The Dixiecrats were a political party that emerged in 1948, primarily made up of conservative southern Democrats who strongly opposed racial integration and civil rights. Their response to the legislation that outlawed segregation varied among their members. While some Dixiecrats vehemently resisted and refused to comply with the new laws, others sought legal strategies to challenge them in court. They argued that the federal government was overstepping its authority and encroaching on states' rights. Overall, the Dixiecrats were united in their opposition to desegregation and fought against efforts to dismantle the Jim Crow system in the South.
The Dixiecrats were members of a political party called the States' Rights Democratic Party, which was formed in 1948. They were primarily Southern Democrats who strongly opposed the civil rights legislation and policies that aimed to outlaw segregation. The party emerged in response to President Harry Truman's support for civil rights, including his desegregation of the military. The Dixiecrats believed in preserving racial segregation and states' rights, and they saw the legislation as an intrusion on their way of life. They split from the Democratic Party and nominated South Carolina Governor Strom Thurmond as their presidential candidate, expressing their defiance against the changing tide of racial equality.
