Many of the voters who supported Democrats were .

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Explanation:

Having aligned themselves with the Republican Party since the days of Abraham Lincoln, what made African Americans switch to the Democrats during the Depression Era? This lesson explores why African Americans voted for Franklin Roosevelt, despite the fact that the Democratic Party had traditionally denied them basic civil rights. Using primary sources and a variety of voices from the period, students can discover how the Depression affected African- American workers, and why black voters switched their allegiance during the period. Students will also learn how Democrats and Republicans of the time responded to the call for civil rights. Roosevelt’s problem was that in order to retain his position of leadership, he had to keep the Southern Democrats – who time and again denied African Americans the vote in their states – within the party. Although Roosevelt made no move to reverse the legal segregation at the time, he did invite several African-American leaders to serve as advisors to the administration. He also ensured that African Americans had access to relief during the worst days of the Depression. Because of Roosevelt’s willingness to engage African Americans as Americans, he won their votes for the Democratic Party for decades to come.

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