Ep. 2: The Black man who ran for U.S. president in 1904

In Ep. 2 of the Reading with Rachelle podcast, Erick Nganyange and I discuss the legacy of George Edwin Taylor

Nov 17, 2024

Did you know George Edwin Taylor, a Black man, ran for president of the United States in 1904 against Theodore Roosevelt? Did you know he ran as a candidate of the newly formed African American party, the National Liberty Party? Did you know that before he joined the National Liberty Party, Taylor was a Democrat when most Black Americans were Republican? Did you know he was living in Ottumwa, Iowa at the time he ran for president?

These are just a few things that Erick Nganyange, creator and host of the Iowa Civil Rights History podcast, and I discussed on the November 13, 2024 episode of the Reading with Rachelle podcast. Our discussion was focused on the book, For Labor, Race, and Liberty - George Edwin Taylor, His Historic Run for the White House, and the Making of Independent Black Politics by Bruce L. Mouser.

Not only did we discuss the topics above …

We highlighted Taylor's remarkable life journey, from being orphaned at a young age to becoming a prominent journalist and labor activist.
We explored how his personal experiences shaped his political views and his trailblazing campaign.
We examined the parallels between the challenges faced by Black political movements in the 19th century and the ongoing struggles for representation and empowerment in the Black community today.
We considered the lessons we can learn from historical figures like George Edwin Taylor and how their stories can inspire us to continue the fight for justice and equity.

Listen to our discussion above—or on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcast.

I’m a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Subscribe to the Weekly Roundup to get the links to what we’ve written about each week. Here are just a few of my recent favorites: