Red Shirts (United States) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Shirts |
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| Participant in Reconstruction era | |
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Red Shirts at a polling place in Old Hundred, North Carolina, on Election Day, November 8, 1898
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| Active | 1875–1900s |
| Ideology | White supremacy Anti-Reconstruction |
| Motives | White supremacy |
| Allegiance | Democratic Party (Redeemers) |
| Leaders | Benjamin Tillman Ellison D. Smith Josephus Daniels Claude Kitchin |
| Headquarters | South Carolina |
| Area of operations | Southern U.S. (especially The Carolinas) |
| Allies | Redeemers, Ku Klux Klan, White League |
| Opponents | Republican Party, African Americans |
| Battles and wars | Hamburg massacre Wilmington insurrection of 1898 |
The Red Shirts were groups of white men in the Southern United States who wore red shirts. They were active in the late 1800s, after the Reconstruction Era. These groups believed in white supremacy, meaning they thought white people were superior to others. They used fear and violence to control politics.
The Red Shirts first appeared in Mississippi in 1875. They wore red shirts to be easily seen and to scare people. Their main goal was to stop the changes made during Reconstruction. They wanted to bring back the power of the Democratic Party in the South. They also wanted to limit the rights of African Americans, especially their right to vote.
The Red Shirts were like a "military arm" for the Democratic Party. They were more organized than secret groups like the Ku Klux Klan. They worked openly, using threats and force to get what they wanted. They played a big part in elections in South Carolina and North Carolina, especially in 1876, 1898, and 1900. They often scared people away from voting.
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Why did they wear red shirts?
The idea of wearing red shirts started in Mississippi in 1875. Members of the Democratic Party wore them to show they were against black Republicans. The Red Shirts would break up Republican meetings. They would also scare or even harm black leaders. Their goal was to stop black people from voting.
In Charleston, South Carolina, men started wearing red shirts in August 1876. This was a way to mock a speech by a politician named Benjamin Franklin Butler. He was falsely said to have shown a bloody shirt. This led to the saying "waving the bloody shirt." It meant using emotional stories to gain political support.
Wearing a red shirt became a symbol of pride for white Democrats in South Carolina. Women even sewed red shirts and wore red ribbons. Young men who were too young for the American Civil War wore red shirts. It showed they were ready to fight for their beliefs.
Red Shirts in South Carolina
The Democratic Party in South Carolina held many parades and rallies. Many Red Shirt members rode horses and carried weapons. All of them wore red shirts. Riding horses made them look more powerful and numerous. When leaders like Wade Hampton III spoke, the Red Shirts would cheer loudly. Their slogan was "Hurrah for Hampton." This created a big show that united their supporters.
The Red Shirts wanted to scare both white and black voters. They wanted them to vote for Democrats or not vote at all. Their main goal was to bring back Democratic rule and white supremacy. They were very active in states where many African Americans lived. They broke up Republican meetings and scared black voters at polling places. Many black people stopped voting because they were afraid. Some even voted for Democrats due to pressure.
The Red Shirts often used violence. In some areas, black people who voted were forced from their homes and whipped. Some black leaders were even killed. During the 1876 presidential election, Red Shirts made sure Democrats voted many times. They also stopped black people from voting.
Armed Red Shirts rode with Wade Hampton as he traveled the state. They would go to Republican meetings. Sometimes, they would hold a barbecue nearby. They hoped to attract Republicans and convince them to vote Democratic.
Hampton tried to seem like a fair leader. He promised to support education and protect people from violence. But most black people did not vote for Hampton. They stayed loyal to the Republican Party. The 1876 election was very chaotic in South Carolina. Many black people were killed during the campaign.
After the election, there was a big argument over who won. About 5,000 Red Shirts gathered at the South Carolina State House. They wanted to defend the Democrats. Hampton asked them to be calm, and they left.
In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes ordered the Union Army to leave South Carolina. This allowed white Democrats to fully take control of the state. In the 1878 election, the Red Shirts appeared again, but Hampton won easily. Later, politicians like Benjamin Tillman proudly said they were part of the Red Shirts. This showed their support for white supremacy.
Red Shirts in North Carolina
Red Shirts were also active in North Carolina around the 1896 and 1898 elections. They worked with Democrats who wanted to promote white supremacy. This was to stop voters from supporting other parties.
In North Carolina, Republicans and Populists had joined forces. This group, called "Fusionists," had gained control of the state government. Many white people were afraid of black people gaining power. To break up this group, white Democrats used threats and violence. They wanted to reduce black Republican voting. This helped them regain control of the state government in 1896.
Before the 1898 election, violence against black people increased. This was especially true in counties where black people were the majority. On November 4, 1898, a newspaper reported a Red Shirt parade in Wilmington, North Carolina. It said the parade made white people excited and black people scared. Wilmington was the largest city in the state and had a black majority.
In Wilmington, a mixed-race group of Republicans won the city elections in 1898. But white Democrats wanted power. Six days after the election, they overthrew the government in what is called the Wilmington Insurrection of 1898. This was the biggest government overthrow in U.S. history. After taking power, the mob attacked black areas. They killed many black people and burned homes, schools, and churches. So many black people left Wilmington that the city's population became mostly white.
White Democrats in the state government then created a new rule for voting. It took away the right to vote from most African Americans and many poor white people. They did this by adding poll taxes (a fee to vote) and literacy tests (tests to read and write). These rules made it very hard to register to vote. In 1900, people voted on this new rule, and black voter turnout was very low.
From 1896 to 1904, black voter turnout in North Carolina almost disappeared. This was because of the new voting rules. This happened in many Southern states. After many years of white supremacy, people forgot that North Carolina once had a strong black middle class.
How the group grew
Many white Democrats in North Carolina felt they had lost political power. So, the Democratic Party and Red Shirts wanted to get full control back. The Red Shirts used threats and attacks to stop black people from voting. They almost completely removed the black vote in the state. Red Shirts were first seen in North Carolina on October 21, 1898. This was at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Benjamin Tillman, a Red Shirt leader from South Carolina, gave a speech there. After his speech, Red Shirt activities increased in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Red Shirts included people from all social classes. There were teachers, farmers, merchants, and even some rich members of the Democratic Party. Red Shirt groups were very active in southeastern North Carolina. This included counties like New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, and Robeson. These areas were near the South Carolina border and had many black residents.
Their early actions were part of the white supremacy movements of 1898 and 1900. These movements started because more black people were elected to local and state offices between 1894 and 1897. This made the Democratic Party worried. The Red Shirts worked closely with the Democratic Party. Unlike the Ku Klux Klan, the Red Shirts worked openly. They wanted everyone to know who their members were. By the end of the 1898 election, they were a powerful political force.
The 1898 Election
During the time the Red Shirts were active, Senator Jeter Pritchard (R) wrote to President McKinley. He asked for help to keep the peace. The Red Shirts used threats and violence to stop non-Democrats from voting. Because of the Red Shirts' threats, both black people and some white people bought weapons to protect themselves. Senator Pritchard said the Red Shirts were most active in counties with many black people.
Governor Daniel L. Russell (R) said that armed, lawless men had taken over parts of the state. The Red Shirts often broke up non-Democratic meetings. They used threats, fear, and actual violence. Their actions scared many people away from registering to vote in the 1898 election. Because people were afraid, Governor Russell issued a statement on October 26, 1898. He asked everyone to stop illegal actions and keep the peace. But the Red Shirts did not listen and became even more active.
Before the election
The week before the 1898 election, the Red Shirts were very busy. Their threats were so common that many Republican speakers canceled their events. The entire Republican group in New Hanover County pulled out of the election. A few days before the election, a newspaper in Wilmington reported a big rally. It featured Claude Kitchin, a Red Shirt leader. About 1,000 men in red shirts marched for 10 miles. They marched in areas with many black residents. Their goal was to show they wanted to end "Negro rule." The newspaper said that many black people had removed their names from the voter lists.
Election day
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On November 8, 1898, election day, the Red Shirts were very visible. They rode around voting places on horses, carrying rifles and shotguns. This was to scare away Republicans, Fusionists, and African Americans. The Red Shirts' actions helped the Democrats win by a large margin. A big celebration was held on November 15. It was organized by Josephus Daniels to celebrate "white supremacy."
The 1900 Election
The 1900 election was special because there were two elections that year, one in August and one in November. The theme of white supremacy was repeated. Slogans like "White Rule for TarHeels" and "No Negro Rule" were used. The Red Shirts and Democrats wanted to win the August election. This election was a plan by Democrats to take away the black vote. They thought if they could scare black leaders, fewer black people would vote.
On the day of the August election, a black leader named Abe Middleton found a small coffin in his garden. This was a threat. Middleton said there were more shootings near his home. While these events did not scare Middleton, other black community members saw them. They then chose not to vote. The Red Shirts' threats were so successful that many African Americans left their homes. Some even hid in swamps.
The Red Shirts also attacked white Republicans and others who opposed the Democrats. The New York Times reported that Red Shirts broke up a speech by Mr. Teague. They even destroyed his speaking platform. Many police officers did not stop the Red Shirts. Later, as Teague traveled, Red Shirts kidnapped him and drove him out of town. Other speakers were also bothered, with rotten eggs thrown at them. Because of the Red Shirts' actions, the Republican Party chairman asked Governor Russell for troops.
Election day
On the day of the 1900 election, the Red Shirts were even more obvious than in 1898. They rode around voting places with their guns and horses. They scared black people and other Republicans. The success of taking away black votes in August 1900 helped the Democrat Charles Brantley Aycock win the November election for governor. He won by a very large number of votes.
After the Democratic win in November, the Red Shirts were seen less often. Most of their members were poor white men. The Democratic Party, made up of richer white men, started to distance themselves from the group. So, the Red Shirts became less common after Governor Aycock took office.
Modern Red Shirts
Today, a group called the League of the South in South Carolina has a special group called "Red Shirts." These modern Red Shirts have held protests to support the Confederate flag. They have also protested against Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They are against politicians they call "scalawags" and "carpetbaggers," like Lindsey Graham and John McCain.
Their goals include following "God's laws" and reducing government control. They also want to promote "Southern culture."
In September 2023, some neo-Nazi groups held a march in Florida. They called it the "March of the Red Shirts." It is not clear if these groups knew about the original Red Shirts from the 1800s.
See also
In Spanish: Camisas Rojas (Estados Unidos) para niños
- 1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election
- History of South Carolina
- History of the Southern United States
- Reconstruction era of the United States
- List of Ku Klux Klan organizations. Reconstruction Era paramilitaries
