On Political Activities And Historical Influence Of George Corley Wallace Jr.

George Corley Wallace Jr.(August 25,1919-September 13,1998)is one of the most prominent figures in the history of racial politics in the United States,known for his radical ideas of segregation.Wallace was an American politician,a southern racialist and the governor of Alabama for four terms.He sought the United States presidency as a Democrat three times,and once as an American Independent Party candidate,unsuccessfully each time.He is remembered for his staunch segregationist views and his opposition against the civil rights movement.Wallace publicly opposed desegregation and supported the policies of "Jim Crow" during the Civil Rights Movement,declaring in his 1963 inaugural address that he would stand for "segregation now,segregation tomorrow,segregation forever".After1972,Wallace abandoned the discrimination idea and altered his hard-line stance.This thesis sets the civil rights movement as the background,introduces Wallace's life under the special social and historical background briefly and then emphasize Wallace's important political activities to analyze several aspects of American political life.This thesis will choose "The Stand at the Schoolhouse Door",the 1968 presidential election and Maryland assassination as typical cases to study.This thesis consists of six parts including preface,four chapters as main body and conclusion.By analyzing the literature review,the preface mainly discusses the further study space and the purpose of this thesis.The first chapter introduces the historical context of Wallace's life.On one hand,to analyze historical factors behind Wallace's political activities by tracing back international and domestic situation of the United States after World War II.On the other hand,through the discussion of Wallace 's political interests in his schooldays,I will explore primary genesis of Wallace 's political activities.The second chapter will discuss the evolution of Wallace's racist practice in detail,in which I will discuss not only his early racial activities but also Wallace's uncompassionate and reactionary political crackdown with Wallace's astonishing turn-round.Specifically,it maintains:(1)Wallace's "focus" on the interests of ethnic minorities,with the slogan "three separations" and the suppression toward Civil Rights demonstrations.(2)Wallace's villain political activities during 1960 s.It mainly includes the background,process and influence of the event "Standing in theSchoolhouse Door."(3)Wallace abandoned his racial segregation and discrimination attitudes after the assassination event upon him of the 1972.Wallace tried to run for the presidency in four presidential elections in 1964,1968,1972 and 1976.The 1968 election was the most typical one.However,all ended in failure.In 1968,Wallace broke away from the Democratic Party and campaigned for presidency by organizing the American Independent Party(AIP),which greatly impacted bipartisan politics.The third chapter will deeply analyze the reasons why Wallace lost the election,with his concrete performance in 1968 election.Meanwhile,by analyzing the consequences of the American Independent Party,we can explore the political influence of the Third Party movement and the Third Party dilemma in American party politics,which will provide important inspirations for a better understanding of the essence of American party politics.The forth chapter will focus on how the civil right movement reconstructed Wallace,who was a traditional white politician in the South.Wallace's great reversal is not so much a personal epiphany as an irreversible product of the trend of the times.Reviewing the taming process of Wallace can help us understand the civil right movement more deeply and broadly,which was prevalent across Americans at all levels and factions.