Strom Thurmond Filibusters Civil Rights Act for 24 Hours 18 Minutes

On August 28-29, 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina conducts the longest individual filibuster in Senate history — 24 hours and 18 minutes — against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He reads from state election laws and the Declaration of Independence. The filibuster forces concessions that gut the bill's enforcement provisions. Thurmond's performance is celebrated in the South and illustrates how Senate procedural rules are weaponized to block civil rights legislation.