Opening the Door to Hope: Coolidge and Civil Rights

The 1920s saw the rise of the Klan, Jim Crow laws and immigration restrictions.  What role did President Coolidge play in this? What limitations and what advancements did President Coolidge make in civil rights? 

In his 1923 First Annual Message to Congress (State of the Union), President Coolidge affirmed that African-Americans’ "rights are just as sacred as those of any other citizen. It is both a public and a private duty to protect those rights. The Congress ought to exercise all its powers of prevention and punishment against the hideous crime of lynching." He also went on to advocate for about half a million dollars for medical courses at Howard University to train new doctors.   

Join us for an interview and conversation with scholar Rushad Thomas and commentator Bill Scher on Calvin Coolidge’s complex record on race and civil rights.  
 
About our speakers- 
 
A native of Central Florida, Rushad Thomas is currently the Policy Advisor on domestic policy and migration in The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations. After working for three years on civic education and historic preservation/interpretation at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, Rushad made his way to D.C., where he’s worked for a variety of organizations, from a higher education policy nonprofit to a grassroots political action committee  to center-left think tank Third Way.  Rushad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Florida A&M University, a Master’s degree in Government and a Graduate Certificate in Political Management from Regent University, and a Master’s degree in Political Communication from American University. 
 
Bill Scher serves as Vice-President of the Coolidge Standing Committee, and leads the Library’s Presidents Book Group sharing his passion for discussing presidents and politics. He is also a Contributing Editor to Politico Magazine and a Contributor to Real Clear Politics. He co-hosts the bipartisan online show and podcast "The DMZ," and recently launched a history podcast titled, "When America Worked."

There will be a Q&A in the event and you may submit interview questions ahead of time to Coolidge@forbeslibrary.org