Final answer:
True, white voters in the South did shift away from the Democratic Party due to the party's support for civil rights policies, favoring Republican values and a belief in states' rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
True: Many white voters in the South did leave the Democratic Party due to the party's support for the Civil Rights Act and other policies that they felt better aligned with Republican values. This shift was also influenced by a suspicion of big government. Historically, after the Civil War, the Republican Party was known for its efforts to provide Black Americans with greater legal rights, and it earned the support of African Americans.
However, as the Democratic Party began to champion civil rights and social welfare on a national scale, rifts between northern and southern Democrats grew. By the 1970s, many white southerners had begun to transition their political allegiance to the Republican Party, a shift that was solidified with what is known as the Reagan Revolution.
The Democratic Party in the early 20th century relied heavily on voter coalitions, including both racially conservative southerners and more diverse urban populations in the North and Midwest. However, as civil rights became an increasingly important part of the Democratic platform, southern traditionalists began leaving the party as early as the 1950s.
This trend continued through subsequent decades, particularly as social issues like abortion, women's rights, and school prayer began to dominate the political discourse. By the 1980s, many former southern Democrats had aligned with Republicans, transforming regional voting patterns and leading to the current political landscape where the South and rural areas predominantly vote Republican.