The disenfranchisement of African Americans wiped out the Republican Party, locking in white supremacy and single-party rule for nearly a century. As one black southerner observed, The whole South-every state in the South-had got into the hands of the very men that had held us as slaves.
In "How Democracies Die," Steven Levitsky discusses the devastating impact of disenfranchisement on African Americans, leading to the decline of the Republican Party in the South. This suppression ultimately facilitated the entrenchment of white supremacy and established a situation of single-party dominance that lasted for almost a hundred years. The power dynamics shifted dramatically, reflecting a society where former enslavers regained control over their African American counterparts.
An insightful observation from a Black southerner highlights the irony and tragedy of this situation, noting that the political landscape of the entire South fell into the hands of those who had once enslaved African Americans. This cycle of oppression erased the political progress that had been made and perpetuated systemic inequality within the region, showcasing how historical injustices can shape contemporary governance and civil rights.
