24 Hours, 18 Minutes: The Shocking Story Behind The Longest Filibuster In US History

The filibuster is one of the most controversial and dramatic tools in the United States Senate, a relic of parliamentary procedure that allows a single senator to delay or block a vote through continuous debate. Its history is littered with marathon speaking sessions, displays of endurance, and political theater. As of late 2025, the record for the longest individual, non-stop filibuster remains an astonishing feat of physical and political will, set during one of the most pivotal legislative battles in American history: the fight over civil rights.

This record-holding speech, which lasted over 24 hours, was a raw and desperate attempt to obstruct progress, and its legacy continues to define the political career of the man who delivered it. It cemented a moment in time where legislative obstruction became synonymous with resistance to social change, a symbolic act of defiance against the growing momentum of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Man Who Talked for a Full Day: Senator Strom Thurmond's Profile

The record for the longest solo filibuster in the history of the US Senate belongs to James Strom Thurmond, a figure whose nearly 50-year career was marked by dramatic political shifts and staunch opposition to federal civil rights legislation. His 24-hour, 18-minute speech in 1957 is a permanent marker in the annals of legislative obstruction.

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• Full Name: James Strom Thurmond
• Born: December 5, 1902, Edgefield, South Carolina
• Died: June 26, 2003, Edgefield, South Carolina
• Education: Clemson Agricultural College (now Clemson University)
• Military Service: US Army Reserve (Major General), served in World War II
• Political Career Highlights:
  • Governor of South Carolina (1947–1951)
  • Democratic Candidate for President (Dixiecrat Party) in 1948
  • U.S. Senator from South Carolina (1954–2003)
• Party Affiliations: Democrat (until 1948), Dixiecrat (1948), Democrat (1950–1964), Republican (1964–2003)
• Key Legislation Opposed: Civil Rights Act of 1957, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Record-Shattering Filibuster: 24 Hours and 18 Minutes

The longest filibuster in US Senate history occurred on August 28 and 29, 1957, when South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond took the floor. His target was the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first major piece of civil rights legislation passed by Congress since the Reconstruction era.

The Context: The Civil Rights Act of 1957

The 1957 Civil Rights Act was a modest but significant bill. Its primary goals were to establish a Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice and a federal Civil Rights Commission, and to empower the Attorney General to seek injunctions against those who interfered with voting rights. While far less sweeping than later legislation, it represented a critical step toward federal protection of civil liberties, a concept vehemently opposed by the Southern Democratic bloc, which Thurmond led.

The Marathon Speech

At 8:54 p.m. on August 28, 1957, Thurmond began his speech. He was prepared, having spent weeks studying and preparing. His strategy was simple: talk long enough to delay the vote until key supporters of the bill, who were ill or absent, would be unable to return, or until the Senate simply gave up.

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To sustain his voice, Thurmond reportedly had a throat lozenge every hour. To maintain his energy, he had a mix of orange juice and malted milk. The most legendary detail of the endurance test involved his need for relief. Thurmond famously retreated to a Senate cloakroom, where he was permitted to use a bucket, having been taught a technique to control his bladder by a former boxer. The rules of the filibuster at the time required the senator to remain on the floor, or at least within the chamber, and this maneuver allowed him to stay within the letter of the law.

During his 24 hours and 18 minutes, Thurmond read from a variety of documents, including state election laws, the Declaration of Independence, and even the phone book, though this latter detail is often debated. His goal was not to persuade, but to exhaust the Senate and the clock.

The Outcome and Legacy

Thurmond finally yielded the floor at 9:12 p.m. on August 29, 1957. Despite his extraordinary effort, the filibuster failed. The Senate proceeded to a vote, and the Civil Rights Act of 1957 ultimately passed.

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While a legislative failure, the filibuster was a political success for Thurmond among his segregationist constituents. It cemented his reputation as the most dedicated defender of "Southern traditions" and states' rights. The event is a stark reminder of the extreme measures taken to oppose racial equality in the mid-20th century.

The Endurance Club: Other Longest Solo Filibusters in Senate History

While Strom Thurmond holds the record for the longest solo filibuster, several other senators have pushed the limits of human endurance and parliamentary procedure in their attempts to block legislation. These marathon speeches highlight the historical power of the filibuster before modern rule changes, which have made such single-person, non-stop speeches less common.

1. Senator Alfonse D'Amato (23 Hours, 30 Minutes)

The second-longest solo filibuster was delivered by Republican Senator Alfonse D'Amato of New York. In 1986, D'Amato spoke for 23 hours and 30 minutes in an effort to block a measure that would have cut funding for a military jet project being built in his home state.

D'Amato’s speech was a classic example of using the filibuster for local, constituent-focused issues. His performance, while shorter than Thurmond's, demonstrated a similar level of commitment to legislative obstruction, earning him the nickname "Senator Pothole" for his dedication to New York's specific concerns.

2. Senator Wayne Morse (22 Hours, 26 Minutes)

Oregon Senator Wayne Morse, often nicknamed the "Tiger of the Senate," holds the third spot. In 1953, Morse spoke for 22 hours and 26 minutes against the Submerged Lands Act, also known as the Tidelands Oil bill.

Morse, who had recently left the Republican party to become an Independent, argued that the bill, which gave states control over offshore oil and gas deposits, was a "giveaway" of national resources to a few powerful states. His filibuster was a principled stand against what he viewed as corporate cronyism, demonstrating the filibuster's use as a tool for ideological protest.

3. Senator Robert M. La Follette Sr. (18 Hours, 23 Minutes)

Before the mid-22-hour speeches, Senator Robert M. La Follette Sr. of Wisconsin held the record for the longest solo speech. In 1908, he spoke for 18 hours and 23 minutes.

La Follette, a progressive Republican, was protesting the Aldrich–Vreeland Currency Bill, a measure he believed favored the wealthy banking interests over the common people. His endurance set the standard for the 20th-century filibuster, though he famously collapsed toward the end of his speech, requiring a colleague to assist him.

4. Senator William Proxmire (16 Hours, 12 Minutes)

Democrat William Proxmire, also from Wisconsin, delivered a marathon speech of 16 hours and 12 minutes in 1981. Proxmire was protesting a bill to raise the federal debt ceiling.

Proxmire was known for his relentless pursuit of fiscal responsibility and his "Golden Fleece Award," which highlighted wasteful government spending. His filibuster was consistent with his career-long mission to hold the government accountable for its debt and spending habits.

The Modern Filibuster: Rules and Reality

The filibuster as practiced by Thurmond, D'Amato, and Morse—the single senator speaking non-stop—is largely a relic of the past. Today, the Senate operates under a system known as the "two-track" or "silent" filibuster. This means a senator only needs to signal their intent to filibuster, and unless 60 senators vote for cloture (to end debate), the bill is effectively blocked.

The modern filibuster allows the Senate to move on to other business while the filibustered bill languishes, eliminating the need for senators to talk for 24 hours straight. However, this shift has also made the filibuster a more common and powerful tool for the minority party, as it no longer requires the physical and political sacrifice of the marathon speech.

While the rules have changed, the spirit of legislative obstruction remains. The record set by Strom Thurmond in 1957 stands as a monument to political endurance and a powerful, albeit controversial, symbol of the lengths to which a senator will go to oppose legislation they deem a fundamental threat to their interests or ideology. It is a defining moment in the history of the US Senate, forever linking the filibuster to a pivotal struggle for civil rights.