>Among the 40 or so major Dixiecrats, only one, Strom Thurmond, became a Republican. The rest remained Democrats until their dying day.<
What about George Wallace?
You are correct that Wallace did not remain a Democrat, but he did not become a Republican.
He ran in 68 under the American Independent Party label.
Wallace never became a Republican.
Chris Hayes of MSNBC tried to rewrite history, describing the late segregationist Gov. George Wallace of Alabama as a Republican, and this is where any confusion might arise.