In October 1921, President Warren G. Harding traveled deep into the American South to do something no president had ever dared. Standing before a segregated crowd in Birmingham, Alabama, he condemned lynching and declared that democracy was a lie if it excluded Black citizens. It was a moment of courage from a man not known for boldness.This week on Dave Does History, we look back at Harding’s remarkable speech, the storm it caused, and the larger struggle to pass the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill. We’ll explore how the NAACP’s relentless campaign helped shape a reluctant president and how a single afternoon in Birmingham challenged the conscience of a divided nation.Harding’s words didn’t end racial violence, but they cracked the silence that allowed it to thrive. Sometimes, history reminds us that courage can come from the most unexpected places.

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