Democratic Party of South Carolina Records

The Democratic Party of South Carolina (DPSC) Records consist of 85 linear feet of material, 1924 to 2016, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1966 to 2008. The party’s activities during the 1970s are particularly well documented. The collection is arranged into 16 series – General, Administration, Auxiliaries, Committees, Conventions, Elections, Issues, Patronage, Programs, Publications, Maps, Clippings, Electronic Data, Audiovisual, Vertical File Materials, and Scrapbooks.

A small number of records that did not belong in any of the major series are located in a General file.

The Administration series, 1924 to 2007, is comprised of records that document the organizational and administrative activities of the DPSC and its personnel, as well as some of the activities of county parties and elected officials at the state and national levels. The most notable subseries within this series are Financial, Office, and Party Leadership.

The Financial subseries, 1924 to 2007, consists of two smaller subseries, Party Finances and Fundraising. Party Finances contains records of those activities not directly related to fundraising or elections, and includes records of the accounting and banking practices and operational expenses of the DPSC. Fundraising subseries consists of records of the state party’s efforts to acquire revenue to sustain the party. This subseries deals only with fundraising for the DPSC as an entity. Records documenting fundraising efforts for specific elections or candidates are located in the Elections series.

The Office subseries, 1968 to 2004, includes records documenting the activities of the party’s office staff, notably Executive Directors and Associate Executive Directors. The Party Leadership subseries, 1934 to 2004, includes files on Democrats elected to public office, elected party officials (e.g., state chairmen), and other political leaders.

The Auxiliaries series, 1966 to 2003, consists of materials related to various auxiliary organizations of the Democratic Party. Groups represented include the Democratic Women’s Council, Teen Democrats, and Young Democrats. Auxiliary conventions and activities undertaken during the 1970s are particularly well documented.

The Committees series, 1960s to 2008, contains records that document the activities of the Democratic National Committee, State Executive Committee, Executive Council, Finance Committee, other committees created by the DPSC, and county party executive committees. Committees on the party platform and rules are housed with the Conventions series.

The Conventions series, 1960 to 2008, consists of records related to conventions in which the DPSC or its members were involved. The major types of convention represented in this series are the county convention (including the preceding precinct organizational meetings, records for which are filed under the appropriate county), state convention, and the Democratic National Convention. Delegate and alternate selection, convention planning, and platform and rules development are among the activities documented in this series.

Records related to other conferences and mid-term conventions – most notably the 1974 mid-term conference in Kansas City – are also located in this series. Included in the documentation of this convention are a substantial number of materials related to the 1974 Democratic Charter and the Charter Commission, of which then-State Party Chairman Don Fowler was a member.

The Elections series, 1944 to 2008, consists of records documenting the work of the party in Democratic campaigns for public office at the local, state, and national levels. Primary, general, and special elections are all represented in this series, which is arranged by year. Records in this series include filing forms, correspondence, informational materials about candidates, documents on campaign strategy and activities, campaign fundraising materials, voter registration materials, and election protest transcripts. 6 boxes of material in this series are restricted. Inquire with SCPC staff for more information.

The Issues series, 1969 to 1994, documents the party’s role and interest in a variety of social, political, economic and legal issues.

The Patronage series, 1969 to 1998, bulk 1969 to 1975, includes records of the party’s use of its influence to assist supporters. These records are arranged into topical groupings such as education, employment, and political patronage. Although this subseries includes resumes and rosters of commission members and potential appointees, its primary focus is on patronage requests.

The Programs series, 1971 to 1974, consists of material related to programs that the DPSC conducted to attract the support of particular groups of people, such as businessmen and young voters. The activities documented in this series were undertaken to recruit general support and potential leaders to the party, rather than simply to gain votes.

The Publications series, 1950 to 2004, bulk 1996 to 1998, consists of newsletters and other regular publications of national, state, and local Democratic Party organizations for select years.

The Maps series, c. 2000, consists of printouts of computer-generated maps of most of South Carolina’s precincts. The reason for which the South Carolina Democratic Party printed and saved these maps is not clear.

The Clippings series, 1962 to 2006, is primarily concerned with elections, legislation, contemporary issues affecting the state and the nation, and people of interest to the DPSC.

The Electronic Data series currently consists of 5 floppy disks. These disks have been separated from the collection. For more information, contact SCPC staff.

The Audiovisual series, 1967 to c. 2008, consists of materials in a variety of media, including photographs, photographic negatives, a compact disc, U-Matic and VHS tapes, audiocassette tapes, audio reels, and film.

The collection also includes two Scrapbooks of photographs, one from 1992 and one from 1997. These items are housed separately from the rest of the collection and are available upon request.