It is 60 years since Hubert Humphery gave his civil rights speech at the Democratic convention

[dflprincess]

which was held in July in Philadelphia (appropriately enough). What a pity he didn't see this day.

"To those who say, my friends, to those who say, that we are rushing this issue of civil rights, I say to them we are 172 years too late! To those who say, this civil rights program is an infringement on states' rights, I say this: the time has arrived in America for the Democratic Party to get out of the shadow of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights!"

The speech was given in support of the minority civil rights plank in the party platform that the liberals were pushing for - against the wishes of the more "moderate" parts of the party. The minority plank was adopted, some of the southern delegates walked out and nominated Strom Thurman - and Truman won in November. Once upon a time the Democratic party wasn't afraid to take a stand.