By Frances Rice

The Democratic Party's wall of deception and denial about that party's past racism and failed socialism is beginning to crack. In a surprising and long-overdue move, the Democrats in North Carolina did what we, as black Americans, demand that the national leaders of the Democratic Party do --apologize to black Americans.

The historic apology, issued unanimously on January 20, 2007 by the North Carolina Democratic Executive Committee, composed of over 700 party leaders and activists from 100 counties, resulted from the1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission Report of May 31, 2006. The report concluded that the Democratic Party was solely responsible for that 1898 murderous rampage against blacks. That reign of terror led to the Democratic Party takeover from Republicans, mainly black Republicans, who controlled the City of Wilmington during Reconstruction. The report, which was commissioned by the state of North Carolina and contains the gruesome details about the killing of black Americans and the usurping of governmental powers by the Democrats, can be found on the Internet at: www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/1898-wrrc/

On June 9, 2006, nine days after the Wilmington report was issued, I on behalf of the NBRA sent a letter to North Carolina Governor Michael Easley. It expressed our concern that some people in North Carolina wanted to give the Democratic Party a pass, making unsubstantiated charges that the Republican Party and government officials of that era were complicit or co-conspirators in the planning and execution of the 1898 race riot. Accounts of violence in other states against blacks by Democrats are contained in these books: Unfounded Loyalty by Rev. Wayne Perryman, Back to Basics for the Republican Party by Michael Zak, and A Short History of Reconstruction by liberal historian Dr. Eric Foner.

In spite of their history of racism and failed socialism that fostered urban black poverty, national Democratic Party leaders refuse to apologize. Their arrogance persists even though the Democrats, under oath in court, admitted their racist history when Rev. Perryman filed a lawsuit against the Democratic Party that is being appealed to the United States Supreme Court.

The NBRA is orchestrating a virtual "Reparations March on Congress for a Formal Apology to African Americans" from the Democrat-controlled Congress. A copy of our "Reparations Petition" will be delivered to the offices of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and is posted on the NBRA website at: www.NBRA.info/

As author Michael Scheurer so succinctly stated, history shows that the Democratic Party is and always has been the party of "four S's": Slavery, Secession, Segregation and now Socialism. NBRA members are invited to participate in our historic demand for an apology from the Democrats by sending a letter, along with a copy of the petition to your representatives and senators. Contact information for the leaders of the Democrat-controlled Congress is also posted on the NBRA website. Exercise your Constitutional right to petition Congress and help us hold the Democrats accountable.