The Congressional Black Caucus is one of most active groups within the United States Congress composed of just African-American members. In the group’s early days, they clashed with then-President Richard Nixon and a letter he sent on this day would inspire the CBC to movie forward in solidarity.
On May 18, 1971, President Nixon sent a letter to CBC’s first chairman, Charles C. Diggs. The CBC presented Nixon with a list of 60 demands that would advance the concerns of Black Americans. It was the latest in a series of salvos from the CBC towards Nixon since the top of that year. Though the group was in its infancy, just forming in March 1971, they’d managed to challenge Nixon on several issues.
According to the CBC, NIxon’s letter to Diggs was an inadequate response to their concerns and needs. The president used his politician’s tongue to reject their demands, instead playing up his own civil rights efforts and desire to see equality across the board for all Americans.
Instead of killing the CBC’s momentum, the group used it as fuel to influence other members of Congress to join their cause. Seizing on the robust discussions on race in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, the CBC grew exponentially from this point on.
Today, the CBC prides itself as the collective voice for Black America on Capitol Hill.
(Photo: Public Domain)
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