Question

Analyze the civil rights movement's complex relationship with the national democratic party between 1948 and 1964. how was the party transformed by its association with the movement? what political gains and losses did that association entail?

Answer 1

The Democratic Party was one for the people but contained a large southern population.

The Democratic Party in particular those outside of the South wanted to fight for Civil Rights as blacks were part of the "commoner/worker" base the party had focused on since the turn of the 20th century. The Southerners were also still a part of the party due to tradition and farming. However, they were the Jim Crow laws the Civil Rights Movement was fighting. Eventually, the Democrats owned the civil rights laws and the southerners left the party to join the Republicans by 1970.