Southern Democrats walked out at the party 's national convention in Philadelphia because of Truman 's endorsement of civil rights for African Americans . This segregationist faction met on July 17 , 1948 , in Birmingham , Alabama , nominating South Carolina governor James Strom Thurmond as its nominee for president . Mississippi governor Fielding L. Wright was nominated for vice president
party 's national convention in Philadelphia
1948 Democratic National Convention
1948 United States presidential election in Alabama