Grand New Party It began in a little schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin, in 1854. A small group of dedicated abolitionists gathered to fight the expansion of slavery, and they gave birth to a Party dedicated to freedom and equal opportunity. The name “Republican” was chosen, alluding to Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party and conveying a commitment to the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Party was formally organized in July 1854 by thousands of anti-slavery activists at a convention in Jackson, Michigan. And it was no accident that two years later, in 1856, the first Republican National Convention took place in Philadelphia, where the Constitution was written. MOMENTS IN HISTORY March 20, 1854 First Republican Party meeting in Ripon, Wisconsin January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation January 31, 1865 Republican-controlled 38th Congress passes the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery June 13, 1866 With unanimous Republican support and against intense Democrat opposition, Congress passes the 14th Amendment March 1, 1872 Republican-controlled 42nd Congress establishes Yellowstone as first national park December 9, 1872 First African-American governor, Pinckney Pinchback (R-LA), inaugurated March 4, 1917 First woman in Congress, Rep. Jeannette Rankin (R-MT), sworn in June 4, 1919 Republican-controlled 66th Congress passes the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote June 2, 1924 Republican-controlled 68th Congress and President Calvin Coolidge grant citizenship to Native Americans with the Indian Citizenship Act December 7, 1928 First Hispanic U.S. Senator, Senator Octaviano Larrazolo (R-NM), sworn in January 3, 1949 Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME) becomes the first woman to serve in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. May 17, 1954 Brown v Board of Education strikes down racial segregation in public schools; majority decision written by Chief Justice Earl Warren, former Republican governor (CA) and vice presidential nominee August 21, 1959 first Asian-American U.S. Senator, Hiram Fong (R-HI), is seated September 9, 1957 President Dwight Eisenhower signs the 1957 Civil Rights Act June 10, 1964 Senate passes the 1964 Civil Rights Act when the Republican leader, Everett Dirksen (R-IL), defeats Democrat filibuster September 25, 1981 Sandra Day O’Connor, appointed by President Reagan, becomes first woman on the Supreme Court June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan calls for liberation of East Europeans from Communism with “Tear Down This Wall” speech
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:36:37 +0000
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