1966 Anti-Civil Rights Propaganda Newspaper

Segregationist Political Newspaper, South Carolina, 1966. Tabloid newspaper, approximately 11 x 17 inches, multiple pages. Published in South Carolina, 1966. This political newspaper is a striking example of segregationist propaganda from the mid-1960s, reflecting the backlash against the Civil Rights Movement and the increasing political influence of Black voters in the South. Published during the 1966 election season in South Carolina, the newspaper employs inflammatory rhetoric, fear-mongering, and racially charged imagery to rally white voters against perceived threats posed by Black political mobilization. Headlines such as "Will Negro Bloc Vote Control (truncated) South Carolina?" and "Black Power Shatters U.S. Cities" exemplify the newspaper’s reactionary stance, warning of a so-called "Black Revolution" and claiming that Black political power would lead to urban violence and social upheaval. It specifically targets the Civil Rights Movement, associating leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and organizations such as the NAACP with Communist influence and radicalism.

The publication prominently endorses segregationist political figures, including Strom Thurmond, Marshall Parker, and Joe Rogers, portraying them as defenders of "law and order" against the perceived encroachment of Black political power. Through both text and imagery, the newspaper seeks to delegitimize civil rights legislation, oppose racial integration, and stir white voter anxiety ahead of state and national elections. This document exemplifies the broader Southern strategy of using racial fear to consolidate white political power during the post-Jim Crow era. As African Americans gained voting rights following the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, white segregationists increasingly relied on coded language and political messaging that would later influence conservative political realignments in the South. Significant wear, with visible tearing, creasing, and water stains. Some ink markings and annotations present. Text remains clear and legible. Overall fair condition. A compelling primary source that reveals the racist political strategies of the 1960s and the fierce resistance to the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina and beyond. (Inventory #: 21368)