| − | '''Theodore Gilmore Bilbo, Sr.''' (October 13, 1877 – August 21, 1947), known as "The Man,"<ref name=msencyclopediabio>Sansing, David G. (July 10, 2017). [https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/theodore-gilmore-bilbo/ Theodore Gilmore Bilbo]. ''Mississippi Encyclopedia''. Retrieved June 16, 2023.</ref> 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. | + | '''Theodore Gilmore Bilbo, Sr.''' (October 13, 1877 – August 21, 1947), known as "The Man,"<ref name=msencyclopediabio>Sansing, David G. (July 10, 2017). [https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/theodore-gilmore-bilbo/ Theodore Gilmore Bilbo]. ''Mississippi Encyclopedia''. Retrieved June 16, 2023.</ref> was a [[Klansman]] and longtime [[Democratic Party]] politician 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. |
| | + | Inspired by the [[Progressive Movement]], Bilbo's political career was marked with demagoguery characterized by racial bigotry against various ethnic minorities and left-wing populistic economic attacks against capitalists perceived as elitist. His solid support for the [[New Deal]] garnered the endearment and admiration of the Democratic establishment (which disregarded his naked racism) during the 1930s at the national level, though eventually was denounced as the [[World War II]] years and the aftermath resulted in an awakening of the consequences of unchecked racial demagoguery, as national Democrats expediently sought to avoid their reputations being discredited for their long-held, entrenched ties to Bilbo. |