"Bailey Appointed to Staff"]]> These are newspaper articles about Bob Carl Bailey's initial appointment in November 1980 by Gov. Fob James to research discriminatory lending practices towards African Americans in Alabama.]]> 1980-11-03 (1)]]> BT.070.jpg (2)]]> This is a newspaper article about James Cobb and his political contributions through the NAACP.]]> 1978-02-27]]> EH_SCN_17b.jpg
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An August 26, 1868 Florence, AL Literary Index newspaper article regarding the aim on the part of a group of Florence freedmen to found a "Seymour and Blair political club."

Former New York Governor Horatio Seymour (1810-1886) and Francis Preston Blair, Jr. (1821-1875) were the Democratic nominees for US president and vice-president in the 1868 elections, losing out to Republican nominee and former Union Army General Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877).

Until FDR's New Deal in the 1930s courted away the black vote, most blacks voted Republican, as it was the party of Lincoln and emancipation however in Florence-Lauderdale perhaps 15-20% of black voters voted Democrat.

The article uses the formation of this club as political propaganda and insists that it is proof that at least some local blacks were growing tired of "loyal leagues" (Union Leagues) patriotic clubs which were formed by the Republican Party in the North in 1863 to bolster pro-Union loyalty and which moved down South after the war. The leagues often met at night in secret (for fear of the Klan or other white harassment) to discuss politics and recommend candidates for office. One such Union League met at the Pisgah ME Church 10 miles north of Florence near Rawhide (since 1889 Cloverdale ) in March of 1867.]]>
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This is a newspaper article from 1910 about the exclusion of African Americans from the Lauderdale County Republican party. After the Constitution of 1901 disenfranchised most African Americans, a Republican faction known as "Lily Whites" ignored black voters and candidates and barred them from the party. ]]> 1910-06-10]]> This is a newspaper article imploring African American voters to vote for Horace Greeley, a liberal Republican candidate in 1872.]]> 1872-10-29]]> This newspaper article describes the resignation of Emmitt Jimmar, the first African American elected to the Colbert County Commission.]]> 2017]]> EH_SCN_16b.jpg]]> This is a newspaper article from 1964 about the formation of a biracial committee, formed to potential thwart any "problems" during the civil rights struggle of the 1960s.]]> 1964-01-14]]> This is a newspaper article about Rev. C.D. Hamilton.]]> 2014-03-19]]> This is a newspaper article about Emmitt Jimmar and his bid for Colbert County commissioner. ]]> 1984-08-06]]> This is a newspaper account of a political disagreement between James Goin and Judge J.S. Clark, a Republican in Lauderdale County. ]]> 1874-09-09]]>