Republicans passed the 14th Amendment

On this day in 1866, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing all Americans due process and equal protection of the laws.  All Democrats in Congress voted against it.  Principal author of the amendment was Rep. John Bingham (R-OH).  The original purpose of the 14th Amendment was to defend African-Americans from their Democrat oppressors in the post-Civil War South.

Michael Zak is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the country, showing office-holders, candidates and activists how they would benefit tremendously from appreciating our Party's heritage of civil rights achievement.  Back to Basics for the Republican Party is his acclaimed history of the GOP from the Republican point of view.  Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog -- http://grandoldpartisan.typepad.com -- celebrates 154 years of Republican heroes and heroics.  See www.republicanbasics.com for more information.