Kentucky Senator Rand Paul attempted to sell the Republican Party to the students of Howard University Wednesday, making his first visit to a historically black university as part of an effort to reach out to youth and minority voters.

Acknowledging that the Republican Party has struggled to attract black voters, Paul's speech attempted to convince his young, predominantly black audience, that the Republican Party's free-market economic policies have more to offer than federal assistance offered by Democrats.

"The Democrats promised equalizing outcomes through unlimited federal assistance while Republicans offered something that seemed less tangible-the promise of equalizing opportunity through free markets," Paul said. "Now Republicans face a daunting task. Several generations of black voters have never voted Republican and are not very open to even considering the option."

"The Democrat promise is tangible and puts food on the table, but too often doesn't lead to jobs or meaningful success," he continued, adding later, "I would argue that the objective evidence shows that big government is not a friend to African Americans."

Paul also acknowledged his past "doubt" about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, referring to his statements questioning the section of the bill that made it a crime for private businesses to discriminate against individuals on the basis of race.

"Here I am, the guy who once presumed to doubt, if only a small portion, to doubt a portion of the Civil Rights Act," he said, adding later: "No Republican questions or disputes civil rights. I have never wavered in my support for civil rights or the Civil Rights Act."

Paul's appearance at Howard University is the first by a national Republican figure in nearly two decades, putting into practice some of the Republican National Committee's recommendations for increased minority outreach. By engaging young black voters with a message specifically tailored to them, Paul sets himself up as a leader of the party's rebranding effort and bolsters his credentials as a coalition-builder in advance of a potential 2016 presidential run.

His speech focused largely on the history of African Americans in the Republican Party during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. He also touched on school choice and criminal justice reform, two issues where Paul believes he can make inroads with youth and minority voters.

The message — and particularly Paul's claim that "the Republican Party has always been the party of civil rights and voting rights" — was understandably met with skepticism. Applause was meager, and students grilled Paul about his position on voter ID laws and past opposition to parts of the Civil Rights Act during a Q&A session.

Paul's comments about the history of African Americans in the Republican Party also seemed oddly tone-deaf, falling flat among an audience that was clearly well-versed in black history.

Asking his audience whether they knew that the NAACP had been founded by Republicans, Paul was met with a resounding — almost indignant – "Yes!"

"All right, you know more about it, and that’s — and I don't mean that to be insulting," Paul said. "I don't know what you know and you don't — I'm trying to find out what the connection is. But the thing is that I think the general public — the Republican Party hasn't talked enough about the great history and the interaction between the Republican Party and black history and voting rights in our country."

Overall, however, the event went surprising well, with several audience members conceding that they appreciated Paul's effort, even if they didn't agree with his message. And that was really what Paul had set out to do.

"I can recite books that have been written, or I can plunge into the arena and stumble and maybe fall but at least I will have striven," Paul said. "My hope is that you will hear me out, that you will see me for who I am, not the caricature sometimes presented by political opponents."

Watch a clip of Paul's speech below, courtesy of Now This News: