Gore, Sr did what all southern senators did in 1964, he voted against civil rights act (although Ralph Yarborough of Texas voted aye on important cloture vote that ended longest filibuster in Senate history, 57 days). Over 90% of southern Dems in House voted against bill as well. Moreover, Gore, Sr was part of attempt to amend bill that would have continued federal education funds for school districts that defied court desegration ruling.
To his credit, Gore, Sr. had refused (along with fellow Tennessean Estes Kefauver) to sign 1956 Southern Manifesto, a non-binding congressional resolution attacking *Brown* decision. Only other southern Dem senator who refused to sign was Lyndon Johnson (who preempted being asked to do so by announcing that majority leader's role precluded him from signing).
But on '64 civil rights act, so-called white southern 'racial moderates' (as likes of Gore, Sr were called back then) took position that they could vote against act and maintain electoral support without harming passage since overwhelming majorities of northern Dems *and* Reps were voting for it. Often ignored is fact that passage of '64 civil rights act was regional not party matter.
Year later, Gore, Sr. joined with fellow Tennessean Ron Bass and Yarborough of Texas as only southern senators to vote in favor of 1965 Voting Rights Act following a pro forma filibuster by southern Dems that was permitted by Senate leadership out of deference to tradition.
Gore, Sr.'s vote on voting rights & 1968 Fair Housing Act and his opposition to Nixon appointment of bigots Clement Haynsworth (SC) and Harold Carswell (FL) to US Supreme Court were significant factors in his failed 1970 re-election bid. Certainly the Senate wasn't improved in quality by his replacement - William Brock who ran a poorly disguised campaign against Gore, Sr. as a 'n-word-lover.' Michael Hoover