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bangdazap t1_iw3v1fb wrote

Reply to comment by Jaaacksonnn in Simple/Short/Silly History Questions Saturday! by AutoModerator

It was during the 1960s, the Republican party employed the "Southern strategy" of appealing to the pro-segregationist Democrats of the American South as the Democratic party started to support the Civil Rights movement.

Part of the reason for the Democratic party supporting the Civil Rights movement was Cold War competition with the Soviet Union. The hypocrisy of the US treatment of its African American citizens was a popular subject in Soviet propaganda.

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Jaaacksonnn t1_iw44ccr wrote

I heard another theory that also seems to hold validity. A prior major shift was during the 1930's. Poor and working class folks (a lot of them African Americans) moved to the Democrat party during the New Deal policies which appealed to lower-income individuals.

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bangdazap t1_iw49g0x wrote

If I recall correctly, the Democrats had to limit the benefits of the New Deal that went to African Americans to retain the support of the southern Democrats.

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