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The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 1932–1968

William Golding

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The Dixiecrat Revolt was a major political realignment in the United States that began in the 1930s and culminated in the 1948 presidential election. The revolt was led by Southern Democrats who were opposed to the Democratic Party's support for civil rights legislation.

The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 1932-1968

by Robert I. Rotberg

4.9 out of 5

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The Solid South was a term used to describe the political dominance of the Democratic Party in the Southern United States. For over a century after the Civil War, the Democratic Party was the only viable political party in the South. However, the New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt began to erode the Democratic Party's hold on the South.

Roosevelt's policies, such as the Social Security Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, benefited many working-class Southerners. However, Roosevelt's support for civil rights legislation alienated many white Southerners.

In 1948, the Democratic Party adopted a platform that included a plank calling for an end to racial segregation. This plank was the last straw for many Southern Democrats. They formed their own political party, the States' Rights Democratic Party, and nominated Strom Thurmond for president.

Thurmond won four states in the election, but the revolt ultimately failed to prevent the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These laws outlawed racial segregation and discrimination, and they marked the end of the Solid South.

The Causes of the Dixiecrat Revolt

The Dixiecrat Revolt was caused by a number of factors, including:

The New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Democratic Party's support for civil rights legislation
The rise of the Republican Party in the South

The New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt benefited many working-class Southerners. However, Roosevelt's support for civil rights legislation alienated many white Southerners.

The Democratic Party's support for civil rights legislation was a major factor in the Dixiecrat Revolt. In 1948, the Democratic Party adopted a platform that included a plank calling for an end to racial segregation. This plank was the last straw for many Southern Democrats.

The rise of the Republican Party in the South was another factor in the Dixiecrat Revolt. In the 1930s and 1940s, the Republican Party began to make inroads in the South. This was due in part to the New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which alienated many white Southerners.

The Impact of the Dixiecrat Revolt

The Dixiecrat Revolt had a profound impact on American politics. It marked the end of the Solid South and the rise of the Republican Party in the region. The revolt also helped to galvanize the civil rights movement and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The Dixiecrat Revolt was a major turning point in American history. It marked the end of the Solid South and the beginning of a new era in race relations.

The Dixiecrat Revolt was a complex and controversial event. It was caused by a number of factors, including the New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic Party's support for civil rights legislation, and the rise of the Republican Party in the South. The revolt had a profound impact on American politics, marking the end of the Solid South and the rise of the Republican Party in the region. It also helped to galvanize the civil rights movement and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 1932-1968

by Robert I. Rotberg

4.9 out of 5