Ladies Benevolent Society (Charleston) facts for kids
The Ladies Benevolent Society (LBS) was a special group for women in Charleston, South Carolina. It was a charity that helped people in need. The LBS was active for many years, from 1813 until 1861.
Starting the LBS
The Ladies Benevolent Society began in 1813. It was started by wealthy white women in Charleston. Their first goal was to help people who needed support after the War of 1812. Unlike other groups before it, the LBS became the first long-lasting charity run by women in Charleston.
Helping People in Need
The LBS helped poor people in Charleston. They believed in Christian charity, which means helping others out of kindness. The group mainly focused on helping poor white women. However, they also sometimes helped free Black women.
The LBS wanted to care for "anyone who didn't get help from other places." These other places included the almshouse (a place for the poor), dispensaries (places for medicine), or hospitals for enslaved people. The ladies would visit sick people. They would bring them comforting items like sugar, coffee, blankets, and soap.
This group was very important in Charleston before the American Civil War. Back then, it was hard for poor women without much education to find jobs. Usually, they might work as house servants. But in the South before the war, wealthy families often had enslaved people. This meant they didn't hire free housemaids. So, many poor white women depended on charities like the LBS for help.
Women Leading the Way
The LBS was a groundbreaking group. It was one of the first public organizations in South Carolina before the Civil War that was run by women. At that time, it was not common for women to be involved in public life. The LBS was a strong organization. It was founded and managed by women. It played an active role in society and handled its own money.
There were many similar groups called "Ladies Benevolent Society" started across the United States around this time. The LBS in Charleston was one of the three main women's groups there. The others were the Ladies Fuel Society (started in 1830) and the Female Charitable Association (started in 1824).
Impact and End
The Ladies Benevolent Society provided about 10% of all the charity in Charleston during its time. Later, other charity groups started up. These included the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy and the Methodist Benevolent Society. As more groups helped, the LBS had less work to do.
The LBS stopped its work after the American Civil War began in 1861.
