The party of Abraham Lincoln, who fought for the freedom of black slaves in America, has struggled for generations to appeal to black voters.
Part of the problem is that the only blacks allowed in the inclusive "big tent" the party promotes are Black Republicans who embrace the idea that issues are neither black nor white but color blind says Assistant Professor Corey Fields from Stanford University.
His new book, Black Elephants in the Room: The Unexpected Politics of African American Republicans, explores the issues of race in America and why he thinks some black voices in the Republican party are silenced.