Alabama Democratic Conference facts for kids
The Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) is a political group for African Americans in Alabama. It was started in 1960 to help bring newly registered Black voters into the Democratic Party.
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What is the Alabama Democratic Conference?
The ADC was first called the Black Political Caucus of Alabama. It was the first group of its kind for African Americans across the whole state of Alabama. Its main goal was to help Black citizens get involved in politics and vote.
Why was it formed?
The ADC was co-founded by several important people. These included civil rights lawyer Arthur Shores, activist Rufus Lewis, teacher C.G. Gomillion, salesman Q. D. Adams, union leader Isom Clemon, teacher Beulah Johnson, and attorney Orzell Billingsley. They started the group to support John F. Kennedy when he was running for president in 1960.
At that time, many white Democrats in Alabama did not want African Americans to have equal rights or to be part of the state's political party. Because of this, many ADC activists, like John L. Cashin, Jr., later left the Alabama Democratic Party.
A New Path: The National Democratic Party of Alabama
In 1968, some members of the ADC formed a new political group called the National Democratic Party of Alabama. This new party was similar to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. It was created to help African Americans take part in local and state politics. It also aimed to help them choose and elect their own leaders. For example, John L. Cashin, Jr. ran for governor against George Wallace in 1970 as a candidate for this new party.
The ADC Today
The Alabama Democratic Conference is still active today. It continues to support candidates in statewide elections. The group has many local chapters in different counties across Alabama. Dr. Joe L. Reed has been the leader of the ADC since 1979. He used to be a leader in the Alabama Education Association.
