Democrats led the passage of civil rights legislation in 1963? Really?

If you want to see how a liberal can magically transform history into his own ideological image, check out this Los Angeles Times article on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington by civil rights leaders in the 60s. Complaining about the fact that all the speakers were Democrats, the three writers of the story went on to state:

The absence of even a gesture of bipartisanship was a reminder of the enduring political legacy of the civil rights battles. Since Democrats led the passage of civil rights legislation that marchers pushed for in 1963, Republicans have struggled to recover with black voters, leaving a stark racial divide in American politics. [Emphasis added]

Huh? Democrats "led the passage of civil rights legislation in 1963"? Really?

Not that Republicans have a spotless record on racial issues, but, as I mentioned here, the percentage of Democrats in both the U. S. House and Senate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was far lower than that of Republicans--and the same was true of the Civil Rights Act of 1963.

Oh, and then there is that whole messy thing about George Wallace and Strom Thurmond.

But that was all so long ago and not relevant now. I mean, Robert C. Byrd, former Kleagle and Exalted Cyclops of a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan--and who filibustered the 1963 Act, served as the Democrats leader in the U.S. Senate until ... uh ...

... 2010.

HT: Newsbusters