Sam Francis (writer) facts for kids

Samuel Todd Francis (born April 29, 1947 – died February 15, 2005), known as Sam Francis, was an American writer and newspaper columnist. He was known for his strong and often controversial political views.

Francis worked for The Washington Times newspaper. He was later fired from his job after making comments that were seen as racist. After this, he became an important figure in the Council of Conservative Citizens. This group is known for its white supremacist beliefs and is identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Francis was the main editor of their newsletter, Citizens Informer, until he passed away in 2005.

Many experts on political extremism studied Francis's work. They described him as an important writer in the white nationalist movement. This movement believes that white people are superior to other races. Analysts said he was a "philosopher king" for the radical right, which is a part of politics with very extreme conservative ideas.

Early life and education

Sam Francis was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He went to Johns Hopkins University and earned a bachelor's degree in 1969. Later, he continued his studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received a master's degree in 1971 and a doctorate degree in 1979.

Career as a writer

Working at The Washington Times

Before becoming a journalist, Francis worked for Senator John Porter East from North Carolina. In 1986, he joined The Washington Times newspaper. He became a columnist for the paper five years later. His articles were then published in many other newspapers across the country.

Francis also worked as a scholar at the Ludwig von Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama.

In 1995, Francis wrote an essay that caused a lot of discussion. In this essay, he shared his views on the Southern Baptist Convention. The newspaper's editor then reduced how often Francis's column appeared.

Later writing career

After leaving The Washington Times, Francis continued to write his column. His articles were still published in many newspapers through a company called Creators Syndicate.

Francis became a very influential person in the Council of Conservative Citizens. He was the main editor of their newsletter, Citizens Informer, until his death. Francis also wrote the group's "Statement of Principles." This document said that America should be a Christian nation. It also opposed efforts to mix different races. Francis believed that all immigration should stop. He especially wanted to stop immigration from non-European countries.

He also worked as an editor for The Occidental Quarterly. This is a journal that supports white nationalist ideas. Francis also wrote for Modern Age, a quarterly magazine. He continued to write for other publications like VDARE and Chronicles magazine. He also gave speeches at meetings for groups like American Renaissance.

Sam Francis passed away on February 15, 2005. He died at Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland. This happened after surgery for a serious health issue. He was buried near Lookout Mountain.

Ideas and influence

Francis created the term "anarcho-tyranny." This term describes a situation where the government controls people's lives too much. However, it fails to protect them from basic crimes. For example, he used it when governments focused on taking away weapons instead of stopping people who were looting. After he died, a magazine called Chronicles dedicated an issue to his ideas.

Some people believe that Francis's writings predicted later political events. For instance, a writer named Michael Brendan Dougherty said Francis's ideas helped explain the election of Donald Trump in 2016.

Two Republican candidates in 2022, Blake Masters and Joe Kent, have shared Francis's writings.

Even though Francis sometimes worked with Christian thinkers, he became very critical of Christianity later in his life. He believed that Christianity was harmful to Western culture and white people. He suggested that some religious groups were mistaken about their true interests. Because of these views, some people see him as part of a trend toward non-religious ideas among some extreme right-wing groups in America.

Works by Sam Francis

• (1984). Power and History, The Political Thought of James Burnham.
• (1994). Beautiful Losers: Essays on the Failure of American Conservatism.
• (1997). Revolution From the Middle.
• (1997). "Classical Republicanism and the Right to Bear Arms," in Costs of War.
• (1999). James Burnham: Thinkers of Our Time.
• (2001). America Extinguished: Mass Immigration and the Disintegration of American Culture.
• (2003). Ethnopolitics: Immigration, Race, and the American Political Future.
• (2005). "Refuge of Scoundrels: Patriotism, True and False, in the Iraq Controversy," in Neo-Conned!.
• (2006). Shots Fired: Sam Francis on America's Culture War.
• (2007). Essential Writings on Race.
• (2016). Leviathan and Its Enemies.

See also

In Spanish: Samuel Francis para niños