A few points: - The white south was solidly Democratic until the 1960s because the Republican party was associated with the Union side of the Civil War and Reconstruction. All political elections were therefore decided within the primaries. - The system of racial segregation and jim Crow was deeply entrenched in the south and its social order. Few white southerners had rhe courage or beliefs to challenge this system and those who did were considered radical. To defend this status quo was conservative, - De facto segregation, particularly in housing was widespread in the north. - Racism against black people throughout our nation,did not begin to change until the achievements of the civil rights movement 50 years ago.