Cory Booker Makes History With 25-Hour Speech, Breaks Senate Record Held By Segregationist Who Opposed Civil Rights

By Melissa Noel · Updated April 15, 2025

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) made history with the longest speech ever delivered on the Senate floor, speaking for 25 hours and 5 minutes. His marathon speech, which began at 7 p.m. on Monday and stretched into Tuesday night, shattered the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes, set by Strom Thurmond in 1957, a segregationist who filibustered against the Civil Rights Act. 

“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began his remarks. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”

While Thurmond’s speech was an attempt to block civil rights for Black Americans, Booker used his record-breaking stand to highlight urgent threats to democracy and “harm after harm” inflicted on Americans due to the Trump administration’s policies.

Throughout his speech, he read more than 200 letters from Americans grappling with issues like healthcare, Social Security, immigration, public education and free speech. With 1,164 pages of prepared material, he stood on the Senate floor for over a day, using his time to amplify the voices of everyday people who say they are suffering under Trump-backed policies.

Booker’s speech wasn’t just a test of endurance but a call to action. Former Vice President Kamala Harris praised his leadership, writing on social media: “The true measure of a leader is not based on who you beat down but on who you lift up,” she said. “For over 24 hours, my friend Cory Booker stood on the floor of the Senate and lifted up the voices of the American people harmed by the current administration. We must continue to fight for the best of who we are as Americans. Thank you, Cory, for your leadership,” Harris added.

Booker was fueled only by a few glasses of water throughout his speech. He later revealed that he had fasted for days leading up to the speech and had stopped drinking fluids the night before.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also commended Booker’s perseverance:

“Senator Booker made history with not just the length of time he spoke fighting for American families, but with the historic amount of strength, determination, and perseverance to do it,” said  Schumer.“Just as important as the time spent were the words he said. He has shined a light on the terrible dangers the Trump administration poses to American families and American democracies.”

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) acknowledged the historic nature of the moment, contrasting it with Thurmond’s segregationist past in a statement shared with ESSENCE.. “Today, the CBC is proud of the profound fortitude of our friend and colleague, Senator Cory Booker, who, in the spirit of ‘good trouble,’ has now held the longest speaking filibuster in history by a lone Senator to disrupt Republicans’ agenda and defend our communities from the corruption and abuse of the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans.” The CBC called Boooker’s speech a “sobering contrast” to previous record held by  Thurmond, who was a staunch supporter of racial segregation. 

As the speech came to an end, Booker’s voice was hoarse, but his resolve was unshaken. Later, he took to X to reflect on the moment, writing:

“I may be tired and a little hoarse, but as I said again and again on the Senate floor, this is a moment where we cannot afford to be silent, when we must speak up. What’s most clear to me tonight is that this is just the beginning, that Americans across this country, no matter their title or party, are ready to be heard.”

“I believe that history will show we rose to meet this moment. It will show we did not let the chaos and division go unanswered.”

With his historic stand, Cory Booker cemented his place in the history books—not just for the length of his speech, but for the weight of his words.