Abstract
Nearly a century ago W. E. B. DuBois won an essay contest sponsored by United Daughters of Confederacy in Columbia, South Carolina--or at least, DuBois's writing won contest. When someone sent DuBois a clipping of winning essay, published in January 1912 along with a photograph of its author--University of South Carolina student Colin W. Covington--DuBois made it basis of an editorial in The Crisis, NAACP's magazine he had edited since November 1910. Recalling that in 1901 he had written an article on Freedmen's Bureau for Atlantic Monthly, DuBois noted, It caused no stir in world, but editor kept it carefully in his archives to gloat over now and then in fastness of his study when family had retired. Imagine, now, DuBois continued, the editor's gratification on reading this work of genius [Covington's prize-winning essay] to discover that nearly one-half of essay, and that important and concluding half, was editor's own work. After quoting several hundred words of Covington's essay with his own essay in parallel columns, DuBois concluded, Were editor a grasping man he might (either for himself or for his race) ask to have a large share of that medal clipped from proud young Southern breast that bears it and pinned on his own. (DuBois never got a piece of medal Covington had to return.) By comparing Covington's plagiarized essay with its sources--DuBois was not only one who deserved credit for Covington's award--we can get a remarkable view on public attitudes in early-twentieth-century South toward one of most vilified institutions of Reconstruction. (1) The United Daughters of Confederacy was established in 1894, and it quickly became predominant voice of what historian Karen L. Cox calls culture--those ideas and symbols that Lost Cause devotees associated with former Confederacy... based on a hierarchy of race and class. Among UDC'S special interests was education of next generation of white southerners. For years, they fought to get textbooks in southern schools that told truth about War Between States. They recruited young through yet another organization, Children of Confederacy, and promoted Confederate culture with essay contests. (2) The Wade Hampton Chapter of UDC (UDC-WHC) was formed in 1895, holding its first meeting on December 20, date South Carolina seceded in 1860. The chapter's early activities focused on gathering items to be displayed in Confederate Relic Room located in state capitol, but within its first few months, UDC-WHC also initiated an annual contest for best essay on Confederate history by a student of University of South Carolina. The presentation of medal took place in legislative chamber of capitol on Robert E. Lee's birthday. The topics ranged from technical and constitutional (What were rights reserved in compact with U.S. under Constitution?) to biographical (The place of Jefferson Davis in history) to social (Woman as a factor in War). Medal winners might reasonably aspire to further greatness: first winner, John J. McSwain, served in Congress in 1920s and 1930s. (3) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The student who submitted winning essay in 1912 contest was a young man from a modest background. Colin W. Covington was born in September 1892 to a family with deep roots in Marlboro County in Pee Dee region of state. His father, Charles, had moved from countryside to slightly more bustling county seat of Bennettsville, where he worked as a butcher. Colin's mother was a seamstress, and several of his older brothers had worked as salesmen. From this beginning, Covington flourished at University of South Carolina, becoming active in many extracurricular activities, including serving on literary magazine staff. …
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call