Carl McIntire: Fundamentalism, civil rights, and the reenergized Right, 1960--1964

Abstract

, the fiery Fundamentalist leader, led a crusade against the civil rights movement between 1960 and 1964. This thesis explores McIntire's protests of civil rights legislation as they complicate the standard narrative which is typically southern focused and hones on racial arguments against civil rights, while McIntire was based in New Jersey and made political arguments. Additionally, McIntire's language of American traditionalism, anticommunism, and libertarian economics parallel the rise of modern conservatism which culminated in the candidacy of Barry Goldwater for President. This thesis shows that McIntire and other religious and social conservatives built momentum through organization and a shared dialogue, which calls to question the notion of an Old Right and New Right dichotomy.