05/24/2026
A large faction of Southern Democrats originally voted against the Civil Rights Acts (such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964)
A breakdown of the voting behavior reveals the following:
Southern Democrats: Heavily opposed the legislation. They led a 74-day filibuster and made up the vast majority of the "No" votes. They were a faction of the party often referred to as "Dixiecrats," and they represented the segregated South.
Republicans: Provided critical support, with higher percentages of Republicans voting in favor of the bills than Democrats!
