Most of the segregationist leaders stayed in the Democratic party. Only two of the old segregationist leaders became Republicans - Helms and Thurmond.
Robert Byrd, the former KKK recruiter, is still a Democrat.
Al Gore's daddy stayed a Democrat.
Clinton's mentor, J William Fulbright, stayed a Democrats.
Sam Ervin stayed a Democrat.
Here's a list of segregationist Senators - see only Thurmond has both a D and R after his name.
Senators
(D)VA Harry F. Byrd, 1933-1965
(D)VA A. Willis Robertson, 1946-1966
(D)MS John C. Stennis, 1947-1989
(D)MS James O. Eastland, 1941-1941, 1943-1978
(D)LA Allen J. Ellender, 1937-1972
(D)LA Russell B. Long, 1948-1987
(D)OK Thomas Pryor Gore, 1906-1921, 1931-1937
(D)AL J. Lister Hill, 1938-1969
(D)AL John J. Sparkman, 1946-1979
(D)FL Spessard Holland, 1946-1971
(D)FL George Smathers, 1951-1969
(D)SC Olin D. Johnston, 1945-1965
(D,R)SC Strom Thurmond, 1954-1956, 1956-2003
(D)AR John McClellan, 1943-1977
(D)GA Richard B. Russell, Jr., 1933-1971
(D)GA Herman E. Talmadge, 1957-1981
(D)TN Herbert S. Walters, 1963-1964
Other prominent Democratic segregationists:
[edit] State governors
Benjamin Travis Laney, Arkansas Governor
Fielding Wright, Mississippi Governor
Frank M. Dixon, Former Alabama Governor
William H. Murray, Former Oklahoma Governor
Mills E. Godwin Jr. Governor of Virginia
Orval Faubus, Governor of Arkansas (1955-1967) during the Little Rock Nine Crisis and presidential candidate.
Jimmy Carter grew up later but made his beginning in Democratic politics fighting busing and defending the "ethnic purity" of neighborhoods. |
