Introduction
Throughout the development of political views and ideologies, society evolved and decided that all people have equal rights and opportunities. Thus, Blacks were given the right to vote in the United States as full citizens. This topic is significant for the history of America and has many historical aspects to discuss. The platform switch significantly impacted voters; most Blacks today identify as Democrats.
Overview of the Platform Switch
The shift in positions of the Democratic and Republican parties is a significant phenomenon in American politics. The Democrats, who were once the prominent supporters of slavery and exclusively defended the privileges of whites, abruptly changed their views and began to fight for equal rights.
Thus, they managed to win the people’s trust and significantly change the policy in the country (Wolchover, 2022). Social justice has become a mainstay of discussion among politicians in the United States. However, despite this trend, the Republican Party remained more conservative, adhering to right-wing abolitionist views.
The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
The struggle for black rights is an essential milestone in the political and social history of the United States. The reversal of the role of parties occurred in the 1960s under the influence of the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement (Wolchover, 2022). At the time, many Democrats were actively campaigning for civil rights, and then-president Lyndon B. Johnson also pushed for legislation to empower citizens.
Such actions had a serious chance of putting an end to segregation and the division of people into blacks and whites. However, this policy met with resistance among southern democratic forces who did not want the integration of schools and public spaces (Wolchover, 2022). Thus, people opposed to the law soon moved to the Republican Party, which was more in line with their views.
Effects on Black Suffrage
The platform switch has heavily influenced black suffrage as many people have changed their political views. Before this, many blacks supported Republicans, believing that these people were fighting for equality and the end of segregation (Andscape, 2020). However, after the platform-switching process, more African Americans began to defect to the Democrats as they saw that they were getting more support from this party.
Citizens now considered this political force as one that fought for their rights and tried to expand them in every possible way. Blacks were often prevented from voting by the fact that literacy tests and poll taxes were administered (Andscape, 2020). However, after the enactment of the Voting Rights Act, such barriers were removed, and all people could participate in elections, regardless of skin color.
Current Political Landscape
Despite the passage of a sufficiently large amount of time, the political courses of the parties have not changed significantly. This has led most blacks to vote for Democratic candidates (Scripps News, 2016). One of the reasons for the active support of the Black Democrats is that the Democratic Party is more supportive of various initiatives related to public rights and the empowerment of citizens.
In addition, an important reason is also that many years of extensive support for the Republican Party have led to policies that most blacks consider wrong and harmful to the country (Scripps News, 2016). Manifestations of this effect include restrictions on voting rights and cuts in social security support.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it must be said that the political structure of the United States remains a complex system in which two ideologies are constantly opposed. Many events have influenced the formation of voter support preferences, especially for blacks. The switch in platforms between the Democratic and Republican parties was one of the main reasons why blacks began to favor Democrats more. They saw their sincere support and help while the Republican leaders acted more conservatively, limiting the rights and opportunities of the people in some cases. The political landscape in the United States continues to change constantly, so it is necessary to monitor the parties’ course and views actively.
References
Andscape. (2020). In the Know: History of the Black Vote. [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Scripps News. (2016). Why the majority of Black voters are Democrats. [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Wolchover, N. (2022). When did Democrats and Republicans switch platforms? Livescience. Web.