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'''Theodore Gilmore Bilbo''' (October 13, 1877 – August 21, 1947) was a [[Democrat]]ic [[Klansman]] from [[Mississippi]] who served as a governor of the state from 1916 to 1920 and 1928 to 1932, and as a U.S. senator from 1935 to 1947. A towering ''de facto'' leader among [[white supremacist]] circles, he was infamous for praising [[Nazi]] racial philosophy and known for extreme inflammatory rhetoric. Bilbo faced three primary challengers running for a third term and told a group of supporters, “I’m calling on every red-blooded American who believes in the superiority and integrity of the white race to get out and see that no n***** votes.”  In true Democratic tradition, Bilbo won the rigged primary election with 51% in a four way contest.  The Republicans won back control of the Senate that year in 1946 and refused to seat Bilbo as his comments about Democrat [[voter suppression]] to rig the election became more widely known. He died 7 months later, unable to take his seat, while the Senate was still investigating.

'''Theodore Gilmore Bilbo''' (October 13, 1877 – August 21, 1947) was a [[Democrat]]ic [[Klansman]] from [[Mississippi]] who served as a governor of the state from 1916 to 1920 and 1928 to 1932, and as a U.S. senator from 1935 to 1947. A towering ''de facto'' leader among [[white supremacist]] circles, he was infamous for praising [[Nazi]] racial philosophy and known for extreme inflammatory rhetoric.

 

While governor of Mississippi, Bilbo instituted a statewide [[sales tax]]{{fact}} and caused the state to become bankrupt after failing to negotiate a tax bill with the legislature.

==U.S. Senate==

==U.S. Senate==

====1946 voter suppression, denial of Senate readmission, subsequent death====

====1946 voter suppression, denial of Senate readmission, subsequent death====

In 1946, after four white men beat a black Army veteran for attempting to register to vote, Senator Bilbo delivered a radio address urging every "every red-blooded American who believes in the superiority and integrity of the white race to get out and see that no n***** votes."<ref>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism," p. 20.</ref> Subsequently, violent voter suppression became rampant in the primary as white Mississippi Democrats formed mobs twice preventing a group of black veterans, including Medgar Evers, from voting in Decatur.

In 1946, after four white men beat a black Army veteran for attempting to register to vote, Senator Bilbo delivered a radio address urging every "every red-blooded American who believes in the superiority and integrity of the white race to get out and see that no n***** votes."<ref>"Theodore G. Bilbo and the Decline of Public Racism," p. 20.</ref> Subsequently, violent voter suppression became rampant in the primary as white Mississippi Democrats formed mobs twice preventing a group of black veterans, including Medgar Evers, from voting in Decatur. In true Democratic tradition, Bilbo won the rigged primary election with 51% in a four way contest.

Southern senators successfully defended Bilbo against an [[NAACP]]-led effort to remove him from office for inciting violence against black voters. Despite having been re-elected, he was blocked from taking office.

Southern senators successfully defended Bilbo against an [[NAACP]]-led effort to remove him from office for inciting violence against black voters. Despite having been re-elected, he was blocked from taking office. The Republicans won back control of the Senate that year in 1946 and refused to seat Bilbo as his inciting of Democratic [[voter suppression]] to rig the election became more widely known. He died 7 months later, unable to take his seat, while the Senate was still investigating.

Prior to dying of oral cancer at the age of 69 following decades of spouting hatred, bigotry, and inciting violence, the last weeks of Bilbo's life were spent writing a racist screed, ''Take Your Choice: Separation or Mongrelization'', where he promoted fearmongering of "race-mixing" and called for the repatriation of black Americans to [[West Africa]]. (a relocation bill he sponsored in the Senate in 1938 had failed) Never having repudiated his lifelong legacy of white supremacist hatred, Bilbo remained a figurehead for segregationists in the South long after his death.

Prior to dying of oral cancer at the age of 69 following decades of spouting hatred, bigotry, and inciting violence, the last weeks of Bilbo's life were spent writing a racist screed, ''Take Your Choice: Separation or Mongrelization'', where he promoted fearmongering of "race-mixing" and called for the repatriation of black Americans to [[West Africa]]. (a relocation bill he sponsored in the Senate in 1938 had failed) Never having repudiated his lifelong legacy of white supremacist hatred, Bilbo remained a figurehead for segregationists in the South long after his death.