Defenders of State Sovereignty and Individual Liberties
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FormationOctober 1954
Founded atPetersburg, Virginia
DissolvedJuly 17, 1967
HeadquartersRichmond, Virginia
| Formation | October 1954 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Petersburg, Virginia |
| Dissolved | July 17, 1967 |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia |
| Services | advocacy for strict segregation |
| Membership | 12,000 (1955) |
President | Richard Crawford |
The Defenders of State Sovereignty and Individual Liberties was a political group dedicated to strict segregation in Virginia schools. In June 1955 it published its Plan for Virginia.[1] The words of Richard Crawford, president of the Defenders, are recognizable today as dog-whistle politics.[2]
The Defenders advocated an amendment to the state constitution to allow the creation of state tuition vouchers and to withdraw state funding for integrated schools. A ballot measure on January 9, 1956, passed by a vote of 304,154 to 146,164.[3][4]
The organization was disbanded July 17, 1967.[3]