53 years ago today, March 31st, 1968

 

A Democratic president from Texas–a Democratic president who had been a segregationist for most of his career–finally and firmly embraced civil rights.

When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While he was signing that bill into law, he turned to someone and said, “There goes the South for a generation.”

The following year, 1965, he signed the Voting Rights Act into law.

Unlike many politicians of his time Johnson understood that: “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket.”

This is as true today as it was when he said it….

The Republicans have made this a permanent political ploy and a recurring element of their presidential campaign platforms…

Today, it’s all they have left to run on….

 

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