URGENT antedating needed: "the race card"

[Grant Barrett]

Proquest Historical Newspapers turns up two earlier, both in a British
context. A search of the London Times index turned up nothing earlier
(nor did

1974 Mar. 3 The Observer (UK) "Powell lost Heath 6 seats" p. 3: The
two main parties have tried to keep race and immigration out of
politics. But there is substantial evidence that in the late 1960s,
and more particularly at the 1970 General Election, Mr Powell enabled
many anti-coloured voters to identify with the Conservatives (although
the Tory leadership declined to play the race card) and may even have
tipped the scales to Mr Heath in 1970.

1978 Mar. 4 New York Amsterdam News "The race factor in Britain" p.
A7: Whatever her intentions on policy - and Mrs. Thatcher does clearly
support equal rights and non-discrimination for all settled in Britain
of whatever color or cred - this attitude has led to claims that the
Tories may play the race card.

Grant Barrett
gbarrett at worldnewyork.org


On Aug 1, 2008, at 16:07, Baker, John wrote:

>        It can't be too old - maybe sixties or seventies?  I assume
> it's
> a card game metaphor, similar to playing the China card (remember that
> one?) and probably other cards that slip my mind.  I see the following
> early uses on Westlaw, though the reporter can probably do this well
> himself.  Note that either blacks or whites can play the race card.
>
>
>        Boston Globe, 7/22/1982:  This year Stennis voted for the
> Voting
> Rights Bill for the first time in his career. Though he's been a
> traditional foe of civil rights laws for nearly four decades, he never
> played the race card like Jim Eastland, his fellow senator who retired
> after 36 years in the Senate.
>
>        Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/13/1983:  One of the ironies of the
> campaign was that while race was never an issue, it was always a
> factor.
> None of the candidates overtly played the race card - neither Egan or
> Leonard in their campaign speeches before predominantly white
> audiences,
> nor Goode when speaking before blacks. It was a civil campaign.
>
>        National Review, 2/10/1984:  You [sc. Jesse Jackson] have just
> played your race card, which has always been the ace of spades up your
> sleeve. It has always worked. But it means you are still a prisoner of
> color in your view of the world.
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
> Behalf
> Of Laurence Horn
> Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 3:34 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: URGENT antedating needed: "the race card"
>
> Hi,
>
> A N. Y. Times reporter (not connected with Safire's column!) needs
> urgently to know what the history/origin of "the race card" is, for a
> piece he's writing in this Sunday's Week in Review.  I will seek to
> make
> sure whoever has something for him will be credited.  Let's make sure
> his work on this is as accurate as it can be given the time pressure.
>
> LH
>
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>
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