Harry S. Truman became the first President ever to campaign in Harlem, the heart of New York City's African American population.
How did Truman's support of civil rights cause a split in the Democratic party?
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it would help greatlyy if someone could share whatever they know about this, that would help me answer the question.
In 1948, many Democrats were southern whites. Segregation was still very important in the South and Blacks were definitely second (or third) class citizens in that section of the country. As a matter of fact, some forms of segregation and much prejudice also existed in the North.
For Truman to campaign in Harlem was an insult to many of his white constituents who opposed any change in segregation.
oh ok,
this will really help me with the answer
thanks a lot
can you also please give me some helpful sites?
http://www.questiaschool.com/read/105234152
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Democrats
thanks
To understand how Harry S. Truman's support of civil rights caused a split in the Democratic Party, we need to look at the historical context and the factors at play during his presidency.
During Truman's time, the Democratic Party consisted of two main factions: the Southern Democrats and the Northern Democrats. The Southern Democrats were largely made up of conservative and segregationist politicians from the Deep South who strongly opposed civil rights for African Americans. The Northern Democrats, on the other hand, were more progressive and supportive of civil rights.
Truman's support for civil rights can be traced back to his presidency, which began in 1945 after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1947, Truman issued an executive order desegregating the military, a significant step towards ending racial discrimination in the armed forces.
However, it was Truman's bold stance on civil rights during his 1948 presidential campaign that caused a major split in the Democratic Party. At the Democratic National Convention that year, a significant portion of Southern Democrats walked out in protest against Truman's civil rights platform.
Truman's civil rights proposals included the establishment of a permanent Civil Rights Commission, anti-lynching legislation, and an end to poll taxes, which were used in the South to suppress African American voting rights. These proposals were seen as threatening by the Southern Democrats, who wanted to maintain the racial segregation and discriminatory practices of the Jim Crow era.
The walkout by Southern Democrats led to the formation of the States' Rights Democratic Party, also known as the Dixiecrats. They nominated Strom Thurmond as their presidential candidate, and their platform was explicitly against civil rights reforms. The Dixiecrats aimed to appeal to white supremacists and maintain the Southern way of life.
Truman's support of civil rights not only caused a split in the party but also alienated a significant portion of the Southern Democratic base. However, his position on civil rights also garnered support from African American voters and liberal Northerners, who saw it as a positive step towards equality.
Ultimately, Truman's support for civil rights laid the groundwork for future Democratic presidents, such as John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, to make substantial progress in advancing civil rights legislation in the years that followed.