.jpg)
A filibuster lasting 24 hours and 18 minutes was conducted on August 28–29, 1957, by Democratic U.S. senator Strom Thurmond (pictured), intended to prevent the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He read the election laws of each U.S. state, Supreme Court decisions, and George Washington's Farewell Address. The bill's power to protect the voting rights of African Americans had already been significantly watered down by Senate Democrats, but Thurmond saw the bill as "cruel and unusual punishment" and felt more intervention was needed. In filibustering the bill, Thurmond went against a prior agreement among Senate Democrats and therefore received backlash from some members of his own party in addition to the disapproval of Republicans. Despite this, the filibuster was wildly popular among citizens of the South. The filibuster ultimately failed to change any votes in the Senate and the bill was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower less than two weeks later. (Full article...)