Democrats long ago dropped the racism

When Richard Luther holds Democrats responsible for problems with race relations, he gives a faulty account of history (“Democrats to blame for Confederate monuments,” Sept. 7).

Gov./Sen. Strom Thurmond walked out of the Democratic National Convention in 1948, set a record for longest solo filibuster while opposing a civil rights bill and became … a Republican.

Gov./Sen. Fritz Hollings did not stand in the schoolhouse door at Clemson, or anywhere else. He told the General Assembly that “South Carolina is running out of courts … this General Assembly must make clear South Carolina’s choice, a government of laws rather than a government of men.… This should be done with dignity. It should be done with law and order.” He later worked to increase awareness of poverty in the state. Hollings was and remains a Democrat.

Sen. Robert Byrd was a member of the KKK in the 1940s. Early in his career he had a mixed record on civil rights, but by the end of his record-setting tenure in the Senate, he was a consistent supporter. The Democratic Party has worked effectively for many decades to overcome its legacy of racism.

This story was originally published September 17, 2017 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Democrats long ago dropped the racism."