Simmons was born in Pollocksville, North Carolina, the son of Mary McLendel (Jerman) and Furnifold Greene Simmons.[1][2] After Republicans won control of the North Carolina legislature in 1894, Simmons led efforts to disenfranchise black voters and return Democrats to power across the state. He allied with white supremacist newspapers to stoke fears of black men as predators of white women and too incompetent to be trusted as office holders or voters. Simmons also set up hundreds of "White Government Unions," which aimed to "announce on all occasions that they would succeed if they had to shoot every negro in the city."[3] As a result, Democrats swept the 1898 election, and the Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 broke out the following day.
In 1901 Simmons won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate. From his Senate seat, he then ran a powerful political machine, using A. D. Watts "to keep the machine oiled back home," in the words of one journalist.[4] Simmons remained in office for the next thirty years.
Senator Simmons refused to endorse Al Smith, the Democratic nominee for president in 1928 and the first Catholic nominated by a major party, winning him praise from members of the Ku Klux Klan.[5] Still, rejecting the Democratic nominee in 1928, together with the Great Depression, led to Simmons being defeated in the 1930 Democratic primary by Josiah W. Bailey, who was backed by Governor O. Max Gardner.
Referencesedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
^Leonard, John William (1907). "Men of America: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries".
^Zucchino, David (2020). Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy. Atlantic Monthly Press. pp. 65–69, 75, 96. ISBN978-0-8021-2838-6.
^News & Observer: "What the obituary didn't say" by Rob Christensen July 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^Chiles, Robert (2018). The Revolution of '28: Al Smith, American Progressivism, and the Coming of the New Deal. Cornell University Press. p. 115. ISBN978-1-5017-0550-2.
External linksedit
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simmons, furnifold, mclendel, simmons, january, 1854, april, 1940, american, politician, served, democratic, member, united, states, house, representatives, from, march, 1887, march, 1889, senator, from, state, north, carolina, between, march, 1901, march, 193. Furnifold McLendel Simmons January 20 1854 April 30 1940 was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from March 4 1887 to March 4 1889 and U S senator from the state of North Carolina between March 4 1901 and March 4 1931 He served as chairman of the powerful Committee on Finance from March 4 1913 to March 4 1919 He was an unsuccessful contender for the 1920 Democratic Party nomination for president Simmons was a staunch segregationist and white supremacist and a leading perpetrator of the Wilmington insurrection of 1898 F M SimmonsUnited States Senatorfrom North CarolinaIn office March 4 1901 March 4 1931Preceded byMarion ButlerSucceeded byJosiah BaileyMember of the U S House of Representatives from North Carolina s 2nd districtIn office March 4 1887 March 3 1889Preceded byJames E O HaraSucceeded byHenry P CheathamPersonal detailsBorn 1854 01 20 January 20 1854Pollocksville North CarolinaDiedApril 30 1940 1940 04 30 aged 86 New Bern North CarolinaPolitical partyDemocraticLife and career editSimmons was born in Pollocksville North Carolina the son of Mary McLendel Jerman and Furnifold Greene Simmons 1 2 After Republicans won control of the North Carolina legislature in 1894 Simmons led efforts to disenfranchise black voters and return Democrats to power across the state He allied with white supremacist newspapers to stoke fears of black men as predators of white women and too incompetent to be trusted as office holders or voters Simmons also set up hundreds of White Government Unions which aimed to announce on all occasions that they would succeed if they had to shoot every negro in the city 3 As a result Democrats swept the 1898 election and the Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 broke out the following day In 1901 Simmons won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate From his Senate seat he then ran a powerful political machine using A D Watts to keep the machine oiled back home in the words of one journalist 4 Simmons remained in office for the next thirty years Senator Simmons refused to endorse Al Smith the Democratic nominee for president in 1928 and the first Catholic nominated by a major party winning him praise from members of the Ku Klux Klan 5 Still rejecting the Democratic nominee in 1928 together with the Great Depression led to Simmons being defeated in the 1930 Democratic primary by Josiah W Bailey who was backed by Governor O Max Gardner References edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Leonard John William 1907 Men of America A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries Simmons Furnifold McLendel NCpedia Zucchino David 2020 Wilmington s Lie The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy Atlantic Monthly Press pp 65 69 75 96 ISBN 978 0 8021 2838 6 News amp Observer What the obituary didn t say by Rob Christensen Archived July 18 2008 at the Wayback Machine Chiles Robert 2018 The Revolution of 28 Al Smith American Progressivism and the Coming of the New Deal Cornell University Press p 115 ISBN 978 1 5017 0550 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Furnifold McLendel Simmons United States Congress F M Simmons id S000415 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress North Carolina History Project North Carolina Election of 1898 Furnifold McLendel Simmons entry at The Political Graveyard F M Simmons at Find a Grave Party political offices First Democratic nominee for U S Senator from North Carolina Class 2 1918 1924 Succeeded byJosiah Bailey U S House of Representatives Preceded byJames E O Hara Member of the U S House of Representatives from North Carolina s 2nd congressional districtMarch 4 1887 March 4 1889 Succeeded byHenry P Cheatham U S Senate Preceded byMarion Butler U S senator Class 2 from North CarolinaMarch 4 1901 March 4 1931 Served alongside Jeter Connelly Pritchard Lee Slater Overman Cameron A Morrison Succeeded byJosiah William Bailey Political offices Preceded byBoies PenrosePennsylvania Chairman of the U S Senate Committee on FinanceMarch 4 1913 March 4 1919 Succeeded byBoies PenrosePennsylvania Honorary titles Preceded byFrancis E Warren Dean of the United States SenateNovember 24 1929 March 4 1931 Succeeded byReed Smoot Preceded byObadiah Gardner Oldest living U S senatorJuly 24 1938 April 30 1940 Succeeded byFountain L Thompson Preceded byHenry Heitfeld Most senior living U S senator Sitting or former October 21 1938 April 30 1940 Succeeded byReed Smoot nbsp nbsp This article about a North Carolina politician is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title F M Simmons amp oldid 1196053224, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
