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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY, TWO O'CLOCK.AND I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, BOARD, UM, ORDER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS.
WE WILL START BY HAVING A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEASE STAND PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE DRAW.
NOW WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO FIVE MINUTES HEARING NO INDICATIONS THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
UM, WE WILL NOW REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM MEETINGS ON NOVEMBER 11TH, THE CANVAS HEARING AND CERTIFICATION HEARING, AS WELL AS THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 23RD, CANVAS HEARING AND CERTIFICATION HEARING.
I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT BOTH MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 11TH AND THE 23RD.
AND SECOND THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF BOTH THE NOVEMBER 11TH AND THE NOVEMBER 23RD CANVAS HEARING AND CERTIFICATION HEARING.
ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE WORD.
ALL OPPOSES THE MOTION CARRIES QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? HEARING NONE.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE REPORTS.
ARE THERE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS? WELL, I THINK RULES IS, IS THE FIRST ONE.
MR. BEVERLY, UH, MY DEAR FRIEND JEAN FELIX IS, IS GONNA SUPPLY MOSTLY WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN THAT FINISHED PRODUCT.
SHE AND I ARE WORKING TOGETHER, MAKE SURE THIS COMES OUT ON TIME.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE BY THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS WHAT, A MONTH AWAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMUNITY REPORTS? UM, LEGISLATIVE? NO, WE HAVEN'T MET.
CAN I HAVE A BRIEF ONE FROM THE PRECINCT REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE? WE MET ON JAN JANUARY 24TH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY.
AND PRESENT AT THAT MEETING WAS JIM, UM, EILEEN MITCHELL.
UM, JAMES WEWORK COULD NOT BE PRESENT, BUT I WAS PRESENT AND, UM, WE GOT A LOT DONE.
IT WAS A VERY LENGTHY MEETING.
I THINK IT LASTED MORE THAN THREE HOURS, BUT WE HAVE A COMPLETED REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
UM, AFTER WE HAVE, UM, SUBMITTED, UH, CORRESPONDENCE TO THE, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA FISCAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE IN COLUMBIA, WITH REFERENCE TO REJOINING THE LINES OF OUR PRECINCT, WE ADDRESSED PRECINCTS THAT HAD MORE THAN 1500 VOTERS WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAD 1600 AND MORE.
AND ALSO THOSE THAT HAD KNOWN, UH, PROBLEMS SUCH AS OLD CROWDING, UH, PEOPLE STANDING IN LINE LONGER THAN WE WANTED THEM TO STAND AND OTHER ISSUES.
BUT WE'VE, UH, WORKED THROUGH THOSE PRECINCTS AND, UM, MADE SOME VERY EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE REJOIN OF THE LINES.
THESE WILL BE, UM, EXAMINED BY THE GS G I S OFFICE IN COLUMBIA.
UM, MAY, 2023 IS THE TARGETED DATE FOR ABSOLUTE COMPLETION.
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UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE PROCESS AND WHAT WE'VE ABLE TO ACHIEVE? UH, MADAM VICE CHAIR, A EILEEN MUTUAL, LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, WE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB ON YESTERDAY.AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE GET EVERYTHING SUBMITTED, UM, TO, UH, MARIE, OUR DIRECTOR, AND SHE IN TURN THEN SUBMIT THAT, UH, TO THE DELEGATION AND THEY SEE THE NUMBERS, WHICH THE NUMBERS ARE LARGE AND STILL GROWING, UM, THAT, UH, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL APPROVE OUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK WE, AND I KNOW WE DID A GOOD JOB NOT THINKING IT.
I KNOW WE DID A GOOD JOB, JIM.
I'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, SAY THANK YOU.
UM, THERE, THERE ANY MEETING OF THAT NATURE WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO HERD KA AND GATHER MARBLES AT THE SAME TIME CAN BE A BIT CHALLENGING.
YOU DID A, YOU DID A REALLY FUN JOB.
SOME VERY DETAILED INFORMATION DURING THE HOUR AND A HALF THAT HE WAS THERE.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ANY BOARD MEMBER ATTENDING ANY OF OUR MEETINGS.
I WANT YOU TO FEEL THAT EACH OF YOU, UM, ARE VALUED AS A BOARD MEMBER.
AND IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE A CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE, BY ALL MEANS STEP FORWARD.
WE ARE A COMMITTEE, UM, THAT HAVE A DEFINED GOAL AND THAT IS TO BE AN EXEMPLARY ELECTIONS COMMISSION.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME TO FUTURE MEETINGS.
DOES THIS NOW NOT COME TO THE BOARD IN TOTAL BEFORE IT GOES EXTERNAL TO THE BOARD MAKING COMMITTEE? WE, WE HAVE A VERY DETAILED REPORT AND BECAUSE THE MEETING WAS SO LONG AND SO MANY TINY DETAILS WITH SO MANY PRE PRECINCTS HAVING MORE THAN 1600 MM-HMM.
WILL GET THIS REPORT AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INPUT.
BECAUSE YOU HAD MENTIONED IT WAS GOING, GOING EXTERNAL TO THE BOARD.
ONCE WE AS, AS THE BOARD COME TO US FIRST, WE WILL DO THAT.
AND ANY NOTIFICATION OF BOARD MEETINGS, I MEAN COMMITTEE MEETINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, I WASN'T AWARE YOU WERE HAVING A MEETING OKAY.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMITTEE? UM, REPORTS.
UM, WE ARE DOWN TO, UM, NEW BUSINESS.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE FORMAL BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
I THINK, UM, OUR DEPUTY DOWN THERE HAS SOME NICE, UM, RECOGNITION, UM, AWARDS WAR.
HUH? WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO THAT NOW? OR I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER MEETING.
SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER MEETING.
SO THIS WAS THE LORD JANE, THIS IS THE CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION OF ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT FORTH AND WE ARE STILL INDEBTED TO USE YOUR LEADERSHIP DURING A VERY CRUCIAL TIME, UM, WHICH IS AMAZING.
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AND NOW THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR THE NOMINATIONS OF CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY.IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, WE WILL ELECT A CHAIR FIRST.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE MS. MITCHELL, MS. CHAIR.
UM, UM, MS. MITCHELL HAS BEEN NOMINATED.
ARE THERE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS? I'LL NOMINATE BEVERLY SINCE YOU WAS VICE CHAIR THE LAST TIME.
BERNADETTE HAMPTON HAS NOMINATED BEVERLY.
UM, DO I HEAR OTHER NOMINATIONS? THE NOMINATION IS CLOSED ON THE SITE OF TWO NAMES.
UM, WE WILL START WITH THE LAST NAME FIRST.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF BEVERLY DOOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
ON THE SITE OF THREE VOTES, WE HAVE A NEW CHAIR, MS. ALI MITCHELL, CONGRATULATIONS.
OKAY, NOW THE CHAIR IS OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS VICE CHAIR.
DO I HEAR ANY NOMINATIONS THAT ISN'T? I'LL NOMINAT MYSELF FOR VICE CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? I'LL NOMINATE BERNADETTE.
NOMINATED? I CAN, I CAN, I CAN DECLINE.
I'LL GO MR. PEELING, I'LL SUPPORT MR. PEELING, UM, OF ONE NAME.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, ONE CANDIDATE.
SO I THINK HE WINS BY ACCLIMATION.
UM, DO I CONTINUE? UH, UM, MADAME NEW CHAIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE OVER? OF COURSE.
YOU WOULD COMPLETE THIS MEETING.
SO THERE IS A, UM, OPEN NOMINATION FOR SECRETARY, A NOMINATED AGAIN, UH, ETTE HAMPTON.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SOUND LIKE TO CLOSE ON THAT NAME, ONE NAME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS ON THE SAY OF ONE NAME? UH, ALL IN FAVOR? BERNADETTE HAMPTON.
OKAY, BERNADETTE, CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, WE HAVE THREE NEW OFFICERS, CHAIR ALI MITCHELL, VICE CHAIR CRAIG KELLY, SECRETARY BERNADETTE HAMPTON.
AND, UM, THAT IS THE END OF THE NOMINATION PROCESS.
UM, WE WILL HAVE A REVIEW OF THE 2023 BOARD MEETING DATES AND TIMES.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE? ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR CHANGES? NO MA'AM.
UM, THE REVIEW OF 2 23 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, ARE THERE ANY SUGGESTED CHANGES? NO MA'AM.
THEY WILL STAND, UM, 2022 ELECTION DEBRIEFING.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING,
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UM, THE DEBRIEFING? BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON TWO OPEN POSITIONS OR IS THAT NOW, OR IS THAT YOU GONNA DO THAT DIRECT? YEAH.I HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR DO YOU WANT TO TABLE THAT TILL UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING? WHAT'S THAT? THE ELECTION DEBRIEFING.
WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR, OUR MEETING YESTERDAY, UH, I JUST GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO STUFF FASTER, YOU KNOW, HAVE PEOPLE COME THROUGH QUICKER.
AND I, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, PUT DOWN SOME KIND OF A GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT WE THINK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE ELECTION, YOU GOT A SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, WHAT HAPPENS IN BETWEEN? AND I GUESS TO ME ANYWAY, I THINK ABOUT WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY WE HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE IT'S TWO HOUR WAIT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO AT THAT FOR THAT? TRY TO SPEED UP A TWO HOUR WAIT OR, OR YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW CAN WE IDENTIFY WHAT WE FIND, WHAT WE FEEL AS A BOARD IS AN ACCEPTABLE RATE, ACCEPTABLE TIME FOR SOMEBODY TO SHOW UP, VOTE AND GO HOME.
THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD OBSERVATION.
SO I THINK YESTERDAY WE CAME UP WITH 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AS, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT SHOULD BE THE MAX TIME.
AND I, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND I THINK EACH PRECINCT NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED EITHER IN MORE PERSONNEL OR IN MORE MACHINES OR A DIFFERENT FACILITY.
EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD HAS TO DEFINE, I THINK, EACH ONE OF THEIR PRECINCTS AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED.
CUZ YESTERDAY WE, WE APPARENTLY BY NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE SOME OF THE PRECINCTS DIVIDED UP AND INTO THE NEW PRECINCT.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT IN ITS ENTIRETY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE MACHINES AND MAKE SURE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE REQUIRE MM-HMM.
UM, I AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT.
AND NOW THAT, UH, WE HAVE A FULL-TIME TRAINING DEPARTMENT AND THE TRAINING PERSON AND WE WILL BE DOING, UH, TRAINING IN PERSON AND, UH, THOSE, UH, POLL MANAGERS AND CLERKS, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET HANDS-ON TRAINING AND ALSO ASK QUESTIONS.
AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, IT WILL BE GREAT THAT THEY LACK THE TRAINING DEPARTMENT KNOW, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DO NOT PROCESS THINGS AS QUICKLY AS OTHERS.
SO SOME PEOPLE MAY NEED A LITTLE EXTRA, AND THAT WAY THAT WILL HELP ALSO IN MAKING SURE THEY ARE VERY EFFICIENT.
OH, JUST SO RYAN, WE'RE GETTING SOME FEEDBACK.
LIGHTS ON LIGHTS SHOULD BE ON.
WHAT ABOUT NOW? OKAY, THANK YOU.
AS I WAS SAYING THAT, UM, WITH THE TRAINING DEPARTMENT, UH, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE, UM, IN-PERSON TRAINING FOR OUR CALL MANAGERS AND CLERKS, UH, IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE GONNA BE DOING THAT BECAUSE EVERYONE DO NOT PROCESS TRAINING AS OTHERS DO.
SOME PEOPLE MAY TAKE THEM A SECOND TIME TO GET IT, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN THEY LEAVE FROM TRAINING WITH GENE FELIX, THEY SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO CHECK IN THE VOTERS AND ESPECIALLY HOW TO PROCESS ANY TYPE OF CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S A PART TOO WHERE SOMETIMES THERE ARE LITTLE HICCUPS WHERE THEY DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT.
SO JEAN WILL TOUCH ON THOSE, UM, THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WELL PREPARED WHEN WE GET READY FOR 2024, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG ELECTION, WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE TRAINED THOROUGHLY AND READY.
SO THAT WAY WE WILL LOOK GOOD IN BUFORD COUNTY THAT, UM, EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO DO THEIR JOB.
AND, UM, EVEN IF I HAVE TO COME AND HELP, I DON'T MIND BECAUSE, UM, I WASN'T IN TRAINING FOR THE BANK, SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO GIVE REFRESHER COURSE IN TRAINING.
PASS THE ELECTION DEBRIEF INTO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
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TO SEE YOU ON THIS BRAND NEW YEAR.UM, WE HAVE A VERY SHORT REPORT, BUT, UM, WHAT I WILL ATTEMPT TO DO IS, UM, MOVE ON.
SO I HAVE ATTACHED AT THE END OF YOUR BOARD REPORT A LIST OF ALL OF THOSE, UM, LEGISLATIONS THAT'S BEEN PRE-FILED AND BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR, UH, BEING CONSIDERED IN THIS GENERAL, UM, SESSION.
SO WE ARE NOT GONNA DO THAT IN DETAIL.
AND THEN WE ARE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ELECTION UPDATES.
AGAIN, NOT A WHOLE LOT TO TALK ABOUT.
THIS ISN'T WHAT WE CALL AN OFF ELECTION YEAR.
AND SO, BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ELECTIONS, UM, PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR AND FACILITY UPDATE AND A FEW MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. SO UNDER THE ELECTION UPDATE, UM, WE HAVE THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL WILL BE HAVING THEIR GENERAL ELECTION ALONG WITH THE TONGUE OF BLUFFTON.
AND IN BOTH OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES, THEY WILL HAVE THE MAYOR ON THE BALLOT AND TWO COUNCIL SEATS.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN THOSE AREAS, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, GO AHEAD AND STOP LOOKING AT YOUR POLL WORKERS AND WHO'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER TO CONDUCT THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, TYPICALLY, UM, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ARE NOT, UM, VERY HIGH, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T HAVE A VERY HIGH TURNOUT, BUT WE GONNA PREPARE THAT IF EVERYONE IN THOSE MUNICIPALITIES ARE GONNA COME TO COME OUT.
TYPICALLY WHEN THE MAYOR'S ON THE BALLOT, IT DRAWS A LITTLE BIT MORE PEOPLE.
SO, UM, WE JUST WANNA BE PREPARED, BE READY TO ACCOMMODATE WHATEVER THE SITUATION MAY BE.
UM, EARLY VOTING, UM, FOR THE BLUFFED AREA IS TYPICALLY HELD, UM, AT THE BLUFFTON OFFICE.
RIGHT NOW WE DO NOT HAVE A FACILITY FOR EARLY VOTING.
SO THAT IS TO BE ANNOUNCED A LITTLE BIT LATER.
AND OF COURSE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE VOTING IN BLUFF, UM, IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL WILL BE COMING TO THE JOHN GOT OFFICE, ALTHOUGH ANY OF OUR EARLY VOTING CENTER WILL BE OPENED TO ANY VOTERS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THOSE ELECTIONS.
UM, MS. MARIE, WHAT ABOUT ABSENTEE? OH, NO, THAT PROCESS WILL STILL BE, UM, ABSENTEE WILL ONLY BE BY MAIL.
UM, WE WILL, UM, ADVERTISED AND WE WILL GET THOSE, UM, PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ABSENTEE BALLOTS NORMAL PROCESS, THEY WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR AN APPLICATION FOR THOSE, UM, ELECTIONS.
MARY, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD KNOW THIS FOR WENDELL, IT'S CHICHE IN THE TOWN OF, IT'S, IT'S CONSIDERED A TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S, NOW CHICHE ONE IS THE TOWN OF FORT ROYAL, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY VOTERS IN HERE, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY VOTERS.
THE SPECIFIC PART PERIOD IS IT'S PART OF OVERALL IN MARCH
ISLAND IS IN, IT'S A TOWN OF OIL.
SO, SO, UM, MS. COLLEEN MENTIONED THE TRAINING.
UH, WE DO, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONBOARD ON STAFF IN, ON STAFF RIGHT NOW, OUR NEW TRAINER AND OUR OUTREACH COORDINATOR.
AND SO WE DO HAVE, I THINK, SOME GREAT INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR 2023.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS AND SHE'S BEEN TANTALIZING ME AND TANTALIZING WINDOW AND
SO, UM, I THINK, UM, JEAN IN THAT POSITION WILL DO A GREAT JOB AND WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR VOTERS, OUR POLL MANAGERS AND OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING AT LEAST TWO IF YOU YEAH.
OH NO, THIS ONE IS A NEW POLL WORKERS TRAINING.
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POLL WORKERS TRAINING.WE ARE GOING BACK TO IN-PERSON, UM, TRAINING OR 2023, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A SMALL ELECTION.
UM, UM, THIS HAS REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTION ITSELF.
THIS IS IN GENERAL ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A POLL MANAGER IN BUFORD COUNTY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP FOR THE, UM, IN-PERSON TRAINING.
AND I THINK WE HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE LIST THAT WE SEND NOTICES TO AND LET THEM KNOW THESE POSITIONS.
I MEAN, THESE TRAINING WILL TAKE PLACE ON THESE PARTICULAR DAYS AND ALREADY HAVE GOTTEN RESPONSES.
AND, UH, WE WILL ALSO ADVERTISE AT, UM, IN THE NEWSPAPER, UM, SEAN, THAT SECOND YOU FOR AUGUST? IT'S WHAT? AUGUST? AUGUST.
SO PLEASE MAKE THAT CORRECTION.
LET ME MAKE IT ON MY FOURTH TODAY.
SO AUGUST THE FIFTH, THE SAME TIME ON, AND THEY'RE BOTH SATURDAY DATES.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS MAY 6TH.
IT'S AUGUST 5TH INSTEAD OF MAY 6TH ON THE SECOND SATURDAY.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE BRIEFING SCHEDULED FOR THOSE TWO ELECTIONS.
TWO BRIEFING WILL BE HELD IN OFTEN AND ONE WILL BE HELD IN BEAUFORD.
UM, DID I GET THOSE WRONG TOO? OH,
WHICH ONE? THE SATURDAYS THE 14TH.
EVEN THOUGH THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU COPY AND PASTE
SO THE, THE SATURDAY IS ON THE 14TH AND WHEN YOU DO IT AT 12 O'CLOCK, I KNOW
SO THE ONE THAT I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, IS THE NEXT SLIDE, THE COMMUNITY FORUM THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING.
I HOPE I GOT THOSE DATE TRIED
AND THIS WILL BE PUBLICIZED AS WELL AND PUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO INFORM OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR ELECTION PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES.
UH, WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THESE LAST COUPLE OF ELECTION IS THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO, UM, UH, MISINFORMED AND, UM, THEY JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESSES ARE SO THAT THEY CAN BE A BETTER VOTER.
UM, WE WANT TO EDUCATE THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN SO THAT ON ELECTION THEY ARE DOING THE EARLY VOTING PROCESS, THEY WILL KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
AND, UM, THERE IS A ROLE THAT THE VOTER PLAYS IN THIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD IS CORRECT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
YOU MUST HAVE AN UPDATED ADDRESS IN THE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
UM, AND ONCE YOU UPDATE THE ADDRESS, YOUR PROBLEMS ON ELECTION DAY WILL BE MAILED TO, YOU KNOW, MINIMUM TO NONE BECAUSE, UM, YOUR ADDRESS DRIVES WHERE YOU VOTE AND WHO YOU GET TO VOTE FOR.
BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T TAKE THAT AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF VOTER REGISTRATION.
SO, ALONG WITH SO MANY OTHER TOPICS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THIS.
UM, WE GOING TO TRY AND GET THIS OUT AND WITH AS MANY FORMATS, UM, AS WE CAN TO THE MEDIA AND HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL COME OUT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ON THINGS AS A BOARD THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, BE PRESENTED DURING THE FORUMS, PLEASE LET G KNOW SO THAT, UM, WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT BECAUSE WE DO WANT THESE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WANT LUTHER COUNTY TO HAVE THE SMARTEST VOTER IN THE STATE.
NOW, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT BRIEFLY ABOUT, UM, THE FACILITIES.
UM, I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE BLUFFTON OFFICE IS STILL CLOSED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE IN A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.
WE WILL BE MOVING FROM THE ALMA ROAD LOCATION TO MYRTLE PARK, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR SATELLITE OFFICE IN BLUFFTON WILL BE.
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AND, UM, SO IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS HOPEFULLY, UM, WE WILL BE READY TO MOVE IN AND UNTIL THEN, UM, THE BLUFFTON OFFICE IS GOING TO REMAIN CLOSED.BUT OF COURSE, FOLDERS CAN RECEIVE FULL SERVICE AT THE BEAUFORD OFFICE, LIKE ALWAYS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT, I GET EXCITED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS,
AN ADDITIONAL WAREHOUSE SPACE IS BEING PLANNED RIGHT NOW, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THAT.
UM, BUT AT LEAST MORE INFORMATION TO REPORT TO YOU ON THE PROGRESS OF THAT.
BUT THE PLANS ARE IN THE WORKS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT ACCOMPLISHED.
YOU SEEING PEOPLE OUT HERE? HMM? WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU SAID PEOPLE OUT THERE? YEAH.
PEOPLE, ARCHITECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
SO, UM, COUPLE OF MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES, A SCALE CONFERENCE AND MOST OF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE SCALE CONFERENCE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
WE ARE PLANNING A FANTASTIC SCALE CONFERENCE.
YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE PARTIAL, CAN I SAY? UM, BUT THIS WILL BE MY FINAL SCALE CONFERENCE AS THE PRESIDENT.
AND SO LET'S GO OUT BUFORD COUNTY WITH A BANK.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE, WE HAVE FOLKS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL COMING IN.
UM, I THINK THE, THE LINEUP, THE CLASSES THAT'S BEING PREPARED BY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, THEY'RE GREAT CLASSES.
SO, UM, YOU, THE ONLY THING YOU WOULD NEED TO DO IS SPEAK FOR YOU ARE RENEWING YOUR CERTIFICATION FOR 2023.
ALL YOU NEED IS TO TAKE ONE CLASS.
AND SO, UM, JUST MAKE SURE, I THINK MOST OF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR CLASSES, SO IF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE, LOOK TO HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL SESSION AND, UM, INFORMATIVE SESSION AND A LITTLE BIT OF FUN AS WE DO IT ALL.
OKAY? I'VE ALREADY ANNOUNCED JEAN BEING OUR NEWEST EMPLOYEE AND THE POSITION SHE'S SERVING IN.
AND, UM, OF COURSE THE 2024 BUDGET IS IN PROCESS.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY BUDGETARY ITEMS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, WE TRY TO THINK OF EVERYTHING, BUT MAYBE YOU THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE IN OUR BUDGET.
UM, YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND DON'T FORGET, FILE YOUR ETHIC REPORT BY THE 31ST OF MARCH.
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE I WOULD RECOMMEND.
ANY QUESTIONS, MARIE? AS FAR AS THE, UH, ELECTION, THE STATE LEGISLATION MM-HMM.
OH, FIVE FIVE OF THESE THAT WE SHOULD, THAT WE SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT YES.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE DIDN'T SEND YOU OUR SCARES, UM, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN COPIES OF THAT.
BUT YOU WILL GET A COPY OF THAT.
CHRIS WILL SEND IT TO YOU AND, UM, YEAH.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE WILL HAVE, UM, FOLKS FROM THE U S PS, YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE ISSUES WITH OUR ABSENTEE BALLOT.
THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WILL BE, UM, DOING PRES PRESENTATIONS.
IT WILL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEM SOME QUESTIONS IN, UM, IN RELATIONS TO WHAT ARE THEY PLANNING ON DOING IN 2024 TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOTERS ARE GETTING THEIR BALLOTS AND OUR BALLOTS ARE BEING RETURNED BACK TO US IN A TIMELY FASHION.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST ONE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN MY QUESTION FOR THEM.
SO, SO Y'ALL DON'T TAKE MY QUESTION.
SO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN QUESTIONS,
NEXT QUESTION IS TO WHO? SOME OF THE PRESENTER, ONE OF THE PRESENTER THAT'S, UM, GONNA BE PRESENTING DURING THE GENERAL SESSION.
MR. KELLY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS GONNA BE ON THAT FRIDAY.
AND SO WE WILL HAVE SOME STATE LEGISLATORS THERE.
UM, SO FAR, UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SENATORS WHO'VE SIGNED UP.
NONE FROM THE BEAUFORT DELEGATION HAVE SIGNED UP.
SO WE ARE STILL ENCOURAGING THEM TO, UM, ANSWER THE INVITATION AND, UM, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOMEONE FROM BEAUFORT,
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UM, ALL FROM OUR BEAUFORT DELEGATION, ESPECIALLY THE BEAUFORT ITSELF SERVING ON THAT COMMITTEE.BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE FOLKS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE THAT WILL BE THERE.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT'S IT.
UM, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 22ND AT TWO O'CLOCK AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THIS BOARD? IF NOT, WE HAVE EXHAUSTED THE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND.
SECOND THAT WE ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO ASK FOR YAY.
THIS IS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
THE SUBJECT OF THIS MOMENT IS THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY LOST TO FOLKS TODAY, BUT THE ARTIFACTS, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY ARE AROUND US.
PHOSPHATES WERE KNOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.
THEY WERE FIRST DISCOVERED UP AROUND SOMERVILLE AND NORTH OF CHARLESTON.
AND BENEATH THE MARL WAS THE PHOSPHATE ROCK.
GEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS KNEW ABOUT IT.
PHOSPHATE WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE AGRICULTURAL OF THE SOUTH BECAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF MOST FERTILIZER.
AND MANY OF THE COTTON LANDS OF THE OLD SOUTH WERE MUCH EXHAUSTED BY THE COTTON INDUSTRY BEFORE THE WAR.
SO AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY WAS INTRODUCED FIRST IN CHARLESTON IN 1867, AND THEN LOOKING FOR BEDS OF HIGH CONTENT PHOSPHATE ROCK.
THESE PHOSPHATE EXPLORERS AND ENTREPRENEURS DISCOVERED BEAUFORD COUNTY THE NEXT 30 YEARS.
BEAUFORD COUNTY BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF PHOSPHATE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ONE OF THE RICHEST SOURCES OF PHOSPHATES KNOWN IN THE WORLD.
BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900, THIS BECAME THE CENTER OF THE MINING PART OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY.
MANY OF THIS FERTILIZER FACTORIES WERE IN CHARLESTON, BUT THE MINING AND THE PHOSPHATE WORKS, AS THEY CALL THEM, WHERE THEY BROKE THE ROCK DOWN INTO POWDER AND INTO PURE PHOSPHATE AND SHIPPED IT OUT.
THOSE INDUSTRIAL CENTERS WERE MOSTLY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS INDUSTRY.
IN THE 1880S, 3000 BURE WERE EMPLOYED IN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
$5 A DAY IN MANY CASES WAS A RULE OF THUMB WHEN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS BEGAN IN THE 1870S, THAT THE RICHEST VEINS OF PHOSPHATE WERE UNDERWATER UNDER THE CSAW RIVER, UNDER THE BEAUFORT RIVER UNDER BATTERY CREEK.
SO INITIALLY, LOCAL SEA ISLANDERS WOULD DIVE DOWN FOR THE ROCK AND FILL BASKETS AND THEN GET PULLED UP IN A ROPE, NOT ONLY LIMITING THE DEPTH TO WHICH THEY COULD MINE AT, BUT LIMITING THEIR HEALTH AS WELL, GOING UP AND DOWN.
BUT VERY QUICKLY IN THE 1870S, ENGINEERS DISCOVERED THAT THEY COULD BUILD VERY LARGE UNDERWATER STEAM POWERED DREDGES ON FLOATING BARGES.
AND SO THEY BEGAN TO MECHANIZE THE INDUSTRY.
AND RATHER THAN EMPLOYING FEWER PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY EMPLOYED MORE, MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND 80% OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN SOUTH CAROLINA CAME FROM BUFORD COUNTY.
THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900 WAS THE LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORD COUNTY AND THE LARGEST MINING INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND PEOPLE HAVE PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS THE SOURCE OF GREAT PROSPERITY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
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1870 AND 1890, THE POPULATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY GREW.BAY STREET BECAME A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTER.
PHOSPHATE WORKS, IN OTHER WORDS, FACTORIES WHERE THEY BURNED THE PHOSPHATE ROCK AND BROKE IT DOWN INTO POWDER.
WE'RE LOCATED ON SPANISH POINT, WE'RE LOCATED ON LUCY CREEK, AND THE LARGEST WAS LOCATED FIRST ON CSAW PLANTATION, AND THEN OUT AT THE END OF CHISHOLM HIGHLAND ON SUMMERHOUSE POINT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CSAW RIVER, SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES AND PHOSPHATE BRIDGES AND THE TUGBOATS AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HAD TO, UH, SUPPORT THIS INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS WERE AN ENORMOUS BOONE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
EVENTUALLY, THE SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE VERY LARGE COMPANY CALLED THE CSAW MINING COMPANY.
THE CSAW MINING COMPANY, BY 1892, WAS THE LARGEST PHOSPHATE MINING COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IN THOSE SAME YEARS, IN 1888, RICHARD VAS OF PHOSPHATE WERE DISCOVERED NEAR TAMPA, FLORIDA.
AND DURING THE 1890S, THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE EXTRACTED FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY DECLINED.
AND THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE DISCOVERED AND EXTRACTED FROM FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES LIKE NEAR NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, WAS RICHER PHOSPHATE.
AND EVENTUALLY IT PUT THESE PHOSPHATE MINES OUT OF BUSINESS PHOSPHATE AND BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE RIVER ROCK, AS IT WAS CALLED IN THOSE DAYS, WAS 60% PURE PHOSPHATE, WHICH IN 1870 WAS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
BY 1888, THE FLORIDA ROCK WAS 80% PURE PHOSPHATE.
AND THE ECONOMICS OF THAT SIMPLY PUT THE BURET COUNTY PHOSPHATE BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS.
THE CSAW MINING COMPANY STOPPED MINING IN 1905.
THE VIRGINIA CAROLINA COMPANY TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THE OLD WORKS AND FINALLY WENT BANKRUPT IN 1914.
AND THAT WAS THE BITTER END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
CONSEQUENCE OF THE END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT EXODUS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION OF THE SEA ISLANDS, WHO WITHOUT GOOD WAGE JOBS, BEGAN TO MOVE NORTH AND DEPOPULATED MUCH OF BUFORD COUNTY.
BUT THE OTHER EVENT, WHICH HASTED THE DEMISE OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY IN BUFORD COUNTY WAS OF COURSE THE GREAT HURRICANE OF 1893, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE 10 LARGEST HURRICANES AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES EVER TO HIT.
THE UNITED STATES KILLED AS MANY AS 2000 PEOPLE ON THE SEA ISLANDS AND WRECKED THE PHOSPHATE FLEET.
SO THE INVESTORS IN THE PHOSPHATE FLEET MOVED THEIR CAPITAL TO FLORIDA AND THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS DECLINED IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
THIS HAS BEEN A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
GATES, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
WHY NOW? 12 YEARS OF BLACK FREEDOM FOLLOWED BY AN ALT-RIGHT ROLLBACK, A PRESIDENT IMMEDIATELY, UM, FOLLOWING ABRAHAM LINCOLN, WHO REFUSED TO RENOUNCE WHITE SUPREMACY A CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT THAT EFFECTIVELY UNDID THE POWER OF THE 14TH AND 15TH AMENDMENTS.
WHAT'S THAT SOUND LIKE? CONTEMPORARY TIMES? CONTEMPORARY TIMES.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING BY ANALOGY THROUGH TELLING THE STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION IN ITS ROLLBACK.
AND I FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AFTER, UH, THE HORRIBLE MURDERS OF, UH, REVEREND CLEMENTA PINKNEY AND THE OTHER INNOCENCE AT MOTHER MANUEL CHURCH BECAUSE THE JUSTIFICATIONS THAT DYLAN ROOF, UH, SUMMONED FOR HIS ACTIONS, UM, WERE VERY REMINISCENT OF RACIST RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR AND FOLLOWING RECONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HORROR MOVIE WHEN YOU THINK THAT THE VAMPIRE'S DEAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COME UP OUT OF THE CASKET AND HE THINK, DAMN, I THOUGHT I'D PUT A STEAK IN YOUR HEART.
I THOUGHT THAT THE WORST AND MOST PERNICIOUS HEINOUS ASPECTS OF ANTI-BLACK WHITE SUPREMACY WERE LONG GONE.
AND WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN HATE SPEECH, ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-GAY ATTITUDES.
AND PEOPLE, WHEN PEOPLE BECOME FRIGHTENED, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THEY LOOK FOR SCAPEGOATS.
AND THE SCAPEGOATS TRADITION HAVE BEEN JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN, GAY PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE IN
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THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE OF COLOR.UM, LET'S TELL 'EM, GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ROLLBACK TO RECONSTRUCTION.
RECONSTRUCTION IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND YET IT IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
WHY IS THAT? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PERIOD AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANT? WELL, W W E DUBOIS WROTE A BOOK IN 1935 CALLED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION, AND ONE CHAPTER'S CALLED THE PROPAGANDA OF HISTORY.
AND HE ANALYZES HOW WHITE HISTORIANS HAD WRITTEN ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROLLBACK TO CREATE A MYTH MYTHOLOGY OF BLACK INCOMPETENCE THAT BLACK MEN HAD BEEN ELECTED TO OFFICE AND COULDN'T PROPERLY SERVE.
THAT BLACK VOTERS HAD BEEN MANIPULATED BY NORTHERN SCALLYWAGS AND CARPETBAGGERS, THAT BASICALLY THEY WERE TOOLS AND PAWNS THAT THEY WERE DISHONEST.
UH, ROBERT SMALLS, IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST, UM, HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION SERVED FIVE NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS IN CONGRESS BECAUSE HE WAS CONSTANTLY BEING ACCUSED YET OF STEALING MONEY AND MISAPPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEY WERE, UM, THERE WAS A MYTHOLOGY SANCTIONED BY THE DISCIPLINE OF HISTORY LOCATED AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CALLED THE DUNNING SCHOOL, LED BY HISTORIAN, PROFESSOR DUNNING.
AND THEY FOUND EVERY WAY TO PRODUCE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN UNDONE BY HISTORIAN SINCE DUBOIS PUBLISHED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER, WITH WHOM, UH, WE MADE A RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
PLUS WE HAVE OVER 40 HISTORIANS DOING MODERN, UM, CUTTING EDGE SCHOLARSHIP ON RECONSTRUCTION THAT WHOM WE FEATURE IN THE SERIES.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH A COLLECTIVE, UM, SERIES AND IT'S VERY MUCH A COUNTERPOINT TO THE RECEIVED INTERPRETATIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION FABRICATED BY THE DUNNING SCHOOL.
WELL, FOR US, IT'S, THIS IS THE PHONER SCHOOL.
IT, IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
WHY IS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SO PIVOTAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF RECONSTRUCTION? SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GROUND ZERO FOR RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT WAS A MAJORITY BLACK STATE.
THE, UM, THERE'S A FAMOUS 1872 LITHOGRAPH OF THE FIRST COLORED SENATOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
AND THREE OF THOSE MEN IN THAT LITHOGRAPH WERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHEN RICHARD T GREENER GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, THE FIRST BLACK MAN THAT GRADUATE FROM HARVARD IN THE CLASS OF 1870.
WHERE WAS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY? WAS IT IN NEW YORK? WAS IT IN BOSTON, WAS IT IN PHILADELPHIA? CHARLESTON CAME TO CHARLESTON AND WENT TO, UH, COLUMBIA AND SERVED ON THE FACULTY, UM, AND TOOK LAW CLASSES THERE.
THE, UM, A BLACK MAN FROM ENGLAND, FROM LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ROBERT BROWN ELLIOT, UH, CAME TO, TO BOSTON IN 1867.
THE BRITISH NAVY COULD SMELL THE OPPORTUNITY HEADED STRAIGHT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED FOR RICHARD HARVEY CAIN'S NEWSPAPER, THEN WAS ELECTED TO TO CONGRESS.
AND UM, THIS WAS WHERE IT WAS AT, THIS IS WHERE IT WAS HAPPENING.
AND WHEN I INTERVIEWED REPRESENTATIVE CLYBURN HIS OFFICE IN THE, IN THE CONGRESS, WELL, HE'S LONG BEEN A STUDENT OF RECONSTRUCTION.
YEAH, I MEAN IT'S LIKE A MUSEUM.
YOU GO IN THERE AND ALL THESE BROTHERS ARE ON THE WALL.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA HAD A BLACK MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THAT NOW SOUTH CAROLINA, EVEN IN THE 18TH CENTURY, WAS CALLED NEGRO COUNTRY.
UM, AND VERY SOON THAT WAS DISMANTLED.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY OF THE MOST VICIOUS BATTLES OVER RACE OCCURRED HERE CUZ THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
I WENT TO CALHOUN COLLEGE AT YALE UNIVERSITY, AND JOHN C. CALHOUN WAS AN INTELLECTUAL RACIST.
HE NOT ONLY WANTED SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE
HE WAS A, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL
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ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZED THEIR LOVE RELATIONSHIPS.THE, UM, THE TAKING OUT OF ADS AND NEWSPAPERS TO REUNITE FAMILIES.
AND THE FACT THAT 80% OF THE ELIGIBLE BLACK MEN IN THE SOUTH REGISTERED TO VOTE IN WHAT I CALL THE FIRST FREEDOM SUMMER, THE SUMMER OF 1867, AND 500,000 OF THEM CAST THEIR VOTES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1868 FOR ULYSSES ESS GRANT.
AND PEOPLE FORM SCHOOLS HISTORICALLY BLACK, WHAT WE NOW CALL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE SHAW AND HOWARD, BUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ALAN AND BENEDICT AND KALIN AB ABSOLUTELY.
AND YOU KNOW, JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT, THAT THE SLAVES HAD A HUNGER FOR LEARNING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT HAD BEEN KEPT FOR THEM WAS KNOWLEDGE OF READING AND WRITING.
AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PATHWAY TO, TO SUCCESS.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION GREW OUT OF THIS PERIOD? MM-HMM.
THERE WEREN'T PUBLIC STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION GOVERNMENTS PARTICULARLY, UM, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND PARTICULARLY AS DESIGNED BY ROBERT SMALLS, UM, ESTABLISHED STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, WHICH HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.
IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THOUGH THAT THINGS LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CERTAINLY, UH, ENFRANCHISEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE POSITIVES THAT GREW OUT OF THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD ARE STILL UNDER ASSAULT.
AND IT'S, WE HAVE TO, UM, ANY SOCIETY IS JUDGED BY THE QUALITY OF ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND WE AS AMERICANS SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED AT HOW WE'VE ALLOWED OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE POPULATED BY BRILLIANT TEACHERS, ARE SO MOTIVATED, BUT THEY'RE UNDERPAID AND UNDER-RESOURCED AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE, UM, A GENERAL IDEA THAT THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS SOLELY IN THE HANDS OF THE CELL.
THAT'S NOT TRUE, ISN'T IT? NO.
THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND POLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH.
THERE WAS A PAN ECONOMIC PANIC OF 1873, WHICH WAS CALLED THE FIRST GREAT DEPRESSION.
AND PEOPLE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, WHY DON'T WE SPEND ALL OUR MONEY ON THESE NEGROES IN THE SOUTH? LET 'EM THRIVE.
AND THEY ACTED BARREL AS IF 200 YEARS OF SLAVERY COULD BE WIPED OUT WITH NO REPARATIONS, WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, NO BENEFITS GIVEN NO 40 ACRES IN A MULE.
UM, THAT EACH, EACH OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ON THEIR OWN.
NOT ONLY THAT NEW FORMS OF OPPRESSION WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED DEBT, P AND H SHARECROPPING, THE RISE OF THE KLAN, THE RISE OF THE COOK, TERRORISM.
AND SO VERY MUCH, UH, RECONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT ISSUES THAT STILL ROYAL OUR SOCIETY TODAY.
WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE A CITIZEN? WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE AN AMERICAN? WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY? AND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TERRORISM IN THE HEALTHY FUNCTIONING OF A, OF A DEMOCRACY? WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN, IN THE FACE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF TERRORISM? HOW CAN WE HAVE THIS VERY BLATANT REMINDER FROM 150 YEARS AGO AND NOT BE MINDFUL OF ITS IMPACT TODAY? THAT'S WHY DILLON MCGEE AND I MADE THIS SERIES AND WITH PBS WE'LL GET, AND I AM ON THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, I FLEW DOWN TO BEAUFORD FROM HARVARD.
I JUMPED ON JETBLUE AND CAME DOWN HERE CUZ I WANTED A SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENING TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GROUND ZERO, THAT THEN IS NOW.
AND I WANTED TO DO ONE IN CHARLESTON.
UH, AND I WANNA DO ONE AT THE PENN CENTER, UH, AS WELL.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTRY UNDERSTAND THAT WE MADE THIS SERIES ABOUT THE CURRENT RACIAL CLIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES, THOUGH IT'S THROUGH THE MIRROR AND THE ANALOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND ITS ROLLBACK CALLED REDEMPTION.
WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR YOU FOR THIS SERIES? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES.
FIRST, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES
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TO BE CREATED IN THE CLASSROOM.SO THAT RECONSTRUCTION IS AS CENTRAL TO A COURSE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS THE CIVIL WAR IS, OR WORLD WAR I OR WORLD WAR II.
RECONSTRUCTION WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIMENT WITH INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND IT WAS CRUSHED.
AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA SURVIVE AS A SOCIETY IS IF WE FASHION FORUMS OF INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND COLLABORATION THAT ALLOW MULTIPLICITY OF VOICES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ET CETERA, GENDER IDENTITIES TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
THAT'S MY GOAL IN CREATING THIS SERIES, AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT.
TALK TO HENRY LEWIS GATES, JR.
I'VE BEEN A LIBRARY CUSTOMER ALL MY LIFE.
UM, MY FAMILY WAS MILITARY, SO WE MOVED AROUND A LOT.
UM, EVERY TWO YEARS OR SO WE WOULD MOVE TO A NEW TOWN AND THE FIRST THING WE DID AS SOON AS WE UNPACKED IS GO TO THE LIBRARY.
MY PARENTS HAD, UM, THREE SMALL CHILDREN.
THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF FREE THINGS TO DO IN TOWN AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY.
SO LIBRARIES WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, I THINK LIBRARIES ARE IMPORTANT TO ALMOST ALL FAMILIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
UM, FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, WE HAVE PROGRAMS, WE HAVE PROGRAMS FOR, UH, OLDER FOLKS ALSO, BUT YOU CAN GET SOMETHING TO TAKE HOME OR YOU CAN COME TO THE LIBRARY FOR ONE OF ITS ACTIVITIES.
WE HAVE BOOKS, DVDS, MUSIC AND CDS.
WE HAVE ALL TYPES OF MATERIALS AND EVEN FOR NON-READERS, WE HAVE BOOKS THAT ARE, UM, IN AUDIO FORMAT SO YOU CAN LISTEN TO THEM.
WHETHER YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO'S LEARNING ENGLISH OR WHETHER YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ YOUNG OR OLD, UM, WE HAVE MATERIALS FOR YOU THAT YOU CAN ENJOY.
SO I THINK LIBRARIES ARE TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT.
WE FIND THAT A LOT OF CHILDREN WHO COME TO THE LIBRARY ARE MORE ADEPT BY USING THE TECHNOLOGY THAN THEIR PARENTS ARE.
SO THEY OFTEN, UM, BECOME ALMOST VOLUNTEERS AT THE LIBRARY JUST BY BEING NEAR OTHER CHILDREN OR PARENTS USING A COMPUTER.
A CHILD WHO'S USING THE LIBRARY, UM, MAY AUTOMATICALLY CHIME IN WITH A SUGGESTION FOR ANOTHER CHILD.
UH, REGARDLESS OF EDUCATION LEVEL OR INCOME LEVEL, EVERYONE CAN FIND SOMETHING TO ENJOY AT THE LIBRARY.
UM, EVEN IF YOU CAN AFFORD YOUR OWN RESOURCES AND HAVE THEM ALREADY, THE LIBRARY STILL HAS ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT ENJOY, MATERIALS THAT, UH, YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED.
MAYBE YOU CAN COME AND BROWSE AND STILL FIND SOMETHING FUN TO CHECK OUT OR, UM, A NEW ACTIVITY TO ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY OR WITHOUT YOUR FAMILY.