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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.ANY ELECTIONS IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER THIS 22ND DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2:00 PM WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG? I PLEDGE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES, AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC.
FOR WHICH NATION? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE.
WE ARE NOW AT PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF SO, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE.
NOW WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
THE MEETINGS FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES IF YOU HAVE ALREADY READ THEM? SO MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT THE MINUTES BE RECEIVED IS, UM, CORRECTION.
IS THAT TWO OF FOUR OF THE MINUTES? YES.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR AT THE BOTTOM UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
UM, THERE'S A QUESTION MARK AS WHAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE 2022 ELECTION DEBRIEFING.
UM, AND THAT WAS NOT RECORDED IN THE MINUTES, SO I WOULD OFFER A CORRECTION TO THE MINUTE, IF IT'S OKAY.
UM, MR. P UM, MADE A SUGGESTION THAT THE BOARD, UM, WOULD DETERMINE WHAT IS AN ACCEPTABLE LENGTH OF TIME FOR A VOTER TO VOTE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF GOAL TO, I GUESS, MARK OUR PERFORMANCE AS WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE PROCESSING VOTERS IN A TIMELY FASHION THAT CAME FROM MR. P AND FROM FROM YOU,
DIRECTOR, YOU HAVE HEARD THE ADDED CHANGES TO ITEM FOUR ON PAGE 24.
ARE WE ALL IN FAVOR? LET LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AT THE NUMBER FOUR.
BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE IT IN THE MINUTES.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
UH, NEXT WILL BE OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS, UH, FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE A CHAIR FOR THAT, UH, COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME.
UH, MS. MARIE, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ON FACILITIES, PLEASE? UM, YES.
UM, THE ADDITION TO THE JOHN GULP FACILITY, UH, IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S ACTIVELY UNDERWAY.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY ACTIVITY YET ON THE GROUND, BUT THE ACTIVITIES GOING ON, ON PAPER AND THE PLANNING STAGE AND THE PERMITTING STAGE.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MARIE? OKAY.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A REPORT, WENDELL, BUT WENDELL, DO YOU? UH, YES.
UH, THE BUDGET IS DUE OR BUDGET ENTRY IS IN THE FAIR.
BUDGET ENTRY IS FEBRUARY 28TH.
WE HAVE HOURS, UH, BASED ON WHAT THEY
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TOLD US, HOW WE NEED TO ACTUALLY PUT IT IN WHATEVER.AND I'M SORRY, WE SHOULD, I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A COPY EVERY OTHER DAY.
WE THINK WE STILL KIND OUT LAST WEEK.
WE MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS A COPY.
WE WERE TOLD, UH, THIS YEAR TO DO IT LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
IN THE PAST, WE NEVER HAD ANY SAY IN, UM, STAFF SALARIES AND, AND WHATEVER, BUT, UH, RECORD FINANCE SOLD MEAN TO PUT IN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE AFFECTED IN, WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T SEE PAST.
SO I, I ACTUALLY, WHEN GET BACK TO THE OFFICE, I'LL SEND ANYBODY A DOCUMENT.
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
I WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER Y'ALL CAME BACK, BACK FROM THE SCARE CONFERENCE.
SO IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE NEXT THURSDAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MEET, YOU SAID NEXT THURSDAY AT MM-HMM.
IF YOU WOULD CHECK YOUR SCHEDULES, PLEASE.
I, I CANNOT, I HAVE A MEETING WITH ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, MS. BEVERLY, WHAT ABOUT YOU? I'M CHECKING.
WAIT, CHECK YOUR CALENDARS AND LET ME KNOW BEFORE YOU THURSDAY.
NEXT IS RE-PRESENTING COMMITTEE, UM, BEVERLY DOR, AS REPORTED AT THE LAST, UM, BOARD MEETING, THE REPENTING COMMITTEE HAVE MET ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO DISCUSS STRATEGIC PLANS AND GOALS FOR RE PRECINCT ALIGNMENT.
AND AT THIS JUNCTURE, UM, I'D ASK THAT YOU CHECK YOUR PACKETS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU GOT A COPY OF THE PROPOSED, UM, RE PRECINCT ALIGNMENTS, AS WELL AS A COPY OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION TOTALS BY COUNTY PRECINCT, ET CETERA.
UM, AT THIS JUNCTURE, THE GOAL OF THE BOARD TODAY IS TO RECOMMEND THAT THE WORK OF THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE, WHICH IS IDENTIFYING THE PRECINCTS WITH OVER 1600 VOTERS BE DIVIDED TO CREATE MULTIPLE PRECINCTS.
AND UPON APPROVAL OF THE BOARD, THE REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SLASH REVIEW AND FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE FOR FURTHER REVIEW.
THE S THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL REPORT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BEAUFORT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO INTRODUCE A BILL AS NEW LEGISLATION FOR ADDITIONAL PRECINCTS TO BE ADDED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR, I I HAVE A CON COMMENT.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT JUMP OFF POINT.
YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED THIS AT 1641 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST THAT WE'RE SEEING IT.
I THINK IF WE TOOK 72 HOURS AND RECONVENE, EVEN IF IT'S VIA ZOOM OR BY EMAIL TO DISCUSS, UM, CUZ WE NEED TO GET IT RIGHT AND NOT RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S DUE AND I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
WE NEED, WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
I THINK THE INITIAL SUGGESTION WAS TO, LET'S TRY TO COMPLETE THIS BY THIS COMING FRIDAY.
IF, IF WE CAN DO IT BY THIS FRIDAY, IF THESE ARE JUST PROPOSALS, THIS, THIS IS NOTHING IN STONE.
THIS JUST AUTHORIZES THE STATE GIS OFFICE TO START, UM, THE PROCESS OF SEEING HOW WE CAN CONCEIVABLY, UM, DIVIDE THE PRECINCTS.
SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SLAUGHTER, AND I HAVE, YOU CAN HELP ME ON THIS, BUT IS THIS, ALL I REMEMBER IS PEOPLE CALLING ME ON THE PHONE DURING THE LIVE ELECTION.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER, AND I FORGET, I THINK IT WAS IN BLUFFTON, WHERE PEOPLE SHOWED UP THE VOTING IN A CANDIDATE SHOWED UP TO VOTE AND HE WAS IN THE WRONG PRECINCT.
IS THAT, WAS THAT, WAS, WAS THAT BECAUSE OF, OF RE PRECINCT? WHAT WAS THAT COME? I DON'T THINK SO.
UM, THIS PROCESS IS TO TAKE THOSE PRECINCTS THAT HAVE, LET'S SAY 2,800 VOTERS AND TO KIND OF NA UM, NARROW IT DOWN BY MAYBE DIVIDING THAT INTO TWO PRECINCTS.
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AND, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE PROPOSED AT THE SAME LOCATION.SO THE PERSONS WOULDN'T MOVE NECESSARILY, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE SEPARATE, UM, CHECK-IN STATIONS AND, UM, HAVE A, UM, OKAY.
AND A PREPONDERANCE OF MINE ARE IN THAT CATEGORY CUZ BLUFFTON IS ONE OF THE LARGEST GROWING SEGMENTS OF OUR COUNTY.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OUR POLLING STATION OF BUCK WALTER REC, I ALREADY HAVE FOUR THERE, AND I THINK ALL FOUR OF THEM NEED TO BE SPLIT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT MAY REQUIRE BREAKING OFF AND CREATING BRAND NEW POLLING STATIONS.
CUZ I DON'T THINK I CAN FIT TWO MORE OR FOUR MORE PRECINCTS IN THAT LOCATION.
IF I WERE TO SPLIT THEM IN HALF.
WE ARE PREPARED TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS.
THIS JUST ENABLES US TO SEND IT TO AN AGENCY IN COLUMBIA AND FOR THEM TO HELP US CREATE SOME LINES SO THAT COMMUNITIES ARE NOT SEPARATED.
THIS IS, THIS IS JUST EN ENABLING PROCESS THAT ALLOWS US TO GO FORWARD AND TO DIVIDE THE PRECINCTS INTO MANAGEABLE VOTING COMMUNITIES.
WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE QUESTION I HAD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN PUSH IT FORWARD.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S ALL WE, WE ARE ASKING IS JUST THAT THIS GO FORWARD.
WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR, UM, NEW POLLING PLACES ALL THE TIME AS THE NEED ARISES.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT CENSUS IN 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
BUT THAT'S A CONTINUAL NEED TO LOOK FOR MORE SPACE AND TO GET OUR, UH, VOTERS IN A POSTURE WHEREBY THEY WON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR TWO HOURS.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO.
I, I THINK, UM, WHAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF IS THE FACT THAT BY, BY LAW, BY THE ELECTION LAWS, UM, WE REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY PRECINCT OVER 1500 VOTED WITH OVER 1500 VOTERS, UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO OUR SITUATION WITH FACILITIES, UM, LIMITATION.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE BU COUNTY ISSUES A ISSUE ACROSS THE STATE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FACILITIES TO HOUSE THE, UM, THE VOTERS.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE ARE KEEPING THEM COMBINED IN THE SAME LOCATION, WHICH IN TURNS CREATE LONGER LINES BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING PROCESSED AT ONE LOCATION.
SO THE UM, GOAL IS TO TRY AND REDUCE SOME OF THOSE PRECINCTS, FIND NEW POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, IS, ESPECIALLY IN THE BLUFFTON AREA, BUT NOT JUST IN THE BLUFFTON AREA, THAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY, UM, FACILITIES TO HOUSE OUR POLLING, UM, LOCATIONS.
BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT DO THAT, WHAT WE GONNA FIND ARE VOTERS WAITING IN LINE ON ELECTION DAY BECAUSE ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE CAN GET INTO A BUILDING AT ONE TIME TO, TO CAST A BALLOT.
AND SO THIS, LIKE I SAID, IT IS NOT JUST A BU COUNTY ISSUE, IT'S AN ISSUE ACROSS THE STATE.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ADMINISTRATION, COUNTY ADMINISTRATION STAFF THAT ARE, UM, LOOKING FOR FACILITIES.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR FACILITIES.
AND WE ARE ALSO ASKING YOU ALL, IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE BLUFFTON AREA WHO ARE, UM, MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATION, AND THEY HAVE A FACILITY THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE WILL DO THE CONTACT, WE WILL DO THE SURVEYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLY, UH, COM, UH, ACCESSIBLE AND COMPATI COMPATIBLE TO BE A LOCATION.
WE JUST NEED TO IDENTIFY THOSE, UM, UH, FACILITIES OR PEOPLE WHO MAY OWN A FACILITY THAT WE COULD USE.
SO IT, IT IS NOT JUST AS EASY AS SAYING WE GONNA SPLIT THE PRECINCTS, UM, OR DIVIDE THE PRECINCTS.
WE ALSO NEED POLLING LOCATIONS.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS TO TRY AND FIND LOCATIONS AND WE ARE, WE, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME FACILITIES.
UM, WE WILL BE CONTACTING THOSE, UH, FACILITIES, BUT WE STILL NEED MORE FACILITIES.
WE NEED ON HILTON, WE NEED SOME ON HILTON HEAD AS WELL.
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SOME IN THE BEAUFORD AREA, BUT MORE SO IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.I THINK THAT, UM, YOU'RE VERY CORRECT, BUT, UM, THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS, THESE PROPOSALS, I MEAN, WE MAY IDENTIFY, UM, SOME NEW POLLING PLACES THAT ARE PERHAPS BETTER THAN THE ONES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
AND DO YOU AGREE THAT WE WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO, TO WORK ON THIS? YES.
THIS IS NOT A FINALIZED, YOU MUST LOCATE IN THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED LOCATION, BUT IT'S JUST A STEP TO GET THE WORK DONE TO DIVIDE THE PRECINCTS INTO MANAGEABLE CLUSTERS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
AT FIRST GLANCE, I HAVE SIX, SIX OF MY PRECINCTS, UM, NEED TO BE SPLIT OUT OF MY 12.
NEXT WE HAVE RULES COMMITTEE, NO REPORT.
MOVING ON ALONG TO NEW BUSINESS, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
WHENEVER I SAY I HAVE A SHORT REPORT, IT END UP BEING VERY LONG, BUT THIS IS REALLY, REALLY TRULY A SHORT REPORT.
UM, AND I, I HAVE THEM OUTLINED FOR YOU.
UM, WE HAVE S 92, WHICH, UM, IS TALKING ABOUT, UH, CANDIDATE PROTEST DEADLINE.
UM, IF THERE IS A PROTEST FILE DURING AN ELECTION, IF THE DEADLINE IS ON A, OR FALLS ON A HOLIDAY THAT IT BE MOVE TO THE NEXT DAY, THAT'S NOT A LEGAL HOLIDAY.
UM, ALL OF THESE LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW, UH, IN COMMITTEES.
SO, UM, IT HAS NOT GONE THROUGH BOTH, UM, CHAMBERS YET.
SO WALLACE COMMITTEE, IT'LL PROBABLY COME BACK FOR DISCUSSION, UM, TO THE FLOOR LATER ON.
AND I THINK ALL OF 'EM ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION.
S 3 35 IS A LOCAL LEGISLATION IN REFERENCE TO THE HILTON HEAD, UM, NUMBER ONE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT.
WE CONDUCT THE ELECTION FOR THAT, UM, ENTITY.
AND, UM, IT'S BEING PROPOSED THAT THEY GO THROUGH SEVERAL, LIKE A REDISTRICT AND PROCESS, THEY WANT TO INCREASE IT TO SEVEN, UM, ELECTION DISTRICT.
UH, AND S 3 36 IS RELATING TO, UM, INCREASING THE TIME OF VOTER HALF IN THE, UM, VOTING BOOTH FROM THREE MINUTES, UM, TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE LAST ELECTION WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH VOTERS STAYING IN THE BOOTH.
SOMETIMES 10, 15, 20 MINUTES, MAYBE EVEN 30 MINUTES AT A TIME BECAUSE OF THE LONG REFERENDUMS. AND, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT WHEN YOU, YOU'RE TELLING A VOTER YOU GOTTA MOVE ON AND THEM NOT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH VOTING.
UM, WILL THIS HELP? PROBABLY NOT A WHOLE LOT IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE, UM, REFERENDUM QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT AND VOTERS ARE INSISTING ON, ON READING THOSE QUESTION PRETTY MUCH VERBATIM.
BUT RIGHT NOW, UNDER THE LAW, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, A VOTERS SHOULD ONLY SPEND THREE MINUTES IN THE VOTING BOOTH TO VOTE.
SO, UM, INCREASING THAT TO FIVE WOULD HELP A LITTLE, UH, S 4 0 6.
UM, IT'S RELATING TO THE TABULATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS, UM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE BALLOT CAST DURING EARLY VOTING, UM, MAY BEGIN TO BE TABULATED AT THE SAME TIME AS WE TABULATE THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
UM, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN GETTING YOUR EARS, UM, CHEWED OFF ABOUT THE TIME IT TAKES TO, UH, REPORT ELECTIONS, ELECTION RESULTS.
AND, UM, A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO
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WITH WHEN WE OPEN ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND WHEN WE OPEN, OR WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO TABULATE THE EARLY VOTING BALLOTS.UH, WE CANNOT TEST OUT THE TABULATION OF IT UNTIL SEVEN O'CLOCK ON ELECTION DAY.
AND THAT DOES TAKE A GOOD LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVE FOUR, UH, EARLY VOTING SITES AND WE WILL HAVE TO CLOSE THOSE POLLS AT THOSE EARLY VOTING SITES STARTING AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
WELL, IF YOU NOTICED IN THE LAST ELECTION WHEN WE STARTED THAT PROCESS, IT TOOK US PROBABLY A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR TO CLOSE.
UM, I THINK IT WAS OVER AN HOUR TO CLOSE ALL FOUR OF THOSE POLLS.
AND SO THE EARLY VOTING RESULTS DID NOT GET REPORTED AS QUICKLY AS WE WANTED TO BECAUSE WE COULDN'T SHUT 'EM DOWN UNTIL SEVEN O'CLOCK.
SO THIS WOULD HELP IF WE COULD STOP, IF WE COULD TABULATE NOT REPORT, BUT TABULATE THE EARLY VOTING, UM, BALLOTS BEFORE SEVEN O'CLOCK.
AND THIS LAW WILL, UH, GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
IT HAS, UM, IT HAS ALREADY, UM, RECEIVED SOME FAVORABLE SUPPORT FROM SOME OF THE SENATORS AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL GO THROUGH.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR REPORTING PURPOSES.
SO THAT'S, UM, THOSE TWO, THOSE ARE THE NEWEST IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE ONES THAT YOU HAD, UM, RECEIVED ON THE LAST, UM, IN LAST MONTH'S MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE? I GOT A QUESTION.
YOU SAID YOU CAN'T SHUT THE EARLY VOTING DOWN TO SEVEN O'CLOCK, BUT I THOUGHT EARLY VOTING ENDED A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE THE REGULATION.
BUT WE CANNOT TABULATE THE VOTES, SO WE CANNOT, UM, YOU KNOW, PRINT THE RESULTS TAPE UNTIL OH SEVEN O'CLOCK EVEN THOUGH IT'S, IT'S CLOSED.
I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ELECTIONS UPDATE.
THERE'S ONE CORRECTION UNDER THE COMMUNITY FORUM.
UM, THE FORUM THAT'S GOING TO BE CONDUCTED ON THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 12TH AS MOVED TO JULY 5TH, UM, AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY FROM 68.
UM, WE HAVE MOVED IN TO OUR NEW FACILITY AT MYRTLE PARK GOVERNMENT CENTER.
UM, MATTER OF FACT, I THINK THE PHONE LINES WERE ACTIVATED TODAY.
UM, SO, AND ALL OUR COMPUTERS ARE UP AND RUNNING, SO WE WILL BE OPENING UP ON NEXT WEDNESDAY, UM, MARCH THE FIRST.
AND, UH, OPERATING HOURS WILL BE FROM NINE TO ONE AND, UH, A LUNCH BREAK FROM ONE TO TWO.
AND WE WILL OPEN BACK AT TWO FROM TWO TO FOUR.
AND THAT WILL BE ON WEDNESDAYS ONLY.
NOW DURING THE ELECTION PERIOD, WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO AN ELECTION, WE'LL OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND WE WILL PUBLICIZE THOSE HOURS.
MAYBE I SHOULDN'T SAY, MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE SOME OF YOU GUYS WHO ATTENDED TO SAY HOW IT WAS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A, A SUCCESS.
UM, WE HAD SOME GREAT SPEAKERS, WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED.
UH, WE HAD STAFF THAT ATTENDED.
WE HAD LEGISLATORS, UM, FROM BEAUFORD, BUT WE HAD LEGISLATORS THERE.
AND I THINK THEY OFFERED A LOT OF INSIGHT AS TO HOW THE PROCESS GOES WHEN WE MAKE THESE REQUESTS CONCERNING, UM, WHAT WE FEEL AS ELECTION OFFICIAL TO BE A GOOD BILL TO, UM, INTRODUCE SO THAT OUR VOTERS WOULD EITHER, IT WOULD MAKE PROCESSES OR BUSINESS BETTER FOR THE VOTERS OR FOR, UM, ADMINISTRATION.
UM, THEY KIND OF SHARED, WERE Y'ALL AT THE SESSION ON THAT ON FRIDAY? YES.
THEY KIND OF SHARED HOW THINGS WORK.
IT GAVE US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, OF, OF HOW POLITICS,
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UM, PLAYS INTO SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO.SO, UM, I THOUGHT THOSE, UM, GENTLEMEN THAT WERE THERE DID A GREAT JOB, UM, ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND OFFERING INSIGHT TO THE WHOLE PROCESS.
SO FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO DID NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME, UM, I BROUGHT YOU A GOODIE BAG,
AND OF COURSE, UM, WE HAD SOME FOLKS WHO ARE OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED.
WE HAVE MR. WEDGWORTH AND WE HAVE TWO STAFF PEOPLE, UM, CRAIG TEDESCO AND MICHAEL GIBBS THAT ARE OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED ELECTION OFFICIALS FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Y'ALL GET ALL THE GOODIES, BUT Y'ALL AT LEAST OH, WOW.
I THOUGHT THE SPEAKERS WERE AMAZING.
I THOUGHT THE SPEAKERS WERE AMAZING.
AND SO THE LEGISLA, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A SESSION WHERE THE LEGISLATORS WERE SO OPEN AND SO CLEAR IN, IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR EXPLANATIONS THAT THEY WEREN'T POLITICALLY MOTI.
THEY WERE JUST EXPLAINING HOW IT'S DONE.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS, IT WAS WONDERFUL.
SO, UM, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE POST OFFICE COME BACK THOUGH, HUH?
I THOUGHT THEY WERE, THEY WERE EXCELLENT SPEAKERS.
THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPEAKERS WERE, UM, I'VE HEARD ALL THOSE FOLKS SPEAK BEFORE, SO THAT'S WHY I, UM, KIND OF LIKE ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
I HEARD THEM UP IN WASHINGTON A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO BEFORE OUR CONFERENCE, AND I SAID, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE NEEDED.
I HAD INVITED THEM BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET THEM, BUT, UM, I'M GLAD THAT THEY CAME AND THEY WERE ALL OPEN TO, TO THE IDEAS THAT WE HAD.
SO I THINK IT WAS, I THINK OVERALL IT WAS A BENEFIT TO THE, THE ENTIRE STATE.
ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I TRULY ENJOYED THE WHOLE SESSION AND, UH, ESPECIALLY, UM, THE BANQUET AND, UM, ALL OF THE GLITTER AND GLAMOR, UM, MET SOME REALLY NICE PEOPLE THERE THAT I NEVER MET BEFORE.
AND, UM, THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT GOING, UH, TO THESE CONFERENCES BECAUSE IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS.
YOU LEARN AND YOU GROW, UH, WHILE YOU'RE THERE.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF US ATTEND IN 2025, I BELIEVE, IF I'M CORRECT.
OH, REALLY? THAT'S THE LITTLE SMALL ONE THOUGH, RIGHT? NO, IT'S JUST, I WON'T BE IN CHARGE.
OH, NO, WE, WE USUALLY TRY TO HAVE A, A CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR.
AND I WILL NOT BE IN CHARGE OF SELECTING THE SPEAKER OR THE VENUE OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT TYPICALLY WE TRY TO, WE WANT TO DO IT IN MARCH MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S STILL BEING WORKED OUT.
SO YOU'LL GET, UM, MORE INFORMATION OKAY.
AND IS THERE A MID-YEAR? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA DO A MID-YEAR AGAIN, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMEND THE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
I THOUGHT THAT A LOT OF INTRICATE THOUGHT AND DETAIL WENT INTO PLANNING EVERY ASPECT OF THE CONFERENCE.
AND, UM, I JUST THOUGHT THE SPEAKERS WERE, UH, VERY ALERTED AND VERY EXPLICIT.
THEY HAD REALLY GOOD POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS AND, UM, I WAS AMAZED THAT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE IS ON A NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
UM, YOU WANT TO MENTION THAT MARIE? OH, I, I MENTIONED THAT BEFORE.
WELL, WELL, WELL, I SERVED, UM, AS AN ADVISOR TO THE, UM, LOCAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION FOR EAC.
I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS WHAT NOTEWORTHY TO MENTION THAT TO EAC, THE ELECTION, UM, UH, UH, ADMINISTRATION COMMISSION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION.
AND, UM, WHILE WE ARE STILL ON OUR DIRECTOR'S REPORT, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE BOARD TO, UH, STAND AND GIVE MARIE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY AND DOING OUTSTANDING JOB.
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Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT THANK YOU.I APPRECIATE THE, THE GESTURE.
IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY A PLEASURE.
I LOVE WORKING WITH THE FOLKS, UM, ACROSS THE STATE AND, AND ELECTION OFFICIAL.
I THINK OFFICIALS ARE, ARE UNIQUE PEOPLE.
UM, WE GENUINELY CARE ABOUT OUR VOTERS AND, AND, AND WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
AND I THINK THAT WAS REFLECTED, UM, IN, IN THE CONFERENCE.
AND SO I, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
SO, UM, GOT ONE MORE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS, UH, POLLING PLACE ACCESSIBILITY SURVEY WILL BEGIN, UM, THE WEEK OF MARCH THE SIXTH.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE GO AROUND TO ALL OF OUR FACILITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S COMPLYING WITH, UM, ADA AND ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT WE MAY FIND SO THAT WHEN 2024 ROLLS AROUND, OUR FACILITIES WILL BE READY AND, UM, ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
SO, AND ONE MORE COMMENT IS NOT TO FORGET TO DO IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE YOUR ETHICS, UM, FORMS YOU SMILING.
AND WE ARE NOW TO CLOSING COMMENTS.
NOT EVERYBODY SPEAK AT ONE TIME.
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU REVIEW THE INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE THIS EFFORT FORWARD.
IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT AS WE ENTER A NEW ELECTION CYCLE THAT WE FINALIZE THIS.
AND, UM, PLEASE JUST GIVE IT A LITTLE ATTENTION.
YOU DO HAVE THIS INFORMATION THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO NAVIGATE THE, UM, PROPOSED ALIGNMENT.
SO PLEASE CALL ME AT ANY TIME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, EILEEN, JIM ROW, WEDGWORTH, AND WE, WE'VE ADOPTED CRAIG AS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBER.
UM, MY CLOSING COMMENT, UM, IS THAT WE HAVE COMMITTEES THAT, UM, NEED TO HAVE CHAIRPERSONS, ET CETERA.
AND BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE, UH, SEATS THAT ARE VACATED AND WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR REAPPOINTMENT, UM, THIS IS JUST ME SAYING I DON'T LIKE TO HAVE FOLKS TO GO INTO, UH, BE A CHAIR OF A COMMITTEE THAT MAYBE THEY'RE JUST FILLING TEMPORARY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO, AND I WOULD LIKE, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT SUGGESTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR US TO HOLD OFF AND WAIT UNTIL WE GET THE TWO VACATED SEATS APPOINTED AND THE THREE REAPPOINTMENTS IN PLACE.
AND THAT, THAT TIME WE WILL THEN BE THINKING AND EVERYBODY CAN THINK WHEN IT'S OPEN OF WHO WOULD LIKE TO CHAIR THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES.
AND THOSE COMMITTEES ARE LISTED HERE IN YOUR REPORT.
UM, AND, UH, WE ALSO NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHEN WE ARE SITTING IN THAT POSITION AS CHAIR, THAT WE DO OUR BEST, UH, TO GET OUR ASSIGNMENTS COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DELEGATE, UM, SOME ASSIGNMENTS OUT TO YOUR OTHER COMMITTEE PERSONS BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ON THE COMMITTEE.
UM, NOT JUST TO BE ON IT, BUT TO ALSO HELP THE CHAIR GET THE JOB DONE SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO, UM, TAKE ON THE FULL BURDEN BY OURSELVES.
AND I HOPE THAT THE APPOINTMENT WILL BE COMING, UH, SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, RIGHT NOW THE MOST BURNING ISSUE FOR US RIGHT NOW IS RE-PRESENTING.
WE REALLY NEED TO GET THAT UP AND RUNNING SO WE CAN HAVE OUR RESULTS IN THE OTHER COMMITTEES.
UM, THEY CAN BE ON HOLD FOR A COUPLE MORE MONTHS IF NEED BE.
EVERYBODY AGREE TO THAT? MM-HMM.
UM, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 22ND, UH, 2023.
UH, THAT IS THE END OF OUR BOARD MEETING AND THE TIME IS, UH, 2 35.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SO MOVED.
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THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
I'M EM CAMPBELL, AND THIS IS YOUR BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
THE GULLAH LANGUAGE IS A MIXTURE OF ENGLISH AND AFRICAN WORDS.
AND WHAT I SAID TO YOU WAS, HOW ARE YOU DOING UNNA? WAS YOU IN THAT SENTENCE? I'M GLAD THAT YOU CAME TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
THE GULLAH LANGUAGE CAME OUT OF WEST AFRICA MIXED WITH ENGLISH, AND IT WAS SPOKEN TO OUT BEFORD COUNTY AND THE LOW COUNTRY BY AFRICAN-AMERICANS UP UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUR POPULATION HAS CHANGED, SO THAT WE NOW SPEAK MORE LIKE OHIOANS
BUT THE LANGUAGE HAS AFRICAN WORDS.
YETI MEANS TO HEAR
BIK IS FOR CHICKEN, CUDA IS FOR TURTLE.
SO THOSE WORDS MIXED IN WITH ENGLISH HAVE MADE THE GULLAH LANGUAGE A UNIQUE LANGUAGE.
UH, SOME PEOPLE CALL IT A
AND WE FIND GULLAH LANGUAGE BEING SPOKEN THROUGHOUT THE LOW COUNTRY.
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.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE WERE 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, WE'RE 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 VAMPIRES DEAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COME UP OUT OF THE CASKET AND YOU THINK, DAMN, I THOUGHT I'D PUT A STAKE 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
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THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THEY LOOK FOR SCAPEGOATS.AND THE SCAPEGOATS TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN, GAY PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
UM, LET'S DON'T 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 PONDS 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 THE, 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 INTRODUCE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN UNDONE BY HISTORIANS SINCE DUBOIS PUBLISHED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER, WITH WHOM, UH, WE MADE OUR 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, 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 TO 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 CAME TO, TO BOSTON IN 1867.
THE BRITISH NAVY COULD SMELL THE OPPORTUNITY HEADED STRAIGHT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED FOR RICHARD HARVEY KANE'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 IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
I WENT TO CALHOUN COLLEGE AT YALE UNIVERSITY.
HE NOT ONLY WANTED SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE
HE WAS A, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
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THE REAL POSITIVES, THE ESTABLI, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLACK SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZE 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 AND 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 ES 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, ALLEN 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 THE 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'S 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, THEY'RE 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 SOUTH.
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, NO HELP.
UM, THAT EACH, EACH OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ON THEIR OWN.
NOT ONLY THAT, NEW FORMS OF OPPRESSION WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED DEBT, P AND EDGE SHARE 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 DYLAN 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 WANT TO DO ONE IN CHARLESTON.
UH, AND I WANNA DO ONE AT THE PENN CENTER.
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.
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WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR YOU FOR THIS SERIES? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES.FIRST, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES 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 I IDENTITIES TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
THAT'S MY GOAL IN CREATING THIS SERIES, AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT.