"Senator Thurmond" redirects here. For the South Carolina state senate member (his son), see Paul Thurmond.
Strom Thurmond
Thurmond in 1961
United States Senator from South Carolina
In office November 7, 1956 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by
Thomas A. Wofford
Succeeded by
Lindsey Graham
In office December 24, 1954 – April 4, 1956
Preceded by
Charles E. Daniel
Succeeded by
Thomas A. Wofford
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001
Preceded by
Robert Byrd
Succeeded by
Robert Byrd
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by
Robert Byrd
Succeeded by
Robert Byrd
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by
Warren Magnuson
Succeeded by
John C. Stennis
President pro tempore emeritus of the United States Senate
In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by
Position established
Succeeded by
Robert Byrd
103rd Governor of South Carolina
In office January 21, 1947 – January 16, 1951
Lieutenant
George Bell Timmerman Jr.
Preceded by
Ransome Judson Williams
Succeeded by
James F. Byrnes
Member of the South Carolina Senate from the Edgefield County district
In office January 10, 1933 – January 14, 1938
Preceded by
Thomas Greneker
Succeeded by
William Yonce
Personal details
Born
James Strom Thurmond
(1902-12-05)December 5, 1902 Edgefield, South Carolina, U.S.
Died
June 26, 2003(2003-06-26) (aged 100) Edgefield, South Carolina, U.S.
Resting place
Edgefield Village Cemetery
Political party
Democratic (until 1964)
Republican (from 1964)
Other political affiliations
Dixiecrat (1948)
Spouses
Jean Crouch
(m. 1947; died 1960)
Nancy Moore
(m. 1968; sep. 1991)
Children
5, including Essie, Strom Jr., and Paul
Education
Clemson University (BS)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service
United States Army
Years of service
1942–1964[1]
Rank
Major general
Unit
United States Army Reserve
Battles/wars
World War II
Normandy Campaign
Awards
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star (with valor)
Purple Heart
World War II Victory Medal
European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Croix de Guerre (France)
Strom Thurmond's voice
Thurmond discusses the nominations of William Rehnquist and Antonin Scalia at an executive session of the Senate Judiciary Committee Recorded August 15, 1986
This article is part of a series about Strom Thurmond
Service in WWII
Electoral history
Family
Governor of South Carolina
Barnwell Ring
1948 presidential election
U.S. Senator from South Carolina
Senate career
Southern Manifesto
Filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1957
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984
Legacy
Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
Lake Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond High School
J. Strom Thurmond Dam
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James Strom Thurmond, Sr. (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) was an American politician who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to 2003. Before his 48 years as a senator, he served as the 103rd governor of South Carolina from 1947 to 1951. Thurmond was a member of the Democratic Party until 1964 when he joined the Republican Party for the remainder of his legislative career. He also ran for president in 1948 as the Dixiecrat candidate, receiving over a million votes and winning four states.
A staunch opponent of civil rights legislation in the 1950s and 1960s, Thurmond conducted the longest speaking filibuster ever by a lone senator, at 24 hours and 18 minutes in length, in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957.[2] In the 1960s, he voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Despite his support for racial segregation, Thurmond denied the accusation that he was a racist by insisting he was a supporter of states' rights and an opponent of excessive federal authority.[3] Thurmond switched parties ahead of the 1964 United States presidential election, saying that the Democratic Party no longer represented people like him, and endorsed Republican nominee Barry Goldwater, who also opposed the Civil Rights Act.[4][5] By the 1970s, Thurmond started to moderate his stance on race, but continued to defend his prior support for segregation based on states' rights and Southern society at the time.[6]
Thurmond served three times as President pro tempore of the United States Senate, and chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1981 to 1987 and the Senate Armed Services Committee from 1995 to 1999. He retired in 2003 as the only member of either chamber of Congress to reach the age of 100 while still in office and the oldest-serving senator. His 48 years as a senator, a record at the time, is the fourth-longest in U.S. history behind Robert Byrd, Daniel Inouye, and Patrick Leahy.[7] At 14 years, Thurmond was also the longest-serving Dean of the United States Senate in political history.
^Congress. Congressional Record, V. 148, Pt. 14, October 2, 2002 to October 9, 2002. Government Printing Office. p. 19478. GGKEY:U014S5SKZWX.
^In contrast to so-called "silent" filibusters, see Fisk, Catherine; Chemerinsky, Erwin (1997). "The Filibuster". Duke Law Journal. Stanford Law Review. pp. 181–254. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
^Clymer, Adam (June 27, 2003). "Strom Thurmond, Foe of Integration, Dies at 100". The New York Times. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
^"Thurmond to Bolt Democrats Today; South Carolinian Will Join G.O.P. and Aid Goldwater"(PDF). The New York Times. September 16, 1964. p. 12. Retrieved December 27, 2010. Both senators have opposed the Administration on such matters as civil rights...
^Benen, Steve (May 21, 2010). "The Party of Civil Rights". Washington Monthly. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
^Noah, Timothy (December 16, 2002). "The Legend of Strom's Remorse: a Washington Lie is Laid to Rest". Slate. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
^"Robert Byrd to Become Longest-Serving Senator in History". Fox News. Associated Press. June 11, 2006. Archived from the original on October 19, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
James StromThurmond, Sr. (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) was an American politician who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from...
Lake StromThurmond, officially designated J. StromThurmond Reservoir at the federal level, and Clarks Hill Lake by the state of Georgia, is a man-made...
On August 28, 1957, StromThurmond, then a Democratic United States senator from South Carolina, began a filibuster intended to prevent the passage of...
identity among white Southerners. The Dixiecrats standard bearer, Senator StromThurmond of South Carolina, eventually switched to Republican. Since the beginning...
American teacher and author. She is best known as the eldest child of StromThurmond, Governor of South Carolina (1947–1951) and longtime United States senator...
Electoral history of StromThurmond, 103rd Governor of South Carolina (1947–1951), United States Senator from South Carolina (1954–1956, 1956–2003; Democrat...
great-grandfather, Coleman Sharpton, was a slave owned by Julia Thurmond, whose grandfather was StromThurmond's great-great-grandfather. Coleman Sharpton was later...
launched a third-party "Dixiecrat" ticket led by South Carolina Governor StromThurmond. The Dixiecrats hoped to win enough electoral votes to force a contingent...
from the state of South Carolina. Popular incumbent Republican Senator StromThurmond defeated Democratic challenger Charles D. Ravenel. The South Carolina...
from the state of South Carolina. Popular incumbent Republican Senator StromThurmond cruised to re-election against Democratic challenger Melvin Purvis....
from the state of South Carolina. Popular incumbent Republican Senator StromThurmond, won re-election against Democratic challenger Elliott Springs Close...
Republican U.S. Senator StromThurmond cruised to re-election against Democratic challenger Bob Cunningham. U.S. Senator StromThurmond faced no opposition...
The StromThurmond Federal Building and United States Courthouse is United States federal building located in Columbia, South Carolina, which was completed...
referred to as the "Dixiecrats", nominated South Carolina Governor StromThurmond for president. The new party collapsed after Truman won the 1948 election...
Lindsey Graham, serving since 2003, and Tim Scott, serving since 2013. StromThurmond was the state's longest-serving senator (1954–1956, 1956–2003). United...
StromThurmond served in the United States Senate from 1956 to 2003 (interrupted in 1956). He was a supporter of the presidencies of Richard Nixon, Gerald...
novel Push. A History of the African-American People (proposed) by StromThurmond, as told to Percival Everett and James Kincaid (2004), is an epistolary...
running, but backed down when Thurmond received endorsements from prominent Democrats in South Carolina. Senator StromThurmond easily defeated Robert Cunningham...
the party's decision to forgo a primary election and former Governor StromThurmond entered the race as a write-in candidate. He easily won the election...
down its immediate impact. During the debate over the law, Senator StromThurmond conducted the longest one-person filibuster in Senate history. Under...
politically advantageous to do so. The Thurmond rule "has its origins in June 1968, when Senator StromThurmond, Republican of South Carolina, blocked...
incumbent Senator StromThurmond easily won the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election. This was Thurmond's last Senate race in...
StromThurmond High School (STHS) is a four year high school located in Johnston, a town in Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States. It is named...
fill out the remainder of Olin D. Johnston's term. Incumbent Senator StromThurmond, who had switched parties from Democratic to Republican in 1964, easily...
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