Dixiecrat - GCSE History Definition

The term 'Dixiecrat' refers to a political faction in the United States, officially known as the States' Rights Democratic Party, which emerged in 1948. This group consisted of Southern Democrats who split from the Democratic Party in response to President Harry S. Truman's support for civil rights. The Dixiecrats were firmly opposed to desegregation and wanted to maintain racial segregation and the social order of the South. Their main aim was to preserve states' rights to decide upon racial issues without federal intervention. Led by Strom Thurmond, the Dixiecrats ran a separate candidate for president in the 1948 election, demonstrating the deep divisions within American politics over race and civil rights during this period.