August 14, 1948
The States’ Rights Party was formed by southern Democrats (usually called Dixiecrats) who walked out of the Democratic Party Convention in July because of that party’s strong civil rights plank. South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond became the States’ Rights Party’s candidate for president. On this day, the party adopted a defense of racial segregation in its platform: “We stand for the segregation of the races and the racial integrity of each race; the constitutional right to choose one’s associates; to accept private employment without governmental interference, and to earn one’s living in any lawful way. We oppose the elimination of segregation, the repeal of miscegenation statutes, the control of private employment by Federal bureaucrats called for by the misnamed civil rights program. We favor home-rule, local self-government and a minimum interference with individual rights.” Take note of the flags in this short, silent film of the 1948 nominating convention:
