Thread by @ashtonpittman

Mississippi Gov. William Winter, who died today, wasn't a typical southern Democrat.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, when most white MS Democrats ran on white supremacist platforms, Winter staunchly opposed the KKK and the segregationist Citizens Councils. mississippifreepress.org/7633/william-w…

Winter first ran for governor in 1967. After he led in the first primary, the KKK threatened his life for being too open-minded on race. He persisted with the campaign, but segregationist John Bell Williams ultimately defeated him in the second primary.
mississippifreepress.org/7633/william-w…

When Gov. Winter led the effort to change Mississippi's state flag in 2000, neo-Confederate Jim Giles appeared at a public hearing, denouncing him:

"Now listen, Mr. Winter. You are despicable. You have been nothing but a parasite your entire career..." mississippifreepress.org/3710/you-white…

Neo-Confederate Activist Jim Giles: "You’re a sorry lawyer, you’re gutless, and you are worthy of being tarred and feathered and run out of this state.”

Gov. Winter: "Mr. Giles, let me say with some humor that I have been heckled by better men than you."
mississippifreepress.org/3710/you-white…

The 2000 effort to change Mississippi's flag failed, but Gov. William Winter lived to see Mississippi change the flag this past summer.

Gov. Winter in June: I’m especially grateful at age 97 to witness this step forward by the state I love." (cont) mississippifreepress.org/4219/a-gloriou…

Gov. Winter (cont): "The battle for a better Mississippi does not end with the removal of the flag, and we should work in concert to make other positive changes in the interest of all of our people.” mississippifreepress.org/4219/a-gloriou…

Gov. Winter famously said that "the road out of the poor house runs past the school house."

He led the charge for major education reform in 1982, making school attendance compulsory and establishing Mississippi's kindergarten program. mississippifreepress.org/7633/william-w…

"Gov. Winter was the leading force behind the opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. His goal was for every Mississippi student to visit these museums at least once."
mississippifreepress.org/7633/william-w…

Historian David Halberstam:

"Winter, more than any other politician, is the architect of the new Mississippi and the new America. By contrast, we are all too aware of politicians who can play to the darker side of our nature.” mississippifreepress.org/7633/william-w…

NOTE: I don't want to whitewash history here. While his outright rejection of white supremacist orgs like the Citizens Council was unusual, William Winter did not run on an anti-segregationist platform in 1967. It was 1960s Mississippi. (cont).

Winter vocally opposed white supremacist organizations like the Citizens Council, but his 1967 platform was still nominally segregationist.

But he de-emphasized it, saying his focus was "bread-&-butter issues, not the old emotional ones—not racial issues."

Winter's 1967 Democratic opponent, John Bell Williams, ran and won as a staunch segregationist, who opposed school integration until the Supreme Court finally forced Mississippi to integrate in 1969.

Gov. JBW's rhetoric may sound familiar to you today... da.mdah.ms.gov/vault/projects…

Gov. John Bell Williams: "Through these 15 years (since 1954), Mississippi has been used as a proving ground for every kind of radical so-called civil rights experiment that could be dreamed up by the witchdoctors of the pseudo-liberal left & their fellow revolutionaries." (1969)

Winter's unwillingness to run as a staunch segregationist like opponent Williams lost him the 1967 Dem primary/governor's race, which he later won in 1980.

And comparing Gov. Williams' obits today to Gov. Williams' in 1983, I think we know who won the long game of history.

Mississippi Gov. William Winter was not racist enough to win Mississippi's 1967 Democratic primary for governor.

But Gov. Winters won history.