Final answer:
White conservatives often reacted with violence and intimidation to Republican events that allowed African American voting, leading to conflicts and challenges within the Republican Party in maintaining their anti-slavery and equality stances and in racially integrating their political representation.
Step-by-step explanation:
In nearly every conflict, white conservatives reacted to Republican rallies, conventions, or elections where African Americans were to vote. In the tumultuous era of Reconstruction, this particular demographic was frequently subjected to violent intimidation by groups like the Ku Klux Klan, the Redshirts, and the White League, striving to suppress their participation in the political process and thereby secure the resurgence of Democratic power in the South. Tactics were not limited to direct violence; psychological warfare and political maneuvering also played a part in hindering African American voter turnout, amidst claims by white conservatives that Republican allegations of violence were exaggerated or simply political tools, a claim known as “waving the bloody shirt”.
The Republican Party, led by figures such as Abraham Lincoln, held a platform that was antislavery and promised broad support for public schools as well as western expansion through land grants and transcontinental railroads. However, maintaining unity within the party proved challenging due to the diversity of its supporters and the ongoing threat of violence against its African American constituents.
During the 1964 elections, a shift occurred as African Americans began to distance themselves from the Republican Party, partly due to its embrace of Barry Goldwater and his opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Despite the party's historical stance against white supremacy and for racial equality, it faced both internal and external challenges in staying true to these principles.
Throughout this period of history, the political landscape was fraught with conflict, and the right of African Americans to vote became a flashpoint for demonstrations of power and countermeasures. The echoes of this battle for enfranchisement and equality are discernible in the ongoing debates about voting rights and civil rights to the present day, reflecting a continued struggle against forces opposed to inclusivity and equality in American society.