1964 Democratic National Convention

1964 Democratic National Convention
Arnold Newman · Public domain · source
Name	1964 Democratic National Convention
Year	1964
Date	July 13–16, 1964
Venue	Atlantic City Convention Hall
City	Atlantic City, New Jersey
Chair	TBD
Presidential nominee	Lyndon B. Johnson
Vice presidential nominee	Hubert Humphrey
Previous	1960 Democratic National Convention
Next	1968 Democratic National Convention

1964 Democratic National Convention The 1964 Democratic National Convention was held July 13–16, 1964, at the Atlantic City Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The convention formally nominated incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Hubert Humphrey for reelection and adopted a platform that referenced civil rights and domestic programs. Delegates and party leaders from across the United States, including prominent figures from the United States Congress, state parties, and labor unions, shaped the proceedings.

Background and nomination context

The convention followed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the succession of Lyndon B. Johnson, whose policies intersected with the legislative work of figures such as J. William Fulbright, Mike Mansfield, Robert F. Kennedy, and George Smathers. The Democratic Party in 1964 contended with tensions between northern liberals associated with Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy, and Paul Douglas and southern conservatives tied to Strom Thurmond, John G. Tower, and Richard Russell Jr.. Civil rights activism by Martin Luther King Jr., organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Congress of Racial Equality influenced delegate sentiment, while labor federations such as the AFL-CIO and political machines like those of Richard J. Daley in Chicago shaped delegate selection. International issues, including the Cuban Missile Crisis legacy, relations with Soviet Union leaders like Nikita Khrushchev, and developments in Vietnam War policy under advisers such as McGeorge Bundy and Dean Rusk, framed platform debates.

Key participants and delegates

Delegates included sitting officials from the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives such as Hubert Humphrey, Robert F. Kennedy (as Attorney General and influential figure), Eugene McCarthy, Walter Mondale (later vice president), Edmund Muskie, and state party leaders like Richard J. Daley and Orval Faubus. Labor leaders present included George Meany of the AFL-CIO and Walter Reuther of the United Automobile Workers. Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Roy Wilkins (of the NAACP) were influential outside the formal delegation. Delegates from southern states included supporters of George Wallace's segregationist stance and figures like John Bell Williams, while delegates from northeastern states included activists aligned with Adlai Stevenson II's legacy and liberals such as Paul H. Douglas. Prominent governors participating included Nelson Rockefeller (New York), George Wallace (Alabama), and Orval Faubus (Arkansas). Media coverage featured reporters from the New York Times, Washington Post, and television networks like CBS, NBC, and ABC.

Platform and major policy decisions

The platform adopted addressed civil rights legislation championed in the U.S. Congress by proponents including Hubert Humphrey and Lyndon B. Johnson and responding to activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and organizations like the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Economic initiatives reflected New Frontier and Great Society continuities associated with John F. Kennedy and policy architects such as Sargent Shriver and Wilbur Mills. Foreign policy plank references to Vietnam War strategy implicated advisers like McGeorge Bundy and officials such as Dean Rusk and Robert McNamara. The platform also noted positions on immigration reform influenced by legislators like Jacob Javits and social policy initiatives connected to Martha Griffiths and Emanuel Celler. Education and health proposals invoked associations with Herbert Hoover (as contrast), proponents like Wilbur Cohen, and connections to research institutions such as National Institutes of Health and the National Education Association.

Convention proceedings and notable events

Opening ceremonies featured speeches by party leaders including mayoral delegations led by Richard J. Daley of Chicago and endorsements from figures like Adlai Stevenson II. Televised coverage by CBS and commentators such as Walter Cronkite brought national attention. The convention floor saw contested motions from southern delegations aligned with Strom Thurmond and George Wallace challenging civil rights stances, while liberal delegations marshaled support from senators such as Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy, Edmund Muskie, and representatives like Adam Clayton Powell Jr.. Demonstrations and protests by civil rights groups including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and labor protests organized by the AFL-CIO occurred nearby. Party elders and strategists including Paul Butler and James Farley advised procedural rulings, and security involvement by local police intersected with coverage by outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post.

Balloting and official nominations

Balloting was largely formal; the convention nominated Lyndon B. Johnson by acclimation after confirmation of delegate commitments from state party organizations such as the Democratic National Committee and urban machines exemplified by Tammany Hall-era successors. Vice presidential selection centered on Hubert Humphrey, whose supporters included senators Mike Mansfield and Robert F. Kennedy allies, while other names floated in press coverage included Hubert Humphrey's colleagues Edmund Muskie and Eugene McCarthy. The convention roll call reflected delegates from all fifty states and territories, with speeches by dignitaries such as Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon B. Johnson, and endorsements from figures like Adlai Stevenson II.

Aftermath and political impact

The convention's adoption of a civil rights–oriented platform reinforced passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the United States Congress, sponsored by figures including Senator Hubert Humphrey allies and opposed by senators such as Strom Thurmond and James Eastland. The nomination set the stage for the 1964 presidential election contest against Barry Goldwater and the Republican National Convention contestants, affecting realignments involving southern politicians like George Wallace and contributing to shifts in party coalitions that later involved figures such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. The convention's outcomes influenced subsequent legislative programs like Great Society initiatives championed by Lyndon B. Johnson and administrators including Sargent Shriver and Wilbur Cohen, and affected future Democratic Conventions in 1968 and beyond.

Category:Democratic National Conventions