Grand Old Partisan honors George Scranton, born May 11th 1811. This visionary industrialist developed the use of anthracite coal to smelt iron. Business ventures extended to railroads. He founded the city of Scranton. Scranton joined the Pennsylvania GOP at its... Read more →
May 11, 2025
May 10, 2025
the Emperor of Brazil visiting the United States
Grand Old Partisan spotlights the first visit by a Latin American head of state. In 1876, the Emperor of Brazil made a three month, nine thousand mile tour of the United States. Pedro II traveled from New York to San... Read more →
May 09, 2025
Frederick Watts, pivotal U.S. Commissioner of Agriculture
Grand Old Partisan honors Frederick Watts, born near Harrisburg, May 9th 1801. Business ventures included a railroad, a gas utility and an iron foundry. He also studied law and served on the bench. Watts was first president of the state... Read more →
May 08, 2025
John Francis Wheaton, the first Black Legislator in Minnesota
Grand Old Partisan honors John Francis Wheaton, born May 8th 1866. His father was the first Black person to vote in Maryland after ratification of the GOP’s 15th Amendment. He attended three state and twonnational Republican conventions. Relocating to Minnesota... Read more →
May 07, 2025
Frank Frantz, the last Governor of Oklahoma Territory
Grand Old Partisan salutes Frank Frantz, born May 7th 1872. Arriving in Oklahoma Territory age twenty-one, he worked as a mining engineer. This patriot served in the Rough Riders with Theodore Roosevelt. Back home, Frantz managed a hardware business. President... Read more →
May 06, 2025
Roscoe Conkling Giles, the first Black Doctor to head a City Health Department
Grand Old Partisan salutes Roscoe Conkling Giles, born May 6th 1890, named for Republican civil rights visionary Senator Roscoe Conkling. He was first Black person to study medicine at Cornell and first certified by the American Board of Surgery. In... Read more →
May 05, 2025
Hiram Willey, the first Republican U.S. Attorney for Connecticut
Grand Old Partisan honors Hiram Willey, born in Connecticut, May 5th 1818. Law studies followed college graduation. He won election to the legislature first as a Whig then as a Republican. In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln named him U.S. Attorney.... Read more →
May 04, 2025
the Abraham Lincoln burial
Grand Old Partisan spotlights the burial of Abraham Lincoln. May 3rd 1865, the train bearing his casket arrived in Springfield. A final lying in state took place at the Illinois capitol building. Following day, a Black minister and the President's... Read more →
May 03, 2025
Ralph Hall, the oldest-ever Member of Congress
Grand Old Partisan salutes Ralph Hall, born near Dallas, May 3rd 1923. He was a naval pilot during WWII. Law studies followed. Business ventures included an aluminum factory, a newspaper and a bank. Public service began with the county bench,... Read more →
May 02, 2025
President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II
Grand Old Partisan spotlights the first public meeting between Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. En route to Asia, the pontiff stopped in Alaska. There, the President conferred with him. "I want to welcome Your Holiness to the United... Read more →
May 01, 2025
John W. E. Thomas, from Alabama Slave to Illinois Legislator
Grand Old Partisan honors John William Edinburgh Thomas, born in Alabama, May 1st 1847. He defied Democrat laws by teaching literacy to fellow slaves. His school went public upon emancipation. Thomas moved to Illinois and studied law. Entry to politics... Read more →
April 30, 2025
the first Republican newspaper in the South
Grand Old Partisan commemorates the first black-owned newspaper in the South. April 30th 1862, two African-American Republicans established in New Orleans a patriotic tri-weekly newspaper, L'Union. Louis Charles Roudanez and Paul Trévigne took this bold action after Confederate rebels lost... Read more →
April 29, 2025
Gettysburg 30th anniversary reunion
Grand Old Partisan spotlights the thirty-year reunion for the Battle of Gettysburg. It had been organized by Republican statesman James Russell Young. April 29th 1893, Civil War generals – from both sides – gathered at Cemetery Hill. Among them was... Read more →
April 28, 2025
Calvin Coolidge dedicating the National Academy of Sciences building
Grand Old Partisan commends the GOP's support for scientific research. The National Academy of Sciences was established by the GOP-controlled 37th Congress. President Abraham Lincoln signed its charter. April 28th 1924, Calvin Coolidge dedicated the National Academy of Sciences headquarters... Read more →
April 27, 2025
Ulysses Grant, the second Republican President
Grand Old Partisan salutes Ulysses Grant, born near Cincinnati, April 27th 1822. Abraham Lincoln promoted him to Lieutenant General. Following a splendid military career, he became the second Republican President. Sometimes overlooked are his exemplary efforts to protect Blacks from... Read more →
TikTok
- TikTok
my Grand Old Partisan videos, available on TikTok
Substack link for Grand Old Partisan
My father, of blessed memory, wrote a book now available on Kindle:
Soldier Boy: a Memoir of Life and Death and Survival during WWII
Back to Basics for the Republican Party
- "We need to promote Back to Basics for the Republican Party to every single proud Republican!!!!"
- "Every precinct committeeman, every candidate and every teacher with a Republican affiliation should read this book and pass it on to another."
- "Michael Zak takes a novel approach to the culture wars by boldly boasting the historical record of the Republican Party. Rather then sheepishly bow to the Democrat's ongoing myths (and frequently, outright lies) about the GOP, he brings the history and heroes of the Republican Party into the fray."
- “Why is it that we Republicans are so easily outmaneuvered by Democrats?
Why do Republicans so readily fight among themselves?
Why is it so difficult for Republicans to advance their policy agenda?
Here's why."
Back to Basics for the Republican Party - “The past is the cause of the present, and the present will be the cause of the future. All these are links in the endless chain stretching from the finite to the infinite.”
Abraham Lincoln - “The Founding Fathers knew a government can't control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.”
Ronald Reagan
Speech Raves
- "Your words at the Lincoln Day dinner were truly inspiring. Thank you so much for your dedicated work and contributions to our Party."
- "Your book is outstanding, and it's nice to have the information come alive during your presentation. You are at once informative and motivating. We've got to get back to basics -- as you say."
- "Thank you for speaking at the luncheon. I've already received many favorable comments. You're absolutely right that the Republican leadership should know our party's history."
- "Thanks for all that you do for the Republican Party and our Nation."
- “Your speech was great and just what some of us depressed Republicans needed. The GOP has taken its eye off of the major issue: freedom v. socialism. You spoke to the core of that issue.”
- “Thank you so much for speaking at the state convention. We received wonderful feedback from everyone in attendance. Everyone was impressed with the depth and breadth of your knowledge, as well as your clear speaking style and sense of humor. You made an outstanding presentation, and we are deeply grateful to you for your efforts.”
- “You have a great vision and hope for the Party, and I think you are embarking on important work.”
- “Thank you so much for speaking at our event. You are offering a tremendous service not only to Republicans, but also to the United States and the world.”
[email protected]
Each day, my Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates more than sixteen decades of Republican heroes and heroics.
event photos
- Michael Zak is a popular speaker to conservative organizations around the nation -- thirty states so far. His message is that Republicans would benefit tremendously from appreciating the heritage of our Grand Old Party.
Book Reviews
- "Your book is a national treasure.I'm always recommending it to people."
- "Thank you, Michael!!! Every person who calls himself a Republican, and every person who just wants to know the truth. should know your book!!!"
- "If you're a Republican and love history, this book by my friend Michael Zak is a must read. And if you happen to be looking for a Lincoln/Reagan Day dinner speaker, I highly recommend him."
- great information on our rich heritage"Get a copy of Michael Zak's book, Back to Basics for the Republican Party"
- "I recommend Back to Basics for the Republican Party to everyone who wants to be educated on the true history of the GOP and America!!!!
- Phenomenal historyAnyone who liked the Lincoln movie will love this book. This book is perhaps the best kept secret in all political and history books in America. It is something every politico should read. It puts things into historical perspective like few other books I've read. It challenges conventional through thorough documented history. This is a must read for any student of American history and political science. One regret is that I read the book more than a decade after it was published. It truly is something you feel you missed out on. It is also a book that leaves you wanting to learn more about certain individuals such as Thaddeus Stevens. It's an incredible body of work."
- "Thank you for writing your book. I am two chapters into it, and find it fascinating and motivating. This may be a very significant contribution to the rise of the GOP in the coming years."
- "I am a believer in pro-free market and pro-constitutional rights who recently purchased your book Back to Basics for the Republican Party and have not been able to put it down. It is simply amazing you composed a book in 2003 that hits home on the most serious of topics we face today. I completely agree that we must educate and focus on the original plan as laid out by the founders of our party if we are ever to move forward in a positive direction."
- Praise from Alaska"I purchased your book at our Juneau, Alaska Republican Women's Luncheon last month principally because the title intrigued me. I just finished it, reading the last chapter three times. I wanted to burn the wisdom presented into my brain. Thank you again for all your hard work to research and write your book. Thank you for all you are doing to educate Americans on the incredible truth of the founding of our great country.""Thank you for doing all the research to write this book. As a History/American Studies major, I THOUGHT I knew the difference between Republicans and Democrats, the roles of Lincoln and Stevens and Sumner and Reagan, and the history of our country from the revolutionary war through the civil war. Boy, was I soooo wrong."
- Read it and MEMORIZE it!"My copy is dog-eared with notes and underlined parts. “Back to Basics for the Republican Party has been tremendously helpful setting mis-educated Democrats straight on history!"
- It's a fantatic buy!“Back to Basics for the Republican Party is very informative and gives you an insight into the history of the party from the early days to the modern day presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. What the author has done is provide a balanced view, giving the reader a fascinating 150-year journey of the Republicans. This book is a REAL political page turner which will open minds to a wealth of knowledge and history which most are not even aware of.
- “Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan.”
- “This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!”
- “Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before.”
- "one of the best books I ever read"
- “Your book, Back to Basics for the Republican Party, is most timely during this 2010 pre-election period. It is a message that needs to be emphasized to all grassroots activists. From the precinct, county, district and national levels your respected views need to be heard and read on how to take back our country.”
- from the first page: “Democrats control most of the media, but they also write most of the history books, thereby controlling what even Republican activists think they know about our Party's glorious heritage.”