Grand Old Partisan salutes Christian Fleetwood, born in Baltimore this day of 1840. His parents were free blacks, who ensured him a good education thanks to a local merchant. He travelled briefly to Liberia and Sierra Leone while working for the Maryland Colonization Society. Impressed by his intellect and character, a patron funded his higher education at what is now Lincoln University. After graduation, he edited a newspaper.
During the Civil War, Fleetwood enlisted in the 4th U.S. Colored Infantry. His regiment fought in North Carolina and Virginia. The courageous sergeant major was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry at a battle near Richmond. The citation read: "Seized the colors, after 2 color bearers had been shot down, and bore them nobly through the fight."
Peace restored, Fleetwood was a bookkeeper in Ohio before coming to Washington, DC for a job at the Freedmen's Bank. Starting in the Garfield administration, he worked for eleven years at the War Department. In 1888, with the rank of major, he organized a battalion of African-Americans for the DC National Guard. He was also choirmaster at four churches over the years.
Fleetwood resided in the LeDroit Park neighborhood. As did Frederick Douglass, he served on the DC Republican Party's central committee, from 1870 until death in 1914.
Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eCW3EI0D9DE
Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.
Each day, Michael Zak's grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far.
He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar.
Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.
See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.
"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!"
"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."
"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."
"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."
and
"one of the best books I ever read"
Comments