Nick Cannon sparks backlash over claim Democrats are 'party of the KKK'

The former America's Got Talent host's comments about the history of the two major US political parties have drawn criticism online.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 4:03pm

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Nick Cannon, the former host of America's Got Talent, has sparked backlash on social media after claiming that the Democratic Party is 'the party of the KKK'. In an episode of his online show, Cannon agreed with model Amber Rose's assertion that 'Democrats don't care about Black people' and that 'the Republicans do'. Cannon went on to state that 'people don't know that the Democrats is [sic] the party of the KKK' and that 'the Republicans are the party that freed the slaves'.

Why it matters

Cannon's comments have drawn criticism from social media users who point out that the historical positions of the two major US political parties on civil rights issues have shifted over time. Academics note that the Democratic and Republican parties effectively 'switched' their stances on civil rights in the 20th century, with the Democrats becoming the party of northern white liberals and Black voters, while the Republicans became the party of most southern whites.

The details

In the episode of Nick Cannon's Big Drive, Cannon agreed with model Amber Rose's statement that 'Democrats don't care about Black people. They don't care about people of colour, and the Republicans do, and that's the misconception.' Cannon then stated: 'You know what? I agree with you 100 per cent. People don't know that the Democrats is [sic] the party of the KKK. People don't know that the Republicans are the party that freed the slaves.' While it's true that the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, was passed under a Republican president (Abraham Lincoln), academics point to a 'switch' in the two parties' positions on civil rights in the 20th century.

  • The comments were made in an episode of Nick Cannon's Big Drive released on Friday, March 29, 2026.

The players

Nick Cannon

A former host of the reality TV show America's Got Talent, who has come under fire for his comments about the Democratic Party and the Ku Klux Klan.

Amber Rose

A model and actor who appeared on Nick Cannon's online show and stated that she was a former Democrat before becoming a Republican, claiming that 'Democrats don't care about Black people'.

Steven White

An academic from New York's Syracuse University who has written about the 'switch' in the positions of the Democratic and Republican parties on civil rights issues in the 20th century.

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What they’re saying

“These comments are like the lowest level of political thought.”

— BibsCorner, Podcaster

“I can't believe people still think like this.”

— LeftyWinter, Socialist Democrat

The takeaway

Cannon's comments highlight the ongoing debate and misconceptions around the historical positions of the Democratic and Republican parties on civil rights issues. While the parties' stances have shifted over time, academics emphasize that the modern-day positions of the two parties are vastly different from their historical roles, underscoring the need for nuanced discussions around political history and its continued relevance.