STROM THURMOND 1902 U.S SENATOR THURMOND STROM 1902 U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE POLITICAL PARTIES ELECTIONS CIVIL RIGHTS/EQUALITY U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION ELECTIONS AND POLITICS BORN IN EDGEFIELD SOUTH CAROLINA STROM THURMOND GRADUATED FROM CLEMSON COLLEGE IN 1923 IN 1930 AFTER PASSING THE BAR HE SERVED AS A CITY AND COUNTY ATTORNEY IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1933 THURMOND BECAME A STATE SENATOR AND IN 1938 HE HELD A POST AS A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE AFTER SERVING IN THE ARMY DURING WORLD WAR II THURMOND WAS ELECTED GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION OF 1948 THURMOND VOICED HIS DISAGREEMENT WITH THE PARTY'S STAND ON CIVIL RIGHTS HE AND OTHER SOUTHERN POLITICAL LEADERS FORMED THE STATES RIGHTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY ALSO KNOWN AS THE DIXIECRATS THE PARTY NOMINATED THURMOND FOR PRESIDENT HE WON FOUR SOUTHERN STATES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION THURMOND LOST AN ELECTION FOR THE U.S SENATE IN 1950 BUT WON AS A WRITE IN CANDIDATE IN 1954 RE ELECTED IN 1960 THURMOND SOON ABANDONED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS TOO LIBERAL AS A REPUBLICAN HE WAS ELECTED IN 1966 AND EVERY TERM THEREAFTER IN 1980 THURMOND WAS NAMED CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE IN 1981 THURMOND RECENTLY BECAME THE OLDEST PERSON TO SERVE IN THE SENATE
