As I see it, it's the natural evolution for a part obsessed with race. The DemonRATs were (and still are) the home of the KKK, neo-Nazis, skinheads, George Wallace, Theo "The Man" Bilbo, "Cotton" Ed Smith and Gene "Bull" Connor. Only the names have changed.
Aside from the trivial matter of skin color, is there really any fundamental difference between Al Sharpton and George Wallace?
Haven’t you heard the latest liberal/progressive/communist lie?
Lincoln was a liberal, Douglas was a Conservative. The Republicans are and have always been racist, but the parties “flipped” (at some mythical point) so Democrats are falsely being attributed as the racists in history.
George Wallace did become a Christian in his later years and repented of his racism.