Johnson was a Democrat. What a lot of people don’t realise is that the Democrats were in favour of slavery and small government. They opposed any attempts to restrict slavery, and believed in separation of the races, with white supremacy a state ordained by God. Such was the extremism of Southern Democrats, the Northern Democrats found they couldn’t go with them causing a split in the party and the newly formed Republican Party filled the vacuum.
The Republicans wanted government to help build railways and schools and boost infrastructure, the Democrats were largely against public education, and opposed government protected lands.
When Johnson was thrust into the presidency, he followed Democratic doctrine and although he couldn’t overturn the 13th amendment, he laid the foundations for Jim Crow laws and ensured the emancipated slaves were kept in poverty.
It’s almost as though the roles have flipped when one looks at how the GOP (tea party) behaves now. White supremacy is at the core of the GOP, whilst the Democrats have aligned with civil rights and equality.
