On the third night of the Republican National Convention (RNC), one of the most powerful speeches came from historic civil rights figure Clarence Henderson, who boldly declared that a vote for Joe Biden is a denial of history.
In 1960, Henderson participated in the Greensboro sit-in, a series of non-violent protests where young black American students refused to leave the segregated Woolworth lunch counter after being denied service. Photo below:
Clarence Henderson has ALWAYS fought for freedom.#RNC2020 pic.twitter.com/eWgxRb4eb4
— Students For Trump (@TrumpStudents) August 27, 2020
During his four-minute speech, Henderson highlighted the accomplishments of President Trump for the black community and recalled his historic fight against racism 60 years ago.
“There have been movements that have changed the course of history. Among the most extraordinary was the civil rights movement,” he began. “Sixty years ago, segregation was legal and enforced. The simple act of sitting at a lunch counter could lead to physical harm, jail time, or worse. I know from personal experience walking into Woolworth’s department store on February 2, 1960, I knew it was unlike any day I had experienced before.”
“My friends had been denied service the day before because of the color of their skin. We knew it wasn’t right,” he continued. “But when we went back the next day, I didn’t know whether I was going to come out in a vertical or prone position, in handcuffs, or on a stretcher, or even in a body bag. By sitting down to order a cup of coffee, we challenged injustice. We knew it was necessary, but we didn’t know what would happen.”
After recalling the threats of violence they faced, Henderson issued a veiled swipe against the Black Lives Matter rioters by noting that the Greensboro sit-in was an actual peaceful protest that instituted lasting change.
“Our actions inspired similar protests throughout the South against racial injustice. In the end, segregation was abolished, and our country moved a step closer to true equality for all. That’s what actual peaceful protests can accomplish,” he said.
Recalling his life accomplishments, including his status as a military veteran and the fact he was the first member of his immediate family to attend college, Henderson proudly declared himself a Republican and supporter of President Trump. To those who would scoff at the thought of a black civil rights icon voting Republican, Henderson recalled the many fine accomplishments of the Republican Party throughout history, such as the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
“Donald Trump is not a politician. He’s a leader. Politicians are dime a dozen; leaders are priceless,” he said. “The record funding Trump gave HBCUs use is priceless, too. So are the record number of jobs he created for the black community and the investment he drove into our neighborhoods with tax incentives and opportunity zones. So are the lives he restored by passing criminal justice reform, where 91% of the inmates released are black.”
“These achievements demonstrate that Donald Trump truly cares about black lives,” he concluded. “His policies show his heart. He has done more for black Americans in four years than Joe Biden has done in 50. Donald Trump is offering real and lasting change, and unprecedented opportunity to rise.”
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
There have been movements that have changed the course of history. Among the most extraordinary was the civil rights movement. Sixty years ago, segregation was legal and enforced. The simple act of sitting at a lunch counter could lead to physical harm, jail time, or worse. I know from personal experience walking into Woolworths department store on February 2, 1960, I knew it was unlike any day I had experienced before.
My friends had been denied service the day before because of the color of their skin. We knew it wasn’t right. But when we went back the next day, I didn’t know whether I was going to come out in a vertical or prone position, in handcuffs, or on a stretcher, or even in a body bag. By sitting down to order a cup of coffee, we challenged injustice. We knew it was necessary, but we didn’t know what would happen.
We faced down the KKK. We were cursed at and called all kinds of names. They threatened to kill us and some of us were arrested, but it was worth it. Our actions inspired similar protests throughout the South against racial injustice. In the end, segregation was abolished, and our country moved a step closer to true equality for all. That’s what actual peaceful protests can accomplish.
America isn’t perfect. We are always improving, but the great thing about this country is that it’s not where you come from, it’s where you’re going. I was born on what some would call the wrong side of the tracks. I don’t even have a birth certificate. I never attended an integrated school, and am the only one out of my immediate family who graduated from college, an HBCU. I’m a military veteran and a civil rights activist, and you know what else? I’m a Republican and I support Donald Trump.
If that sounds strange, you don’t know your history. It was the Republican Party that passed the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. It was the Republican Party that passed the 14th Amendment, giving black men citizenship. It was the Republican Party that passed the 15th Amendment, giving black men the right to vote. Freedom of thought is a powerful thing. [There are] Americans, voters all over the country, who [the] media is trying to convince to conform to the same old Democratic talking points. You know what that will get you? The same old results. Joe Biden had the audacity to say if you don’t vote for him, you ain’t black. To that, I say, if you do vote for Biden, you don’t know history.
Donald Trump is not a politician. He’s a leader. Politicians are dime a dozen; leaders are priceless. The record funding Trump gave HBCUs use is priceless, too. So are the record number of jobs he created for the black community and the investment he drove into our neighborhoods with tax incentives and opportunity zones. So are the lives he restored by passing criminal justice reform, where 91% of the inmates released are black.
These achievements demonstrate that Donald Trump truly cares about black lives. His policies show his heart. He has done more for black Americans in four years than Joe Biden has done in 50. Donald Trump is offering real and lasting change, and unprecedented opportunity to rise. A country that embraces the spirit of the civil rights movement of the 60s, a place where people are judged by the content of their character, their talents and abilities, not by the color of their skin. This is the America I was fighting for 60 years ago. This is the America Donald Trump is fighting for today. Let’s all join in this fight for reelecting President Trump on November 3. Thank you.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article set the date of Clarence Henderson’s sit-in as November 2, 1960. It has been corrected to February 2, 1960.