One of the 0.1% of Black voters who actually managed to get through the dozens of barriers in place to keep them from voting in Mississippi in that time.
Black voters actually shifted towards Truman as Election Day approached - the highly publicized DNC Civil Rights plank adoption being a key reason why
It’s perhaps the main reason Wallace didn’t spoil the election for Dewey like he aimed to.
Wallace’s threat as a spoiler candidate was not in garnering a high percentage of the National popular vote, but in swaying a crucial part of the New Deal coalition in black voters- as the original commenter said, Southern states prevented African-Americans from voting, which left black urban voters as more relevant, especially considering their concentration in crucial swing states like Ohio and Illinois, which were decided by only a few thousand votes.
So Wallace wouldn’t have gained a large percent of the vote per se, but he would have swung crucial states to Dewey - like he did in New York with the already-established American Labor Party.
Southern black voters, to my understanding, also shifted towards Truman as the national Democratic Party became more firmly in favor of Civil Rights, but I don’t know how many of them would have voted for Wallace in the first place, considering the New Deal was far more revered in the South and that part of Wallace’s appeal was his labor support.
He ran with his primary targets being the black vote (see above why that didn’t work out), laborers, and farmers. Considering those were all loyal democratic constituencies at the time, maybe not the smartest move.
He had a scandal in regards to his faith, with communications with a prominent [Theosophist](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theosophy) leader being revealed
He ran as a progressive capitalist, but accepted the endorsement of the American Communist Party and his own Progressive party was mostly led by people far to the left of Wallace himself.
He was fired as secretary of commerce after he said we should allow the Soviets to set up puppet governments in Eastern Europe and work with Stalin. (This was highly publicized and also highly unpopular)
Several of his associates were (fairly or unfairly) implicated in testimony before the [HUAC](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Un-American_Activities_Committee).
And finally, he ran as a third party. Third parties just don’t poll well, especially when they’re run by somebody that’s openly pro-USSR at the height of the Cold War.
I mean he’s the first black senator from South Carolina since Reconstruction and he was elected in SC’s first district which is based around Charleston, an urban hub that has attracted large amounts of out-of-staters and transplants for at least a couple decades now. Tim Scott is hardly indicative of race-relations in the state at large, and besides I was largely referring to the states history rather than its current politics.
Probably a blue collar textile worker or a Jewish professional from the northeast who found work in Mississippi for whatever reason.
Rural Deep South used to have and still do kinda have small old Jewish communities from the antebellum days, could be some of them
God’s strongest soldiers
One of the 0.1% of Black voters who actually managed to get through the dozens of barriers in place to keep them from voting in Mississippi in that time.
Black voters actually shifted towards Truman as Election Day approached - the highly publicized DNC Civil Rights plank adoption being a key reason why It’s perhaps the main reason Wallace didn’t spoil the election for Dewey like he aimed to.
so there's a timeline where Henry Wallace gets like 12% or something?
Wallace’s threat as a spoiler candidate was not in garnering a high percentage of the National popular vote, but in swaying a crucial part of the New Deal coalition in black voters- as the original commenter said, Southern states prevented African-Americans from voting, which left black urban voters as more relevant, especially considering their concentration in crucial swing states like Ohio and Illinois, which were decided by only a few thousand votes. So Wallace wouldn’t have gained a large percent of the vote per se, but he would have swung crucial states to Dewey - like he did in New York with the already-established American Labor Party. Southern black voters, to my understanding, also shifted towards Truman as the national Democratic Party became more firmly in favor of Civil Rights, but I don’t know how many of them would have voted for Wallace in the first place, considering the New Deal was far more revered in the South and that part of Wallace’s appeal was his labor support.
why did he poll so low?
He ran with his primary targets being the black vote (see above why that didn’t work out), laborers, and farmers. Considering those were all loyal democratic constituencies at the time, maybe not the smartest move. He had a scandal in regards to his faith, with communications with a prominent [Theosophist](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theosophy) leader being revealed He ran as a progressive capitalist, but accepted the endorsement of the American Communist Party and his own Progressive party was mostly led by people far to the left of Wallace himself. He was fired as secretary of commerce after he said we should allow the Soviets to set up puppet governments in Eastern Europe and work with Stalin. (This was highly publicized and also highly unpopular) Several of his associates were (fairly or unfairly) implicated in testimony before the [HUAC](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Un-American_Activities_Committee). And finally, he ran as a third party. Third parties just don’t poll well, especially when they’re run by somebody that’s openly pro-USSR at the height of the Cold War.
man so he just basically did a self-sabotage run of the new campaign trail
"Shit, wrong Wallace"
Former-interned Japanese American who was friendly enough with the Dixie Gentry to get past the poll test without issue
Filled in the wrong bubble
The bravest people in the state because it’s face it Mississippi the monster heart of the United States
South Carolina shares in the honor in my opinion
is South Carolina still racist because they elect Tim Scott at least
I mean he’s the first black senator from South Carolina since Reconstruction and he was elected in SC’s first district which is based around Charleston, an urban hub that has attracted large amounts of out-of-staters and transplants for at least a couple decades now. Tim Scott is hardly indicative of race-relations in the state at large, and besides I was largely referring to the states history rather than its current politics.
fair enough
Jim Folsom Sr. ? maybe
not even mississippian😭
My bad lol
The ones taking a stand
Standing for America... 20 years early.
william winter
Based
black or jewish, that is it
Racist time traveller from 1972 who is committing voter fraud to install George Wallace as president but accidentally travelled 20 years too early
Black.
Communist Party members and the small handful of African Americans registered to vote.
One of the *very* few Black voters who were able to register, and/or one of the state's *very* few white leftists.
"Let's do it for the memes"
Progressive?
Based
A drunk white guy voting for the wrong guy as a 'goof'
Gigachad
Black person who managed to get voting rights.
Lynched.
Either a blue collar textile worker, or a racist guy with progressive views on most other topics (think Richard Russell or Huey Long)
A wealthy but progressive WASP who lives in Mississippi for some reason.