LESTER MADDOX

Weltner was the only Georgia politician who urged state compliance with the Federal Civil Rights Law of 1964. (See {637605}.) The others advocated disobedience, crime, and obstruction, particularly the Democratic Party Candidate for Governor Lester Maddox who also advocated racial violence and had a history of it himself. Weltner refused to support Maddox, and the Democratic Party then instituted a loyalty oath for all party candidates where they promised to support and campaign for all party candidates on the ticket. Welter refused to sign the oath and support Maddox, and therefore gave up the Democratic nomination which at the time virtually guaranteed a win. (Soon after, the segregationist politicians of the South accepted the Republican invitation to switch parties and since then the remaining racists and anti-civil rights politicians run as Republicans.