History of Beaufort, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
The history of Beaufort, South Carolina
, is one of the most comprehensive and diverse of any community of its size in the United States. The area had been subject to numerous European explorations and several aborted attempts at colonization before the British
successfully founded the city in 1711, the second-oldest in South Carolina
(behind Charleston
. The city initially grew slowly, subject to numerous attacks from Native Americans before flourishing as a center for shipbuilding and later as the aristocratic center for the Lowcountry
plantation economy
up through the Civil War. Though decimated by a declining economy and natural disasters, the community rebounded in the later half of the 20th century and is today recognized as one of the most livable small towns in the country. Beaufort has retained much of its historic character through its renowned architecture and historic preservation efforts.
tribes that have since yielded their names to geography, including the Yemasee
, the Coosawhatchie, the Coosaw, the Datha (Dataw), the Edisto
, the Ashepoo, the Kiowa (Kiawah), and Combahee. Several of these tribes were rivals and intertribal alliances and attacks occurred frequently before and during European colonization.
The Spanish
were the first Europeans to explore the Port Royal Sound and were the first to attempt to establish a colony. Landing on St. Helena's day (Santa Elena
), the colony of the same name did not survive long, as disease, starvation, weather, and attacks from tribes dissuaded the settlers and their efforts. Upon the explorations of Giovanni di Verrazano, France became the next European power to establish a presence. Nearby Parris Island
was the location of Charlesfort, France's first colony in the New World, founded by Jean Ribault
in 1562. Alarmed by its rivals intentions, the Spanish established St. Augustine
in modern-day Florida in 1565 as a counter to French aspirations. As with Santa Elena, the French colony disappeared quickly due to similar circumstances.
The Carolana (Carolina) colony was chartered by King Charles II
in 1670 to the eight Lords Proprietor
, who began the first major attempt to settle modern day South Carolina. Observations of the Port Royal Sound and immediate area had many on the initial expedition call for the first English settlement and capital of the colony to be located in Beaufort. However, tribes in the area suggested an area further up the coast, and the settlers later chose the area what became Charleston to become their capital and principal city.
The Port Royal Sound however was too enticing not to be settled, and continuous efforts were made. Upon the demise of the French efforts, the first Scottish
settlement in what is now the United States, known as Stuart Town, was founded at modern-day Spanish Point in 1682, only to be destroyed by Spanish forces from St. Augustine in 1684. Continuous concerns about Spanish incursions into the new colony led to calls to create a town and port that would serve as a buffer against Spain and provide a closer harbor to area planters, who were becoming successful in their efforts to produce cash crops, especially rice.
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Beaufort was chartered in 1711 as the second major settlement in South Carolina and named after Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort
. The settlement grew very slowly, due to a major attack by the Yemassee in 1717 and the threat of Spanish invasion. It was not until 1733 and the founding of Georgia
as a buffer colony did Beaufort truly grow in population and prestige. Though most administrative powers during the early Carolina colony was focused in Charleston, the city gained a reputation for its excellent harbor and the establishment of several church congregations, most notable being St. Helena's Episcopal
. By 1776, the city became well known for its shipbuilding
enterprises, its rice and indigo
trade, and was home to a new circuit court
for the colony.
The American Revolution
split loyalties in the community, with several families supporting the Tories while others favored independence. Many men fought in battles elsewhere in the state, though little warfare was conducted in and around Beaufort. The young republic was unable to provide adequate naval defense of the City and fell under British occupation
in 1780 without much resistance or damage. It was not until hostilities flared in Virginia did British occupation end in 1782, a year before the Treaty of Paris
was signed. The Treaty of Beaufort
fixing the boundary between South Carolina and Georgia was signed in the city in 1787.
" of the South. Although Charleston and Columbia
were the leading cities in the state, much economic and political influence was reared by Beaufort. Lowcountry planters in the city and the surrounding islands were among the most ardent supporters of state secession
, first during the Nullification Crisis
in the 1830s and then in the 1850s. At the eve of secession, Beaufort was arguably at its cultural, economic, and political zenith
, with a population of about 4,000, excluding slaves. Like modern-day Beaufort, the city attracted many residents from beyond the state, with many Northerners and Europeans residing in town and operating successful businesses.
had a dramatic effect on Beaufort, as an amphibious attack and subsequent occupation
of the city made it one of the first communities in the Deep South
to be held in Union hands, as early as November 1861. Though much of the town was spared from physical destruction, there were many incidents of arson and looting as a result of Union occupation and the early liberation of the substantial slave population. In a historic effort that pre-dawned American Reconstruction, the Port Royal Experiment
provided a test case for the education of freedmen. In addition to educational advancements, the city made some political ones as well. Robert Smalls
, a native son and leading figure in post-war Beaufort would later become one of South Carolina's first elected African-Americans to the United States Congress
and remained a prominent civic leader in the state and in Beaufort until his death in 1915. Due in part to the large African-American population and also Small's leading role, Beaufort remained one of the last outposts of Republican Party
power in the Solid South
.
Some of Beaufort's most prominent families returned to the area but never regained the enormous wealth that slave-based agriculture provided. Most of the original antebellum power brokers never returned to the area. As the influence of cotton declined, the lure of aqua phosphate
mining increased. By 1890, Beaufort had regained some of its wealth and prosperity from that industry. It had also retained its position as county seat during that time, having previously lost it to railroad community of Coosawhatchie. However, a series of events would bring Beaufort into a steady economic decline for over half-century.
decimated most of the cotton crop, which had for over a century been the major commodity of the community. By 1910, Beaufort had lost almost 40% of its population from ten years earlier. Though the city retained its political status as county seat, Beaufort became one of the poorest communities in the state through the 1940s. The growth of lettuce
and tomato
farming, in addition to shrimping, became the major facets of the economy during this time.
brought new people and income to the area. A naval air station was established during World War II and transferred to the Marine Corps in the 1950s, thus cementing a major military legacy for the region. A U.S. Naval Hospital located in neighboring Port Royal was also constructed during the war.
New investment in the form of resort and lifestyle development on nearby Hilton Head Island and Fripp Island also had a some economic contribution to Beaufort and the Lowcountry starting in the 1960s. However, significant economic improvement came upon the completion of a downtown waterfront park in place of abandoned docks, championed by then-mayor Henry Chambers. The park (now named after Chambers) spurred the redevelopment and reinvestment of adjacent Bay Street and downtown Beaufort, propelling land values and garnishing the attention of real estate investors, national media, and Hollywood, through the form of successful and well-known films. In recent years, renovations to the park, countless renovations to private homes and businesses, and several streetscape projects have continued to improve the overall quality of life in Beaufort.
Unlike most communities of its size in the south, Beaufort escaped much of the turbulence of the Civil Rights era. Jim Crow laws
were gradually eased during the 1960s. Schools began the process of desegregation
in 1964 and became fully integrated by 1970. Beaufort also elected its first African-American to city council (since 1910) in 1967. The city has experienced other demographic shifts, thanks in part to the city's military presence, its status as a retirement destination for residents from the northern United States and Canada, and a demand for migrant workers, primarily from Latin American nations and mostly for seasonal agriculture.
People
Historic Events
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
, is one of the most comprehensive and diverse of any community of its size in the United States. The area had been subject to numerous European explorations and several aborted attempts at colonization before the British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
successfully founded the city in 1711, the second-oldest in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(behind Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. The city initially grew slowly, subject to numerous attacks from Native Americans before flourishing as a center for shipbuilding and later as the aristocratic center for the Lowcountry
South Carolina Lowcountry
The Lowcountry is a geographic and cultural region located along South Carolina's coast. The region includes the South Carolina Sea Islands...
plantation economy
Plantation economy
A plantation economy is an economy which is based on agricultural mass production, usually of a few staple products grown on large farms called plantations. Plantation economies rely on the export of cash crops as a source of income...
up through the Civil War. Though decimated by a declining economy and natural disasters, the community rebounded in the later half of the 20th century and is today recognized as one of the most livable small towns in the country. Beaufort has retained much of its historic character through its renowned architecture and historic preservation efforts.
Native American settlement and European exploration: prehistory – 1711
Before the arrival of European explorers, the Lowcountry region was inhabited by small Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes that have since yielded their names to geography, including the Yemasee
Yemassee, South Carolina
Yemassee is a town in Beaufort and Hampton counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 1,027 at the 2010 census. Yemassee is also very near the borders of Colleton and Jasper counties and is often considered to be the geographical center or heart of the Lowcountry region...
, the Coosawhatchie, the Coosaw, the Datha (Dataw), the Edisto
Edisto River
The Edisto River is the longest completely undammed / unleveed blackwater river in North America, flowing 206 meandering miles from its sources in Saluda and Edgefield counties, to its Atlantic Ocean mouth at Edisto Beach, SC...
, the Ashepoo, the Kiowa (Kiawah), and Combahee. Several of these tribes were rivals and intertribal alliances and attacks occurred frequently before and during European colonization.
The Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
were the first Europeans to explore the Port Royal Sound and were the first to attempt to establish a colony. Landing on St. Helena's day (Santa Elena
Santa Elena, la Florida
Santa Elena was a Spanish settlement founded by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina. There had been a number of earlier attempts to establish colonies in the area by both the Spanish and the French, who had been inspired by earlier accounts of the plentiful land...
), the colony of the same name did not survive long, as disease, starvation, weather, and attacks from tribes dissuaded the settlers and their efforts. Upon the explorations of Giovanni di Verrazano, France became the next European power to establish a presence. Nearby Parris Island
Parris Island, South Carolina
Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...
was the location of Charlesfort, France's first colony in the New World, founded by Jean Ribault
Jean Ribault
Jean Ribault was a French naval officer, navigator, and a colonizer of what would become the southeastern United States. He was a major figure in the French attempts to colonize Florida...
in 1562. Alarmed by its rivals intentions, the Spanish established St. Augustine
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
in modern-day Florida in 1565 as a counter to French aspirations. As with Santa Elena, the French colony disappeared quickly due to similar circumstances.
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in 1670 to the eight Lords Proprietor
Lords Proprietor
Lords Proprietor was the name for the chief or highest owners or proprietors of certain English proprietary colonies in America, such as Carolina, New Jersey and Barbados....
, who began the first major attempt to settle modern day South Carolina. Observations of the Port Royal Sound and immediate area had many on the initial expedition call for the first English settlement and capital of the colony to be located in Beaufort. However, tribes in the area suggested an area further up the coast, and the settlers later chose the area what became Charleston to become their capital and principal city.
The Port Royal Sound however was too enticing not to be settled, and continuous efforts were made. Upon the demise of the French efforts, the first Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
settlement in what is now the United States, known as Stuart Town, was founded at modern-day Spanish Point in 1682, only to be destroyed by Spanish forces from St. Augustine in 1684. Continuous concerns about Spanish incursions into the new colony led to calls to create a town and port that would serve as a buffer against Spain and provide a closer harbor to area planters, who were becoming successful in their efforts to produce cash crops, especially rice.
Colonial period: 1711–1783
Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort
Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort, KG PC was the only son of Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester, and Rebecca Child...
. The settlement grew very slowly, due to a major attack by the Yemassee in 1717 and the threat of Spanish invasion. It was not until 1733 and the founding of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
as a buffer colony did Beaufort truly grow in population and prestige. Though most administrative powers during the early Carolina colony was focused in Charleston, the city gained a reputation for its excellent harbor and the establishment of several church congregations, most notable being St. Helena's Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. By 1776, the city became well known for its shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
enterprises, its rice and indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
trade, and was home to a new circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
for the colony.
The American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
split loyalties in the community, with several families supporting the Tories while others favored independence. Many men fought in battles elsewhere in the state, though little warfare was conducted in and around Beaufort. The young republic was unable to provide adequate naval defense of the City and fell under British occupation
Battle of Beaufort
The Battle of Beaufort or the Battle of Port Royal Island was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on February 3, 1779 near Beaufort, South Carolina. The British commander of forces at Savannah, Georgia, General Augustine Prevost, sent 200 British regulars to seize Port Royal...
in 1780 without much resistance or damage. It was not until hostilities flared in Virginia did British occupation end in 1782, a year before the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
was signed. The Treaty of Beaufort
Treaty of Beaufort
The Treaty of Beaufort, also called the Beaufort Convention, is the treaty that originally set the all-river boundary between the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina...
fixing the boundary between South Carolina and Georgia was signed in the city in 1787.
Antebellum period: 1783–1861
In the antebellum period, the rise of Sea Island Cotton brought enormous wealth to Beaufort and the surrounding plantations. By some historians' accounts, Beaufort was arguably the wealthiest city in the United States prior to the Civil War and was often considered to be the "NewportNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
" of the South. Although Charleston and Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
were the leading cities in the state, much economic and political influence was reared by Beaufort. Lowcountry planters in the city and the surrounding islands were among the most ardent supporters of state secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
, first during the Nullification Crisis
Nullification Crisis
The Nullification Crisis was a sectional crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson created by South Carolina's 1832 Ordinance of Nullification. This ordinance declared by the power of the State that the federal Tariff of 1828 and 1832 were unconstitutional and therefore null and void within...
in the 1830s and then in the 1850s. At the eve of secession, Beaufort was arguably at its cultural, economic, and political zenith
Zenith
The zenith is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. The opposite direction, i.e...
, with a population of about 4,000, excluding slaves. Like modern-day Beaufort, the city attracted many residents from beyond the state, with many Northerners and Europeans residing in town and operating successful businesses.
Civil War and Reconstruction: 1861–1893
The Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
had a dramatic effect on Beaufort, as an amphibious attack and subsequent occupation
Battle of Port Royal
The Battle of Port Royal was one of the earliest amphibious operations of the American Civil War, in which a United States Navy fleet and United States Army expeditionary force captured Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, on November 7, 1861...
of the city made it one of the first communities in the Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
to be held in Union hands, as early as November 1861. Though much of the town was spared from physical destruction, there were many incidents of arson and looting as a result of Union occupation and the early liberation of the substantial slave population. In a historic effort that pre-dawned American Reconstruction, the Port Royal Experiment
Port Royal Experiment
The Port Royal Experiment was a program begun during the American Civil War in which former slaves successfully worked on the land abandoned by plantation owners. In 1861 the Union liberated the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and their main harbor, Port Royal. The white residents fled,...
provided a test case for the education of freedmen. In addition to educational advancements, the city made some political ones as well. Robert Smalls
Robert Smalls
Robert Smalls was an enslaved African American who, during and after the American Civil War, became a ship's pilot, sea captain, and politician. He freed himself and his family from slavery on May 13, 1862, by commandeering a Confederate transport ship, the Planter, to freedom in Charleston harbor...
, a native son and leading figure in post-war Beaufort would later become one of South Carolina's first elected African-Americans to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and remained a prominent civic leader in the state and in Beaufort until his death in 1915. Due in part to the large African-American population and also Small's leading role, Beaufort remained one of the last outposts of Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
power in the Solid South
Solid South
Solid South is the electoral support of the Southern United States for the Democratic Party candidates for nearly a century from 1877, the end of Reconstruction, to 1964, during the middle of the Civil Rights era....
.
Some of Beaufort's most prominent families returned to the area but never regained the enormous wealth that slave-based agriculture provided. Most of the original antebellum power brokers never returned to the area. As the influence of cotton declined, the lure of aqua phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
mining increased. By 1890, Beaufort had regained some of its wealth and prosperity from that industry. It had also retained its position as county seat during that time, having previously lost it to railroad community of Coosawhatchie. However, a series of events would bring Beaufort into a steady economic decline for over half-century.
Decline: 1893–1945
On August 27, 1893, a Category 3 hurricane slammed into the Lowcountry, killing over 2,000 area residents and causing immeasurable damage. Although only four individuals died in the city itself, Beaufort was heavily damaged and its phosphate industry was ruined. A fire that damaged much of the downtown area in 1907 continued to inflict economic and psychological harm to the city. A final blow to the area was gradual; the boll weevilBoll weevil
The boll weevil is a beetle measuring an average length of six millimeters, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central America, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing areas by the 1920s,...
decimated most of the cotton crop, which had for over a century been the major commodity of the community. By 1910, Beaufort had lost almost 40% of its population from ten years earlier. Though the city retained its political status as county seat, Beaufort became one of the poorest communities in the state through the 1940s. The growth of lettuce
Lettuce
Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
and tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
farming, in addition to shrimping, became the major facets of the economy during this time.
Recovery: 1945 – present
Beaufort's economic recovery in the latter half of the 20th century can be contributed to three major influences: military investment, resort development, and downtown revitalization. Although Parris Island was continuously occupied after the Civil War, it retained a limited role in military affairs until 1917, when it was selected as a permanent home for the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting station. The onslaught of World War I, World War II and especially the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
brought new people and income to the area. A naval air station was established during World War II and transferred to the Marine Corps in the 1950s, thus cementing a major military legacy for the region. A U.S. Naval Hospital located in neighboring Port Royal was also constructed during the war.
New investment in the form of resort and lifestyle development on nearby Hilton Head Island and Fripp Island also had a some economic contribution to Beaufort and the Lowcountry starting in the 1960s. However, significant economic improvement came upon the completion of a downtown waterfront park in place of abandoned docks, championed by then-mayor Henry Chambers. The park (now named after Chambers) spurred the redevelopment and reinvestment of adjacent Bay Street and downtown Beaufort, propelling land values and garnishing the attention of real estate investors, national media, and Hollywood, through the form of successful and well-known films. In recent years, renovations to the park, countless renovations to private homes and businesses, and several streetscape projects have continued to improve the overall quality of life in Beaufort.
Unlike most communities of its size in the south, Beaufort escaped much of the turbulence of the Civil Rights era. Jim Crow laws
Jim Crow laws
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans...
were gradually eased during the 1960s. Schools began the process of desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
in 1964 and became fully integrated by 1970. Beaufort also elected its first African-American to city council (since 1910) in 1967. The city has experienced other demographic shifts, thanks in part to the city's military presence, its status as a retirement destination for residents from the northern United States and Canada, and a demand for migrant workers, primarily from Latin American nations and mostly for seasonal agriculture.
See also
Places- Beaufort, South CarolinaBeaufort, South CarolinaBeaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
- Beaufort County, South CarolinaBeaufort County, South Carolina-National protected areas:*Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge *Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 155,215 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 206 people per...
- Beaufort Historic DistrictBeaufort Historic DistrictBeaufort Historic District is a historic district in Beaufort, South Carolina. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, and further was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973....
- Parris IslandParris Island, South CarolinaParris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...
People
- Robert SmallsRobert SmallsRobert Smalls was an enslaved African American who, during and after the American Civil War, became a ship's pilot, sea captain, and politician. He freed himself and his family from slavery on May 13, 1862, by commandeering a Confederate transport ship, the Planter, to freedom in Charleston harbor...
Historic Events
- Battle of BeaufortBattle of BeaufortThe Battle of Beaufort or the Battle of Port Royal Island was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on February 3, 1779 near Beaufort, South Carolina. The British commander of forces at Savannah, Georgia, General Augustine Prevost, sent 200 British regulars to seize Port Royal...
- Treaty of BeaufortTreaty of BeaufortThe Treaty of Beaufort, also called the Beaufort Convention, is the treaty that originally set the all-river boundary between the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina...
- Battle of Port RoyalBattle of Port RoyalThe Battle of Port Royal was one of the earliest amphibious operations of the American Civil War, in which a United States Navy fleet and United States Army expeditionary force captured Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, on November 7, 1861...
- Port Royal ExperimentPort Royal ExperimentThe Port Royal Experiment was a program begun during the American Civil War in which former slaves successfully worked on the land abandoned by plantation owners. In 1861 the Union liberated the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and their main harbor, Port Royal. The white residents fled,...
- Sea Islands Hurricane