James Weldon Johnson, the African-American Republican who wrote "Lift Every Voice and Sing"


Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I applaud James Weldon Johnson, born in Jacksonville, June 17th 1871. Graduating from Atlanta University, he taught school and rose to be principal.

In 1900, Johnson wrote the poem Lift Every Voice and Sing to honor Republican activist Booker T. Washington when that civil rights leader visited his school. His brother set the words to music, resulting in what became known as the Negro National Anthem.

Johnson's political activism began with denouncing Democrats for lynching African-Americans. The stalwart Republican campaigned for Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. Roosevelt appointed him consul to Venezuela and then Nicaragua.

Johnson relocated to New York City and contributed his poetry and novels to the Harlem Renaissance movement. Ten years, he was executive secretary of the NAACP. Later in life, he taught at New York University and then Fisk University.

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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