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Campaign Diary by Willaim Coit
Saturday, September 08, 2001Hi friends, I was sitting at home Saturday night watching the U.S.Open between Venus and Serena Williams and I began to think about the historical significant of this match. The setting was Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York. The celebrities were on hand. The participants, two African-Americans, Venus 21, and Serena 19, would battle each other in the first Grand Slam final between siblings in 117 years and the first women's final televised in prime time.
Venus went on to win the first set 6-2 and the second set 6-4.
Twenty-three million Americans witnessed the first Grand Slam Final in 117 years by two sisters. This accomplishment is significant. The Williams sisters helped elevate the status of women's tennis in addition to providing motivation for thousands of young African-American tennis players. Through hard work and perseverance, they realized their dreams.
I will announce my candidacy for Congress as a Republican most likely from the 13th district. My motivation to run will be to improve the conditions of my district and ending 100 years of absence for a Republican of African-American descent from the South.
The Republican Party was formed in 1854 to oppose the westward expansion of slavery in the U.S. It was during this time that Abraham Lincoln was elected President and the American Civil War established the party as the liberator of slaves and won it the allegiance of the overwhelming majority of African-Americans. President Lincoln and the Republicans issued the Proclamation Emancipation and authored the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the constitution.
The liberal wing of the party, the Radical Republicans, largely shaped the Reconstruction policy, their primary goal was to secure equal civil and political rights for African-Americans. Blacks gained voting and citizenship rights, and they played prominent roles in Reconstruction governments in the South as lieutenant governors, speaker of state houses of representatives, and secretaries of state. Between 1869 and 1901, 20 African-American Republicans from the South were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and 2 were elected to the U.S. Senate. The last member was elected 100 years ago. George Henry White, a U.S.Congressman from Rosindale, N.C. completed his last term as a Republican Congressman of African-American descent from the South. He served from March 4, 1897 - March 3, 1901 in the 55th and 56th Congresses. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1900 to the 57th Congress. He chose instead to return to practicing law and engaging in banking. He died December 28, 1918. >From 1901 thru 2001, no African-American from the South has represented the Republican Party in Congress. ( JC Watts of Oklahoma is a sitting Black Republican Congressman. Oklahoma is located in the mid-west).
I encourage you to participate in this historic campaign. We will win because I am committed, prepared, and will bring my message directly to the people
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