The fact that the republican party’s “rich history of civil rights” is ancient history which no longer applies cannot be denied.
In the 1800’s, the abolitionists were Republican, the “solid south” was always democrat, anti civil rights. Lincoln was Republican. The old republican party did abolish slavery. In the 1960’s that all changed.
During the 1960’s the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act were proposed and passed in a rare show of bipartisanship. After those 2 pieces of legislation were passed a polarizing shift occurred in both the Republican and Democratic parties.
Congress persons and citizens changed parties after these votes. Democrats who sided with racism and bigotry joined the Republicans who had also voted against civil and voting rights. Republicans who sided with civil and voting rights joined the Democrats who had voted for civil and voting rights.
This massive polarizing party shift separated the 2 parties.
The bigoted “Dixiecrat”, anti-civil rights and anti-voting rights groups became the Republican party that rules the South and Midwest today.
The pro-civil rights pro-voting rights groups of equality and freedom were labeled liberals and became the Democratic party of today.
Now, Rand Paul’s claim “Through the days of abolition through the days of civil rights, the Republican Party just has a really rich history” is pure propaganda. If he were making that statement in the 1860’s he would be accurate.
Rand Paul is fully aware of the facts yet he still repeats the claim in order to mislead and disguise the truth about Republican anti-civil rights and anti-voting rights platform.
Angus Croix 
It is true that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican. It is also true that the Republican party now opposes virtually everything he stood for, especially resistance to government by an extremist minority through threats and extortion. The fact that the party continues to refer to itself as the “party of Lincoln” demonstrates that the GOP is now the party of deception.
Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.–Abraham Lincoln
No man is good enough to govern another man without the other’s consent.–Abraham Lincoln
We have just carried an election on principles fairly stated to the people. Now we are told in advance, the government shall be broken up, unless we surrender to those we have beaten… –Abraham Lincoln, 1861
Does any of that sound Republican to you?
Yep, every reason Rand Paul gives for loving the Republican party is the opposite of today’s republican platform.