The Populist Movement

Agriculture and Depression in South Carolina roots of the Populist movement were established as a result of these worsening economic conditions. Farmers did not have political power Organized in regional Farmers’ Alliances alliances around the country united to form the Populist Party

Populist Movement Formed by farmers and labor groups formed for reform in government wanted “free and unlimited silver” (an increase in money supply) Advocated reforms such as the popular election of Senators and the secret ballot wanted federal income tax and government owned railroads, telephone, and telegraph companies wanted federal government loans and warehouse space supported eight hour work days and restrictions on immigration wanted major changes in government to benefit common people

Benjamin “Pitchfork” Tillman small farmer from Trenton, SC did not fight for the Confederacy no formal education leader of small farmers SC Governor

Benjamin “Pitchfork” Tillman Tillman was a populist in that he appealed to the values and needs of the common people against the Conservative Bourbon elite. Tillman was not a true advocate for the ideals of the Populist Party strove instead to gain control of the Democratic Party in South Carolina. never supported the appeal of Populists for the vote of the African-American farmers ran on a platform of white superiority later led the movement to further disenfranchise the African-American voter.

Education Conditions of Public Education Schools did not receive a lot of financial support during Reconstruction. The average school term lasted for four months. In rural areas, a school was a one room building. Only towns and cities had schools divided into grades. Different state superintendents of education tried to improve education by providing summer training for black and white teachers and opening the Winthrop Training School for Teachers to train teachers.

Tillman and Clemson Tillman supported the establishment of Clemson as an agricultural college Wanted educational facilities for farmers to teach them better crop management and to develop new crops to increase their economic prosperity. Thomas Greer Clemson supported Tillman’s promotion of an agricultural college. Land-grant college

Conditions of Colleges and Universities Clemson College –Land given by Thomas Clemson –Founded to train people in agriculture University of South Carolina –Closed by Conservatives –When it reopened, it was segregated by race The Citadel –Used as a military headquarters during Reconstruction –Reopened in 1882 Colleges for Women –Chicora College Founded by the Presbyterian Church in Greenville –College for Women Founded in Columbia in the former home of Wade Hampton Williamston Female Institute –Founded by Samuel Lander –Now known as Lander College Converse College –Founded in 1889

1895 South Carolina Constitution Replaced the Constitution of 1868 established a poll tax to be paid six months prior to an election in order to be able to vote required that new voters had to be able to read any section of the US Constitution or be able to understand and explain a section to an election official if it was read to him Poor whites- “Grandfather Clause” did not change the actual framework changed society by not allowing divorce, forbidding the lottery, and the removal of any officeholder who got caught gambling Made Jim Crow laws state laws

Jim Crow Laws established segregation of races in schools and public places limited civil rights for African Americans established laws to restrict voting rights of African Americans (disfranchise) –Eight Box Law – discriminated against blacks and poor whites –Poll Tax – discriminated against blacks and poor whites –Grandfather Clause – restored voting rights to poor whites – if your grandfather could vote before the Civil War, you can vote now –Dibble Plan – redrew voting district lines so that blacks would only have a majority in one district to reduce the number of black US representatives in the federal government supported by the federal government in US Supreme Court ruling of Plessy vs. Ferguson that “separate but equal” facilities were legal

Conservatives and Populists Segregation Jim Crow Laws creating segregation of blacks and whites were passed by the legislature. Railroads put separate coaches on passenger trains for blacks and whites. Steam ferry boats became segregated in A year later, electric trolleys became segregated. A 1906 law required separate dining rooms at railroad stations and on steamboats. The Factory Law segregated workers in textile mills.

Racial Violence Worsened as Ben Tillman campaigned on a platform of white supremacy White mobs gathered to kill blacks accused of crimes against whites. In the late 1800’s, at least one lynching was reported every year in South Carolina. During three years in the late 1800s, more than ten lynchings were reported in South Carolina. The last reported lynching in SC (Greenville County) was in 1947