Politics in SC during the late 20th Century

Briggs vs. Elliott This was an important United States Supreme Court case for the desegregation of schools. This case helped overturn a previous ruling in the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson. The Ferguson case ruled that “separate but equal” was legal and helped the South segregate white and black children in schools during the first half of the 20th century. The Elliott case was an effort to educate children together.

Fight for Desegregation All public facilities were segregated with separate faculties for blacks and whites including separate water fountains and restrooms. African Americans could only use certain state parks, they had to sit in the backs of busses, and in the balconies of movie theaters. Some restaurants would not serve African Americans. Public schools were kept separate, but they were definitely not equal. In 1951, South Carolina spent $166.45 per year on each white student and $44.32 on each black student. White children rode a bus to school. Black children had to walk.

Fight for Desegregation The Briggs vs. Elliott case began in Columbia, South Carolina when African American students asked for school bus service. Harry and Eliza Briggs signed a petition asking the Claredon County school district for bus service for their daughter. As a result of signing the petition, they were fired from their jobs. Other people who had signed the petition also lost their jobs. Once the case reached the Supreme Court, it was attached to four other cases that were similar in nature including Brown vs. Board of Education. South Carolina defended itself in the case. The state wanted segregated schools, and its lawyers tried to convince the justices that they were working to make schools more equal. The lawyers for the other side argued that as long as schools were kept separate, they would never be equal.

Fight for Desegregation In 1954, the United States Supreme Court voted unanimously to desegregate schools used the fourteenth amendment to defend their decision Politicians and officials in South Carolina were slow to enforce the new laws because they disagreed with them. However, public education was segregated by the mid 1960s, and all public schools in South Carolina were desegregated by 1970.

Civil Rights Movement Other court battles were being fought at the same time that dealt with segregation including transportation. In 1856, the United States Supreme Court ruled that people could not be told where to sit on a bus based on the color of their skin. This was a small part of a bigger movement known as the Civil Rights Movement. African Americans tired of being treated as second class citizens began marches and protests throughout the United States.

Civil Rights Movement On many occasions, armed forces had to intervene due to violence in the protests. While protests in Alabama and Mississippi turned violent, violence was almost nonexistent in the South Carolina protests. The exception occurred in Orangeburg, South Carolina at South Carolina State when three black protesters were shot in 1968. This event became known as the Orangeburg Massacre.

James F. Byrnes 1947: Resigned as Sec of State and ran for gov of SC Fought to maintain racial segregation Urged effort to build African American schools that were equal to white schools Passed laws against KKK Criticized Supreme Court’s decision in Brown vs. Board of Education Wanted to change society from within

Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, and it outlawed discrimination in restaurants, churches, hotels, and other public places. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was another key accomplishment of the Civil Rights Movement. The poll taxes, literacy tests, and other tricks used to keep African Americans from voting were made illegal African Americans were able to have a voice in state government.

Strom Thurmond Graduated from Clemson College Fought during WWII Governor of SC 1947-1951 Urged more opportunities for African Americans-all segregated 1947: Use his influence to bring a lynch mob to trial 1948: Ran for President under the Dixiecrat party SC senator from 1954-2003 Holds the record for the longest filibuster at 24 hours and 18 minutes

Richard Riley elected governor of South Carolina in 1978 chief accomplishment was improving funding and support for education President Clinton appointed Riley Secretary of Education 1993-2001