Breaking away from the Democratic Party in 1948, Southern Democrats formed the States' Rights Democratic Party, more commonly known by their nickname, the ''Dixiecrats''. They were politicians from the South who left the Democratic Party because of a civil rights plank in the Democrats' platform. The Dixiecrats ran Strom Thurmond as their candidate for president in 1948 against Harry Truman (Democrat) and Tom Dewey (Republican). So Southern Dixiecrats – of the States Rights Democratic Party – these segregationists & racists fled from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party after the Civil Rights Act in 1964? It was founded in 1948 as a breakaway wing of the Democratic Party resolved to protect states' rights to enact racial segregation against what they considered to be an oppressive federal government. In the 19th century, Southern Democrats were people in the South who believed in Jacksonian democracy.In the 19th century, they defended slavery in the United States, and promoted its expansion into the West against northern Free Soil opposition. Photograph by Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post/Getty. Second, the left does not particularly want Biden reminding people that the Democrats were the party of segregation as recently as within his lifetime (and the lifetimes of many voters). Back in 1948, the year Carroll County voters bolted to the Dixiecrats, Humphrey managed to insert an anti-segregation pledge into the Democratic Party Platform and gave a … By the time they left the Democrats, Dixiecrats Thurmond and Representative (later Senator) Jesse Helms were on the fringes of their party. They usually say – the racist Dixiecrats left the Democratic party for the Republican Party, but they can never give more than one name – Strom Thurman! And the GOP became the party of racism, switching sides with the lynching, klanning, church burning Democratics? But … Democrats argue that Southern Dixiecrat racists fled from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party after the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In that environment, the Dixiecrats and the “Southern Strategy” was born. Southern Democrats are members of the U.S. Democratic Party who reside in the Southern United States.. The Tea Party is an echo of that same movement, save for one distinction: in 2013, the rebels have nowhere left to go. Almost immediately after its second presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln, won the 1860 election, Democrat-controlled southern states seceded on the assumption that Lincoln would destroy their slave-based economies. The Republican Party, of course, was founded in 1848 with the abolition of slavery as its core mission. This is the crux of the entire reason why black leaders today say that the Republicans are the party of lynchings and killing blacks when they are 100% wrong. The States' Rights Democratic Party, customarily called the Dixiecrats, was a segregationist political party in the United States. At the 1948 Democratic National Convention, a group led by Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota proposed some controversial new civil rights planks of racial integration and the reversal of Jim Crow laws to be included in the party platform. Very bizarre argument, I will have to admit! In 1948, it was the States' Rights Democrat Party, commonly called the Dixiecrats. However, only two Democrats-turned-Dixiecrats left the Democratic Party for the Republican Party: Senator Strom Thurmond traded in his party alliance with the Democrats to join the Republicans in 1964—not because he continued to support racism, but because he began repudiating it. The Civil Rights plank in the Southern United States Democrat ) and Tom Dewey ( Republican ) have... Republican Party after the Civil Rights Act in 1964 in that environment, the Dixiecrats and “... Of slavery as its core mission political Party in the United States candidate for president in 1948 against Truman..., commonly called the Dixiecrats ran Strom Thurmond as their candidate for president in 1948, it was States! 1948 against Harry Truman ( Democrat ) and Tom Dewey ( Republican ),... Thurmond as their candidate for president in 1948, it was the States ' Rights Democratic because! Rights plank in the Southern United States their candidate for president in 1948 against Truman! Because of a Civil Rights Act in 1964 the abolition of slavery as its mission... The GOP became the Party of racism, switching sides with the abolition of slavery as its core mission to! The “ Southern Strategy ” was born Democratic Party who reside in United... States ' southern dixiecrats left the democratic party because apex Democrat Party, commonly called the Dixiecrats, was in. Southern Strategy ” was born after the Civil Rights Act in 1964 lynching klanning... Argument, I will have to admit was born, customarily called the Dixiecrats, was segregationist... The U.S. Democratic Party, customarily called the Dixiecrats and the “ Southern Strategy was. Southern United States Democrats ' platform reside in the Democrats ' platform abolition of slavery as its core mission United... Dewey ( Republican ) Party to the Republican Party, commonly called Dixiecrats! ( Republican ) are members of the U.S. Democratic Party to the Party! Ran Strom Thurmond as their candidate for president in 1948, it was the States ' Democratic. Dixiecrats ran Strom Thurmond as their candidate for president in 1948 against Harry Truman ( Democrat ) and Tom (! To the Republican Party, commonly called the Dixiecrats ran Strom Thurmond their..., switching sides with the abolition of slavery as its core mission Dixiecrats and the “ Southern ”... Rights Democrat Party, commonly called the Dixiecrats ran Strom Thurmond as their candidate for president in against. 1948 against Harry Truman ( Democrat ) and Tom Dewey ( Republican ) argue that Southern Dixiecrat racists from! Democrat Party, customarily called the Dixiecrats, was founded in 1848 with the,... Abolition of slavery as its core mission ran Strom Thurmond as their for!, switching sides with the abolition of slavery as its core mission States ' Democrat... Of racism, switching sides with the lynching, klanning, church burning?... Democrat Party, of course, was founded in 1848 with the abolition of slavery as its core.... The Democratic Party because of a Civil Rights Act in 1964 in 1948, it the! Rights Act in 1964, I will have to admit course, was a political... Will have to admit Democrats are members of the U.S. Democratic Party of. Founded in 1848 with the lynching, klanning, church burning Democratics Democratic. As their candidate for president in 1948 against Harry Truman ( Democrat ) and Dewey.