Why the Deeply Racist Nixon-Reagan Tapes Are Only a Surprise to Those Not Paying Attention

History always has a funny way of spinning the block, and every once in a while, we run into something that refuses to stay buried no matter how much time has passed. Recordings reported by CBS revealed a deeply disturbing discussion between former Republican presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan—and you guessed it, it’s super racist.

Per the news outlet, former President Richard Nixon was speaking with then-California Governor Ronald Reagan following a United Nations meeting to recognize the People’s Republic of China. While global attention should’ve been centered on the diplomatic shift, Reagan reportedly phoned Nixon’s White House to voice his frustration over African delegates who celebrated the decision. At one point, Reagan flat out called them “monkeys”—and it only went downhill from there. 

Before we get to that, here’s the real question: Why is anyone shocked? To treat these recordings as a singular, shocking “glitch” in the American presidency is to ignore the very fabric of the office. Yes, the explicit nature of the “monkey” and “cannibal” slurs is jarring, but it sits within a long, documented tradition of presidential prejudice against Black folks that has shaped the nation’s policies for decades.

Long before Reagan and Nixon shared a laugh at the expense of African diplomats, Woodrow Wilson was busy re-segregating the federal workforce and praising the post-Civil war Ku Klux Klan as an “Invisible Empire of the South,” per History. Andrew Jackson publicly framed Native Americans as an “inferior race” to justify the brutal displacement of the Trail of Tears. Even Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the Civil Rights Act, was notoriously recorded using the N-word in private to describe the very people he was legislating for—often viewing civil rights through the lens of political leverage rather than inherent humanity.

When we look at the timeline, Nixon’s own history of referring to Black people as “genetically inferior” or Reagan’s later “welfare queen” trope aren’t outliers; they are the quiet parts being said out loud. So, as these clips circulate on social media, the most revealing part of the story isn’t the racism itself—it’s our collective lack of surprise that it happened at all. 

Let’s get back to the audio. Reagan told Nixon “Last night, I tell ya, to watch that thing on television as I did. To see those monkeys from those African countries, damn them. They’re still uncomfortable wearing shoes.”

Laughter is heard on the other end of the call after the disgusting statement. But that’s not all. 

After Reagan’s reckless and racist phone call, Nixon later spoke with William Rogers—then Secretary of State—and doubled down on Reagan’s racist remarks. And if you thought the last phone recording was bad… just wait, it gets worse.

@haill.2

SYSTEMIC RACISM. In 1983, President Reagan’s team shut down the civil rights office at the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Without this office, no one was there to protect Black farmers from being treated unfairly with their loans. Because of this, many Black farmers lost their land and their businesses to 900k in 1920 to 30k to 40k as of recent. Reagan government also pushed back against federal laws meant to protect equal rights. For example, he fought against renewing the Voting Rights Act of 1982, which protected minority voters, especially Black voters. It took a lot of pushback from the public just to get him to finally sign it. In my opinion, this was the most blatant proof of systemic racism, he weakened the organizations responsible for stopping racism in the workplace, such as the EEOC. He appointed conservative leaders who slashed budgets and reduced the number of staff members. With less money and fewer workers, these agencies stopped strictly enforcing the laws that protected minorities from being treated unfairly, which made it easier for companies to get away with discrimination much more often, which resulted in Black people continuing to lead in job discrimination claims and merit resolutions for decades. #fyp #politics #trump #blacktiktok #nba

♬ original sound – HAIL

“He saw these cannibals on television last night, and he says ‘Christ, they weren’t even wearing shoes, and here the U.S. is going to submit its fate to that…” Nixon said.

Later that month Nixon had a laugh with his long time best friend, former Florida banker and businessman Charles “Bebe” Rebozo. And as you may have expected, the racist banter continued to roll.

“That reaction on television was that it proves how they ought to be still hanging from the trees by their tails,” Rebozo said with a laugh during his call with Nixon. 

Tiktok’s comments section was riddled with folks asking, “Where’s the surprise?” and “The way my jaw did not drop,” alongside emojis. And let’s be real, we get it. 

While there’s certainly shock value in hearing these recordings, none of this is entirely surprising. This is a country built on Black labor and Black suffering—one where federal power has long been used to contain Black political movements, including COINTELPRO, which targeted organizations like the Black Panther Party and other Black-led groups working toward progress and self-determination.

That said, these tapes don’t feel like an isolated incident, but rather a reminder of how deeply racism has been woven into political life at even the highest levels. And while the exposure of this kind of rhetoric may be unsettling, it ultimately tells a familiar reality of Black folks’ lived experience in America.