Bernard Manning Papers

The Manning Papers consist of 1.5 ft of material, bulk 1958 to 1984. The papers are arranged in three series: General, Topical, and Clippings. These files concentrate on Manning’s activity in the Richland County Republican Party.

General files chiefly consist of correspondence and hand-written notes referring to elections, support for candidates and appreciation for contributions, general Republican Party business, and legal questions. 1960s material includes letters with Senators Strom Thurmond and Olin D. Johnston and SC Representative Albert Watson. 1970 material includes letters from Senator Fritz Hollings referencing Cambodia. 1973 material includes a letter from the White House referencing Vice President Gerald Ford. 1975 material includes letters referencing the inauguration of SC Governor James Edwards. 1977 material includes letters with Strom Thurmond and state Senator Carroll Campbell, Jr. The hand-written notes range from drafts of speeches to general reminders to various legal research.

Topical files include records having to do with party committees, conventions, and election research. Included are the Richland County Executive Committee, the SC Republican Party Presidential Primary Study Committee, election law proposals, and the Richland County Republican Party Organizational Meeting and Convention. Campaign files, 1970 and 1972, include questionnaires, candidacy and financial records, speeches, correspondence, platforms, schedules, news releases, and literature.

Legal Proceedings consist of petitioners and protesters records and court case records. The petitioners and protesters material consists of singular cases of protests. The largest of these includes Trapp v. SC Board of Canvassers. Billie K. Trapp and other petitioners protested election results in 1977 and 1978 because of a malfunction in the voting booths which skewed the vote count.

The court case records consist of large legal suits. Simkins v. Gressette was brought by black voters who claimed that the reapportionment of the SC Senate in 1972 diluted their voting strength in violation of their rights under the First, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. The District Court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the case, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision. Riley v. Pechilis> determined the constitutionality of requirements for those seeking nomination for the office of magistrate.