Strom Thurmond

James Strom Thurmond (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to April 1956 and November 1956 to 1964 as a Democrat and from 1964 to 2003 as a Republican. He served as Senator through his 90s, and left office at age 100, as the longest-serving senator ever.

Early career

After attending Clemson College (now Clemson University), where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (Eta Alpha Chapter), and graduating in 1923, Thurmond joined the United States Army Reserve in 1924; and practiced law in South Carolina, later becoming an elected judge. Following the outbreak of hostilities against Germany, Italy, and Japan in 1941, Judge Thurmond resigned his seat on the bench to serve with the U.S. Army. As a Captain, on D-Day, 1944 he crash landed his glider in Normandy with the 82nd Airborne Division. For his military service, he earned 18 decorations, medals and awards, including the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal with Valor device, Purple Heart, World War II Victory Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Belgium Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de Guerre.

Related Topics:
Clemson University - Pi Kappa Alpha - 1923 - United States Army - 1924 - D-Day - 1944 - 82nd Airborne Division - Legion of Merit - Oak leaf cluster - Bronze Star Medal - Valor device - Purple Heart - World War II Victory Medal - European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal - Belgium - Order of the Crown - French Croix de Guerre

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Thurmond's political career extended from the days of Jim Crow, when he was a strong supporter of racial segregation as a Southern Democrat. He was elected Governor of South Carolina in 1947 and worked hard to preserve the state's existing segregation laws.

Related Topics:
Jim Crow - Racial segregation - Southern - Democrat - Governor of South Carolina - 1947

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In the 1948 election he was a candidate for President of the United States on the third party ticket of the States Rights Democratic Party, also and better known as the Dixiecrat Party, which had split from the Democrats over the issue of segregation. Thurmond carried four states and received 39 electoral votes. His primary campaign platform was the perpetuation of segregation. One 1948 speech, met with cheers by supporters, included the following:

Related Topics:
The 1948 election - President of the United States - Third party - States Rights Democratic Party - Dixiecrat - 1948

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:"I wanna tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that there's not enough troops in the army to force the Southern people to break down segregation and admit the nigger race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches."

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:— (, 163KB MP3 file)

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