Janet G. Hudson - Entangled by White Supremacy: Reform in World War I-Era South Carolina

Entangled by
White Supremacy

SERIES EDITORS
Peter S. Carmichael, West Virginia University
Michele Gillespie, Wake Forest University
William A. Link, University of Florida

The Lost State of Franklin: Americas First Secession
Kevin T. Barksdale

Bluecoats and Tar Heels:
Soldiers and Civilians in Reconstruction North Carolina
Mark L. Bradley

Becoming Bourgeois: Merchant Culture in the South, 18201865
Frank J. Byrne

Lum and Abner: Rural America and the Golden Age of Radio
Randal L. Hall

The View from the Ground: Experiences of Civil War Soldiers
edited by Aaron Sheehan-Dean

Southern Farmers and Their Stories:
Memory and Meaning in Oral History
Melissa Walker

Reform in World War Iera
South Carolina

Janet G. Hudson

Copyright 2009 by The University Press of Kentucky

Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre
College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University,
The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College,
Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University,
Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University,
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.

Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hudson, Janet G., 1959
Entangled by white supremacy : reform in World War Iera South
Carolina / Janet G. Hudson.
p. cm. (New directions in southern history)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8131-2502-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. White supremacy movementsSouth CarolinaHistory20th century.
2. South CarolinaRace relationsHistory20th century. 3. South
CarolinaPolitics and government18651950. 4. African
AmericansSouth CarolinaPolitics and government20th century.
5. WhitesSouth CarolinaPolitics and government20th century.
6. Social reformersSouth CarolinaHistory20th century. 7. World War,
19141918Social aspectsSouth Carolina. I. Title.

F280.A1H83 2009

305.80097570904dc22

2008039303

This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.

Manufactured in the United States of America.

For Lacy, Travis, and Sonya

Tables

Maps

A journey as long and arduous as writing this book can only be completed with the assistance of countless individuals. I would like to acknowledge and thank a very few of those people. Many of the limitations of this book spring from my determined yet futile search for self-sufficiency, but without the assistance of William A. Link, one of the New Directions in Southern History series editors, its weaknesses would be even greater. Bill offered the needed balance of encouragement, criticism, and push. He read the entire first draft, willingly and quickly, simply because I asked. He generously read and commented on several subsequent drafts, offering timely and cogent advice. I am also indebted to the 2003 National Endowment for the Humanities Seminar on the Modern Civil Rights Movement at Harvard University, directed by Patricia Sullivan and Waldo Martin. This valuable seminar and those who participated in it convinced me that I had something to say and motivated me to resurrect this long-dormant project, which began as my dissertation. I am especially grateful to Susan Youngblood Ashmore for her encouragement. She helped me believe it was possible when I had become convinced it was impossible.

I appreciate the staff at the University Press of Kentucky, especially Ann Malcolm, acquisitions editor, and Cheryl Hoffman, freelance copy editor, as well as the anonymous reader who raised important questions and offered needed criticism. I am appreciative of David Carlton and Elizabeth Robeson, who read portions of the manuscript and steered me clear of a few disasters. Thanks to Marjorie Spruill, Jim Farmer, and Carl Abrams, who offered comments on the portions they read in the form of conference papers; and to Bobby Donaldson and Tim Tyson, who answered questions and offered advice. Thanks to Joyce Hughston, who patiently read every word and provided valuable editing suggestions. A special thanks to Eugene Hill, my sixth-grade teacher, whose exceptional human relations skills opened my eyes, as a young girl, to the racial injustices that permeated my community, region, and culture. The insights I gained from Mr. Hill have continually shaped my perceptions of the world. Thanks to my parents, who instilled in me a work ethic that was essential for this project, whose rewards are primarily intrinsic. While I have never worked as hard as they do and perhaps have not applied my diligence to the ends that they would most appreciate, I am grateful for the dedication and steadfastness they have always modeled for me.

My greatest debt is to Lacy Ford, my husband and mentor, for his remarkable patience and historical judgment. He never grew tired of reading drafts, offering suggestions and encouragement, and repeating advice that I ignored until I grew to appreciate it. No one could be happier that the project eventually advanced beyond our countless private conversations. Thanks also to my children, Travis and Sonya, who grew up with this project as background noise. Although they could never fully appreciate why it seemed so important to me, they offered encouraging nods. They have always provided me motivation and perspective. Although I tend to forget it, their lives serve as consistent reminders of my great good fortune.

When we are reading a novel or watching a film, nothing shapes our perceptions or inhibits our imagination as much as knowing the conclusion in advance. A critic poised to divulge a surprise ending or an unforeseen plot twist issues a spoiler alert. Beware, the critic warns; what is about to be revealed may jeopardize ones ability to experience the unfolding narrative with fresh eyes or may subvert the ability to consider many possibilities. With advance knowledge of the conclusion we may be dismissive of particular characters or underestimate the significance of actions that lead away from the revealed ending. We may also ignore evidence that appears irrelevant to an ending that no longer holds any mystery. Familiarity with the ending may encourage the perception of its inevitability. Interpreting events through the lens of a known conclusion could lead to a misunderstanding of the context or to a diminished appreciation of the narratives complexity and rich insights.