Roosevelt coalition
The Roosevelt coalition was a significant electoral alliance that emerged during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, spanning his four terms from 1932 to 1944. This coalition comprised various racial and ethnic minority groups, including African Americans, Jewish Americans, Irish Americans, Italian Americans, and Polish Americans, who united to support Roosevelt's New Deal policies designed to alleviate the hardships of the Great Depression. Many of these voters viewed the New Deal as a pathway to economic opportunity and a more equitable society.
However, maintaining this diverse coalition proved challenging, particularly during World War II, as Roosevelt had to balance competing interests and demands. For example, he faced pressure from Polish and Jewish Americans advocating for a more active U.S. involvement in combating Nazi Germany, while also navigating the prevailing isolationist sentiments among the broader public. Additionally, African Americans, represented by leaders like A. Philip Randolph, called for action against discrimination in defense industries, leading to the establishment of the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to address these issues.
The coalition not only supported Roosevelt's administration but also set the stage for the Democratic Party's dominance in American politics throughout much of the mid-twentieth century.
Roosevelt coalition
The Roosevelt coalition was an electoral bloc that supported the candidacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who won office four times between 1932 and 1944. It consisted of a number of racial and ethnic minority groups that rallied around Roosevelt’s New Deal policies. The programs that Roosevelt implemented as part of his New Deal had not only eased the privations of the Great Depression but, to some voters, also seemed to promise economic opportunity and the possibility of a racially just society. The Roosevelt coalition included African American, Jewish, Irish American, Italian American, and Polish American voters.
Maintaining this coalition was a difficult balancing act, particularly after the outbreak of World War II. Roosevelt had to reconcile the demands of Polish Americans and Jewish Americans that US foreign policy engage Nazi Germany (which was persecuting Poles and Jews in Europe) with the isolationist sentiments of the majority of the American public. A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, threatened to lead a march on Washington, DC, in 1941 to protest discrimination against African Americans in defense industries and the armed forces. Roosevelt responded by establishing the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to address these concerns. The coalition of minority voters and solid Democratic supporters that Roosevelt created laid the foundation for the dominance of the Democratic Party through the middle of the twentieth century.
Bibliography
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Reed, Adolph, Jr. "Race and the New Deal Coalition." Nation. Nation, 20 Mar. 2008. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.