of the President, declaring the slaves of all rebellious States after January next to be forever free. On the 22d of September this momentous voice was uttered. On that day in an inspiring sense than ever before, the sun crossed the line."
To combine research with the diffusion of knowledge was his reason for establishing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1861, a GOP-controlled legislature and Republican governor granted it a state charter. Rogers served as president of MIT from 1862 to 1870 and again from 1878.
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.
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Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.
Each day, his YouTube videos and TikTok videos and Rumble videos and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states.
Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.
"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"
"Your book is a national treasure. I'm always recommending it."
"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."
"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."
"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."
and
"one of the best books I ever read"
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