Rep Byron Donalds faces backlash for saying Black Americans were better off during Jim Crow era

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Rep Byron Donalds (R-FL), a prominent figure in former President Donald Trump's political circle, ignited a firestorm of controversy during a campaign event in Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 4.

Speaking at the "Congress, Cognac, and Cigars" gathering, Donalds suggested that Black families were better off during the Jim Crow era. This statement quickly drew sharp criticism and sparked widespread debate.

Donalds' controversial remarks

The event, co-hosted by Rep Wesley Hunt (R-TX), was part of the “Black Americans for Trump” initiative and aimed to engage Black voters ahead of the upcoming elections. Held at a cigar bar, the event was moderated by sports journalist Michelle Tafoya, who steered discussions on Republican outreach to the Black community.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that while the room was predominantly Black, many attendees were from outside Philadelphia, a fact that the Biden campaign was quick to criticize.

"The room was majority-Black, but about half of those who listed addresses on the event’s sign-in sheet put down addresses outside Philadelphia," noted the Inquirer, adding that President Biden’s campaign “wasted no time blasting the optics of not having any Black Pennsylvanians speak at the event.”

During the discussion, Donalds attributed the erosion of Black family values to Democratic policies, nostalgically referencing the Jim Crow era.

“You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative — Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively,” Donalds stated.

He further explained that he sees a "reinvigoration of the Black family," characterized by younger generations forming nuclear families and contributing to a revival of the Black middle class.

Donalds criticized the policies of former President Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society programs, which he believes disrupted Black family structures. “And then H.E.W., Lyndon Johnson — you go down that road, and now we are where we are,” he added.

Historical context and various takes

The Jim Crow era, spanning from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, was marked by severe racial segregation and disenfranchisement of Black Americans.

Despite Donalds' claims about family cohesion, this period was also characterized by systemic oppression, including voter suppression, economic disenfranchisement, and violent enforcement of segregationist policies by groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

Critics argue that Donalds’ remarks overlook the harsh realities of the era.

Conservative thinkers have long debated the impact of government welfare programs on Black families. Thomas Sowell, a renowned economist, argued in 2004 that the liberal welfare state contributed to the disintegration of the Black family by subsidizing unwed pregnancies and creating a dependency on welfare.

“The black family, which had survived centuries of slavery and discrimination, began rapidly disintegrating in the liberal welfare state that subsidized unwed pregnancy and changed welfare from an emergency rescue to a way of life,” Sowell wrote in 2004.

However, Donalds' failure to acknowledge the Republican Party's historical role post-Civil War and the subsequent shift in political alliances also presents an incomplete narrative.

After the Civil War, Black Americans were inclined to support Republicans due to the party's efforts to abolish slavery and promote Reconstruction-era policies. Over time, as political platforms evolved, many Black voters aligned with Democrats, especially during and after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, according to Mediaite.

Donalds slammed on social media for his comments 

The congressman was slammed by critics on social media for his comments about Black families in the Jim Crow era.

"That’s just nuts. How was he able to get away with that?" one posted on X.

"Bryon Donalds, you are in Washington DC. Go visit the African American Museum and tell me what you think of Jim Crow after the visit," another insisted.

"A person with no morals or Integrity," someone else wrote.

"I hope Byron’s grandparents did not hear him say this. What a disappointment he would be," a comment read.

"There is always someone willing to play this role. Probably for the paychecks, but a certain few would probably do it for free," another chimed in.

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