The Day Black America Left the GOP

The long, turbulent story behind how Black voters transformed American politics — and why their loyalty endures today.

Today, it’s widely known that most Black voters tend to support Democratic candidates, but this was not always the case. Black Americans were once much more likely to be Republicans.

On paper, Black men everywhere gained the right to vote in 1870, and Black women in 1920. Over this period, Black citizens in the North were increasingly able to cast their …