I did not live in Alabama for most of Geo Wallace's
tenure as governor but I was living here for his fourth (yep, 4th term).
Much of the population did NOT support his segregationist antics and were
embarrassed by some of his publicity-seeking stunts. Talk about a need for
term limits! I also found it interesting that he was able to carry several
states in his bid for the president despite not even being able to complete his
campaign because of the assassination attempt, many far from the Deep South
with 46 electoral votes. I have forgotten how many times he was shot, five
or seven, but it was an amazing number of times for his to have survived.
But what I am wanting those so into race-baiting and name-calling to think about
is what is stated at the end of this very brief and NOT all-inclusive bio.
What I would like people to understand is that it was the African-American
population that elected this man to that last term. This was
much to the horror of many whites who thought the State should be more
progressive than this and found segregation morally wrong and pragmatically
impossible. Why did the blacks do this? What were they thinking?
When you understand what happened here, and it is a fact that he NEVER could
have carried that election without almost total black support, then you will
understand a great deal more about racial issues in the Deep South. It is
complex and things are not what they seem. I will offer no explanations
here and want each person to come to his own conclusion but I will say that most
people do not have much of an understanding in this area.
Amelia
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Title: Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia: George Wallace