Why Did the Democratic South Become Republican? | 5 Minute Video

The south used to vote Democrat. Now it votes Republican. Why the switch? Was it, as some people say, because the GOP decided to appeal to racist whites? Carol Swain, Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, explains.

Correction: President Eisenhower ordered 101st Airborne to Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957; that is, after the 1956 Presidential election, not as stated in the video, before the election.

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Script:

Once upon a time, every student of history – and that meant pretty much everyone with a high school education – knew this: The Democratic Party was the party of slavery and Jim Crow, and the Republican Party was the party of emancipation and racial integration.

Democrats were the Confederacy and Republicans were the Union. Jim Crow Democrats were dominant in the South and socially tolerant Republicans were dominant in the North.

But then, in the 1960s and 70s, everything supposedly flipped: suddenly the Republicans became the racists and the Democrats became the champions of civil rights.

Fabricated by left-leaning academic elites and journalists, the story went like this: Republicans couldn't win a national election by appealing to the better nature of the country; they could only win by appealing to the worst. Attributed to Richard Nixon, the media's all-purpose bad guy, this came to be known as "The Southern Strategy."

It was very simple. Win elections by winning the South. And to win the South, appeal to racists. So, the Republicans, the party of Lincoln, were to now be labeled the party of rednecks.

But this story of the two parties switching identities is a myth. In fact, it's three myths wrapped into one false narrative.

Let's take a brief look at each myth in turn.

Myth Number One: In order to be competitive in the South, Republicans started to pander to white racists in the 1960s.

Fact: Republicans actually became competitive in the South as early as 1928, when Republican Herbert Hoover won over 47 percent of the South's popular vote against Democrat Al Smith. In 1952, Republican President Dwight Eisenhower won the southern states of Tennessee, Florida and Virginia. And in 1956, he picked up Louisiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, too. And that was after he supported the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education that desegregated public schools; and after he sent the 101st Airborne to Little Rock Central High School to enforce integration.

* Correction: President Eisenhower ordered 101st Airborne to Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957; that is, after the 1956 Presidential election, not as stated in the video, before the election.

Myth Number Two: Southern Democrats, angry with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, switched parties.

Fact: Of the 21 Democratic senators who opposed the Civil Rights Act, just one became a Republican. The other 20 continued to be elected as Democrats, or were replaced by other Democrats. On average, those 20 seats didn't go Republican for another two-and-a-half decades.

Myth Number Three: Since the implementation of the Southern Strategy, the Republicans have dominated the South.

Fact: Richard Nixon, the man who is often credited with creating the Southern Strategy, lost the Deep South in 1968. In contrast, Democrat Jimmy Carter nearly swept the region in 1976 - 12 years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And in 1992, over 28 years later, Democrat Bill Clinton won Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. The truth is, Republicans didn't hold a majority of southern congressional seats until 1994, 30 years after the Civil Rights Act.

[llsrrll]

Its not about North vs South any longer. Its Rural vs Metropolitan. The Democrats went into the major cities and took them all over, literally every single one.

[calebberry]

I’m a white conservative from Florida, and so is my family. I was always raised on the basis of treating people the way I wanted to be treated. This is the golden rule of the Bible. Skin color means nothing to me, because it does not dictate a good or bad person. Actions do.

[Leo-pbju]

She sounds like the female version of Morgan Freeman.

[shelbylover]

I experienced more racism as a Hispanic in California than I did in Utah, Arizona, and Texas

[chrismulkey]

Truth! Im a white southern conservative from georgia and skin color doesnt matter to me ever!. "Judge a man by the character of his deeds not skin color" MLK

[yourfellowarmy]

I am an immigrant and Texas was the first place I never ever been in a America, everyone was so welcoming and very kind even strangers in the streets. I got lost once and a white man offered to take me home. I felt so loved and all the people around me were so kind. Now I'm in the North, and everyone is kind of distant and not so welcoming. I have met a few nice people but the ones I see almost everyday are just not welcoming which shocked my whole view of humans and got into depression. I hope someday I'll go back to Texas again.

[colbalt]

I remember Trump's inauguration like it was yesterday. _Democrats haven't been that pissed since Abraham Lincoln freed all the slaves back in 1863._

[MEMESSOSTUPID]

Dems: “republicans vote based on skin color”

Also dems: “this is Obama he’s black what else is there to talk about”

[Rooster]

I'm mexican when i was working down south i never expirenced racism or discrimination. i know a lot of people who will agree with me. they treated us with respect, everyone was helpful and very welcoming. i feel they treated us based on charachter, values. i find liberal states to be the real racist who emphasize so much on color and race.

[shaun]

so we now have a grand total of 1 college professor actually teaching.

[otiebrown]

I was on the MALL, defending Dr. King, in 1963, Activated National Guard.
What a man!
What a beautiful day.
Yes, still a REPUBLICAN.

[odiecoham]

Professor, my wife is reading your biograpy. She was a teacher and has a doctorate . She is in tears. She grew up in a very poor section of WV. She really relates to your struggles

[jacobgarz]

I haven’t seen Democrats this angry since we took away their slaves

[hecwill]

I am an immigrant & I love America but I feel kinda let down that everything nowdays is about skin color!

[kavitakakkar]

OMG .. She teaches at my school! I am definitely signing up for a class with her

[seanbennett]

Brilliant, thank you SO MUCH, Dr.Swain!

[halitst]

I leant this in England and South African schooling. Why aren’t kids here taught this?

[johnnyappleseed]

I'm a proud white southern male, married to a proud black southern female. The south is great because of our regionally unwavering devotion to Faith, Family & Freedom. People are people, regardless of color. We advocate community, not tribal division, in spite of the constant invasion of northern libtards who look down on us yet choose to move here rather than stay in the liberal enclaves (shit holes) they created. Thanks you, Mrs. Swain. You're a beautifully intelligent southern belle.

[alisonbroome]

I'm from Southwest GA and always have been. I was raised to look at People's Character not skin color. My family never owned any slaves and didn't believe in it. We've always been from the South and my grandmothers best friend was a black woman from the 40s until she passed in 99. We were raised as Christians and to love everyone.

[allanwatkins]

Way to go, Carol! refreshing, to say the least!