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.