Date of Award

Summer 1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

Committee Director

James R. Sweeney

Committee Member

Lorraine M. Lees

Committee Member

Harold Wilson

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.H47 G338

Abstract

This study examines the Virginia Conservative Party of the 1960's. The party was founded in 1965 as a protest against the increasing liberalism in Virginia and national politics. Dedicated to providing voters an alternative to the two major parties, the Conservative Party participated in every major state election from 1965 to 1969. Although failing to win any statewide election, the Conservatives played a significant role in Virginia politics during the 1960's. Paradoxically, the Virginia Conservative Party contributed to the demise of the conservative Democratic Byrd Organization by refusing to support conservative Democrats. Subsequent internal disputes over the party's action in the 1966 Democratic primaries and 1968 presidential election brought about its demise. This thesis uses personal papers, interviews with former members of the Conservative Party and other prominent Virginia politicians, and newspapers to reconstruct the history of the Virginia Conservative Party.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/gvj6-t316

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