Remembering Oscar De Priest

The first black congressman of the 20th century was a Republican.
Remembering Oscar De Priest
Congressman Oscar Stanton De Priest of Illinois, in this file photo. Library of Congress, Public Domain
Lawrence W. Reed
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Commentary

On June 12, 1929, First Lady Lou Hoover hosted one of several social gatherings at the White House for the spouses of newly elected members of the House. The tea party for congressional spouses was a polite and quiet tradition, a courtesy that presidents’ wives hoped would encourage goodwill between the legislative and executive branches of government. But this one produced an uproar.

Lawrence W. Reed
Lawrence W. Reed
Author
Lawrence Reed is president emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Education in Atlanta and the author of “Real Heroes: Inspiring True Stories of Courage, Character, and Conviction“ and the best-seller “Was Jesus a Socialist?”
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