1948: Virtual Session

Today's class examines the 1948 presidential election--like 1912 a four-way contest, but this a much different race, with the emergence of anti-communist Red-baiting and the civil rights backlash as critical issues in American politics. Recall the guidelines for the virtual session: three posts, each separated by at least 24 hours. The goal: to be more knowledgeable about the 1948 contest than former Majority Leader Lott!

READING:

bullet Irwin Ross, Introduction, 1 page; introduction-2, 1 page.
bullet Clark Clifford, "Memorandum for the President," 47 pages. This is perhaps the single most famous document in the history of presidential campaigns.
bullet Campaign platforms of the two major parties, 1 page.
bullet Hubert Humphrey, Democratic convention speech (scroll down).
bullet Thomas Dewey, acceptance speech, 1 page.
bullet Henry Wallace, acceptance speech, 1 page.
bullet Harold Ickes on the Wallace threat, 3 pages.
bullet The FBI on communism and the Wallace candidacy, 6 pages.
bullet Southern press coverage, Dixiecrats.
bullet NBC radio broadcast, Truman's acceptance speech.
bullet Harry Truman, whistle-stop speech (scroll down).
bullet Truman campaign swing, interactive map.
bullet 1948 election results, 1 page.