Progressive Democratic Party (South Carolina) facts for kids

The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) was a political group in South Carolina during the 1940s. It was started in 1944 by John Henry McCray. He was the editor of a newspaper for black people called The Lighthouse and Informer. The party's main goal was to encourage black citizens to register and vote.

Even though the PDP didn't win many elections, it helped black people become much more involved in South Carolina politics. This was a big step forward for civil rights in the state.

How the Progressive Democratic Party Started

From 1877 until the 1960s, the Democratic Party was the most powerful political party in South Carolina. If someone wanted to hold a public office, they usually had to win the Democratic primary election. The main election was often already decided because the South Carolina Republican Party was not very strong.

At this time, the Democratic Party in the South often treated black people unfairly. However, new government programs from President Franklin D. Roosevelt started to change things. Many black citizens began to support the Democratic Party. They wanted to vote in the Democratic primary elections, but they were often stopped because of their race.

The Supreme Court's Decision and New Rules

In April 1944, the Supreme Court made an important decision. In a case called Smith v. Allwright, the Court said that "white primaries" were against the law. White primaries were elections where only white people were allowed to vote.

After this ruling, Governor Olin D. Johnston called a special meeting of the state's lawmakers. He wanted to change the South Carolina Democratic Party into a "private club." This would allow them to keep black people out of their primary elections.

Forming the Progressive Democratic Party

In response, John Henry McCray led an effort for black citizens to create their own Democratic party. They wanted to show their support for President Roosevelt. They also wanted to challenge the idea that the white Democratic party was the only real one.

They first called their group the South Carolina Colored Democratic Party. But at a meeting in Columbia on May 24, 1944, they officially named it the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). They removed the word "colored" from the name. This was because they wanted everyone to be included, not just black people.

What the PDP Did

At their first meeting, the PDP chose 18 people to go to the 1944 Democratic National Convention. They also created a list of ten important goals. One of their members, Osceola E. McKaine, ran for the Senate.

The PDP delegates tried to replace the white South Carolina delegates at the national convention. However, the main committee did not agree to this plan.

Key Goals of the PDP

The PDP's goals included several important civil rights issues. They wanted to:

• Stop the poll tax, which made people pay to vote.
• End racial discrimination in hiring for jobs.
• Create laws against lynching, which was a form of violence.

The party also supported the American effort in World War II. They wanted President Roosevelt to be elected for a fourth term. Osceola McKaine officially received about 3,200 votes in the Senate election. But the PDP believed many of his votes were not counted. They thought he had more than 10,000 votes.

Working with the NAACP

From the very beginning, the PDP worked closely with the NAACP. They were almost like the same group. The NAACP handled legal cases, while the PDP focused on political actions.

Together, they had a huge impact. They helped increase the number of registered black voters in South Carolina. In the 1940s, the number grew from 3,500 to 50,000. Their efforts were so successful that black voters helped Olin D. Johnston win against Strom Thurmond in the 1950 Senate election.

Changing Roles and Dissolution

By 1948, the Progressive Democratic Party stopped acting as a separate political party. Instead, it became a political action group. Leaders like Thurgood Marshall suggested they remove "Party" from their name. This would prevent white party leaders from claiming they were also discriminating.

When the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Baskin that the Democratic Party had to allow black people to join, the Progressive Democrats worked within the main Democratic Party. They continued to fight for greater rights for black citizens.

By 1958, the group was formally known as the Progressive Democratic Caucus. John Henry McCray said that the Caucus helped John F. Kennedy win South Carolina in his 1960 presidential campaign. The caucus officially ended by 1964.