Ibra Charles Blackwood

Ibra Charles Blackwood (born November 21, 1878 in Spartanburg County , South Carolina , † February 12, 1936 in Spartanburg , South Carolina) was an American politician and Governor of South Carolina from 1931 to 1935.

Early years and political advancement

Ibra Blackwood attended Furman University and Wofford College, where he graduated in 1898. After completing a law degree, he was admitted to the bar in 1902, after which he opened a law firm in Spartanburg. Between 1902 and 1906 Blackwood was a member of the South Carolina state parliament . Between 1914 and 1916 he worked for the federal tax agency in South Carolina. From 1916 to 1930 he was a prosecutor in the 7th judicial district. In 1926 he applied unsuccessfully within his Democratic Party for the nomination for the office of governor. Four years later he was only just able to prevail against Olin Johnston within the party. In the actual gubernatorial election on November 4, 1930, there was no opposing candidate.

Governor of south carolina

Blackwood's tenure as governor began on January 20, 1931 and ended almost four years later on January 15, 1935. The entire legislative period was overshadowed by the consequences of the Great Depression. In 1931, the People's State Bank collapsed and its 44 branches in South Carolina had to close. The governor and his government responded with job creation methods. Road construction, for example, was promoted. The so-called South Carolina Public Service Authority was founded, an organization that later built dams on rivers to generate electricity and improve water supplies. The principle was the same as that of the better-known Tennessee Valley Authority , which was launched around the same time by the federal government under President Franklin D. Roosevelt . New laws were introduced to better control the banks.

In September 1934, like in other states of the USA, there was a major textile workers' strike in South Carolina. Blackwood used the National Guard against the strikers. In the crackdown on the strike on September 6 in Honea Path, six of them were shot dead and more than 20 wounded, many shot in the back.

It is also worth mentioning that on December 5, 1933, with the 21st amendment to the constitution, the prohibition law in the USA, which had been enacted in the 18th amendment to the constitution in 1919, was repealed due to impracticability. South Carolina decided to legalize only the sale of beer and wine. The sale of harder alcoholic beverages remained prohibited.

Retirement

After his tenure in January 1935 Blackwood retired back to Spartanburg, where he worked as a lawyer again. However, he died there in February 1936. Ibra Blackwood was married to Margaret Hodges.

literature

• Robert Sobel, John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 4. Meckler Books, Westport, CT, 1978. 4 volumes.
• The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. 12. James T. White & Company, New York

Web links

• Ibra Blackwood in the National Governor Association (English)
• South Carolina Information Highway (English)
• Ibra Charles Blackwood in the database of Find a Grave (English)