the first Republican Presidential Nominee to Campaign in Mississippi

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I spotlight the first time in a century that a presidential nominee campaigned in Mississippi. September 24th 1960, Richard Nixon addressed thousands of supporters at Jackson as well as radio and television audiences.

Speaking from the steps of the governor’s mansion, the Vice President emphasized his commitment to protecting civil rights. He then observed that progress in the state had not come "primarily from government, but it has come from the activities of hundreds of thousands of individual Mississippians given an opportunity to develop their own lives. I want for this country and I want for the people of this State, for the people of all of our States, the kind of government in which we can have better jobs, better housing, better schools, better medical care."

From there, Nixon noted that Democrats were offering the same old same old — more power for federal bureaucrats to run other people’s lives. In contrast, he said: "the way to progress in America is not to start with Washington, but to start with the people first and work up to Washington and go there last, that the way to progress in this country is not to weaken the power of our States and our local governments, but to strengthen them."

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"