Daniel Lindsay Russell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Lindsay Russell
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| 49th Governor of North Carolina | |
| In office January 12, 1897 – January 15, 1901 |
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| Lieutenant | Charles A. Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Elias Carr |
| Succeeded by | Charles Brantley Aycock |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 3rd district |
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| In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 |
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| Preceded by | Alfred Moore Waddell |
| Succeeded by | John Williams Shackelford |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Commons from Brunswick County |
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| In office 1862–1866 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas D. Meares |
| Succeeded by | D.C. Allen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 7, 1845 Brunswick County, North Carolina |
| Died | May 14, 1908 (aged 62) near Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Political party | Republican and Greenback Party |
| Spouse | Sarah Amanda Sanders |
| Occupation | Attorney, judge |
| Signature |  |
Daniel Lindsay Russell Jr. (born August 7, 1845 – died May 14, 1908) was an important political leader in North Carolina. He served as the 49th Governor of North Carolina from 1897 to 1901. Before becoming governor, he worked as a lawyer and a judge. He was also elected to the state legislature and the U.S. Congress.
Even though he fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, Daniel Russell and his father supported the Union. After the war, Russell joined the Republican Party in North Carolina. This was unusual because he came from a wealthy family that owned large farms, known as the planter class.
In 1896, Russell was elected governor. He won as part of a "fusion" ticket. This meant his Republican Party joined forces with the Populist Party. Together, they defeated the Democrats. Russell was the first Republican governor in North Carolina since the Reconstruction era ended in 1877.
During his time as governor, Russell helped pass a law that made it easier for more people to vote. This law lowered the requirement for owning property to vote. It helped both white and Black citizens in the state.
However, the Democrats wanted to stop this kind of alliance from winning again. In the 1898 elections, they ran a campaign that focused on white supremacy. They managed to win back control of the state legislature.
Soon after, in November 1898, a terrible event happened in Wilmington, North Carolina. This was the Wilmington Insurrection. White groups took control of the city government by force. They attacked African-American neighborhoods. Many Black residents were forced to leave the city forever. Governor Russell tried to stop the violence, but he was not successful.
The next year, the Democrats in the state legislature passed a new state constitution. They did this even though Governor Russell was against it. This new constitution took away the right to vote for almost all Black citizens and many poor white people. Because of these changes, Daniel Russell was the last Republican governor of North Carolina until 1973.
Early Life and Education
Daniel Lindsay Russell Jr. was born on August 7, 1845. His birthplace was Winnabow Plantation in Brunswick County, North Carolina. This area is close to Wilmington, North Carolina. His parents were Daniel Lindsay Russell and Elizabeth Caroline Sanders. His mother's family owned a large farm called Palo Alto Plantation.
When Daniel Jr. was only three months old, his mother passed away. He then lived at Palo Alto Plantation for six years. After that, he went to the Bingham School in Orange County, North Carolina. He later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. However, he left college when the American Civil War began. During the war, he became a captain in the Confederate Army.
Political Career and Public Service
Russell was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly's House of Commons. This was the lower house of the state legislature. He served during the American Civil War. While serving, he also studied law. He became a lawyer in 1866 and started his law practice in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Both Daniel Russell and his father had supported the Union during the war. After the war, during the Reconstruction era, Russell joined the Republican Party.
In 1868, Russell was chosen to be a Superior Court judge. He held this position until 1874. In 1871, he helped write a new state constitution. In 1876, he was a delegate to the 1876 Republican National Convention. He was also elected to the state legislature again that year.
Around this time, a group called the "Red Shirts" became active. They were a white supremacist group. They tried to stop the Republican Party and Black people from voting in North Carolina. Their goal was to help the Democratic Party gain full political control.
After the 1876 presidential election, the Reconstruction era ended. Federal troops left the Southern states. Even without this protection, Republicans and their Black supporters continued to be active in North Carolina politics.
In 1878, Russell ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran as a "fusion" candidate. This meant he had the support of both the Republican and Greenback parties. He won a close election against the Democratic leader Alfred Moore Waddell. Russell served one term in Congress from 1879 to 1881. He did not run for re-election in 1880.
For the next ten years, Russell worked as a lawyer. He also stayed involved in the Republican Party. In the 1890s, a new political group appeared called the Populist Party. In North Carolina, the Populists joined with the Republicans. They both opposed the powerful Democratic Party. This alliance often ran "fusion" candidates for many government jobs.
In 1896, Daniel Russell was nominated to run for Governor of North Carolina. He won the election on November 3. He received 153,787 votes, which was 46.5% of the total. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Cyrus B. Watson. Russell served one four-year term as governor. The Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor also won. The fusion ticket won most of the other state-wide offices.
The alliance between Republicans and Populists also won control of the state legislature. They passed a law that made it easier for more people to vote. This was the first time voting rights were expanded since Reconstruction. It helped many white citizens and also Black citizens. Governor Russell signed this important bill into law. With more people able to vote, several Black citizens were elected to the legislature and local government jobs.
Even though Governor Russell was not up for re-election in 1898, the Democrats used him in their campaign. They criticized him for supposedly weakening "white supremacy." They also spread fears about "negro rule." As a result, the Democrats regained control of the state legislature.
Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
On November 8, 1898, a group of candidates, including Black and white members of the fusion party, won elections in Wilmington, North Carolina. At the time, Wilmington was the largest city in the state and had a majority Black population.
However, just two days after the election, a terrible event occurred. Alfred Moore Waddell, whom Russell had defeated for Congress, led thousands of white rioters. This event is known as the Wilmington Insurrection. The rioters took control of the city government by force. They also destroyed the only newspaper in the state owned by Black people.
The angry groups then attacked African-American neighborhoods in the city. Many people were killed, and hundreds were forced to leave Wilmington permanently. Governor Russell ordered the local military and federal Navy Reserves to stop the violence. However, these groups became involved in the attacks themselves. Because of these attacks, nearly 2,100 Black residents left the city for good. This changed Wilmington's population to a white majority.
To prevent Republicans or "fusionist" groups from winning elections again, the Democrats used their power in the state legislature. In 1899, they passed a new law. This law effectively took away the right to vote for Black citizens and many poor white people. As a result, the number of registered voters dropped sharply. Black citizens were excluded from the political system. The Republican Party in North Carolina became very weak. This situation lasted until the 1960s. That's when new federal laws helped restore voting rights for Black Americans.
Daniel Russell was the last Republican elected as governor of North Carolina until 1972.
After his term as governor ended, Russell returned to working as a lawyer in Wilmington. He also managed his Belville Plantation. He passed away at his plantation near Wilmington in 1908. He was buried in his family's cemetery in Onslow County, North Carolina.
