Thurmond, J(ames) Strom (1902-2003)

US governor and senator, a Democrat. He served as governor of South Carolina 1947-51. Although relatively progressive, especially in matters of education, he was staunchly opposed to the Democrats' civil-rights programme in 1948; at that year's convention he led the walkout of the Southern Democrats and ran as the presidential candidate of the State's Rights Democratic Party or ‘Dixiecrats’. The split in the Democratic Party and disruption of the concept of the ‘solid South’ ultimately benefitted Truman, who went on to win an unexpected victory.

Originally appointed as a Democrat to the US Senate in 1954, he was elected on his own in 1956, switching to the Republican Party in 1964. He continued to be re-elected and became a prominent force in the emergence of a conservative Republican Party in the South.

Thurmond was born in Edgefield, South Carolina. A teacher and superintendent of education before turning to the law, he was judge of the state's circuit court 1938-42, before volunteering for service with the US Army in World War II 1942-45.