Emily Plume Evans
Emily Plume Evans was a South Carolina women's activist and club woman in many organizations. She was the founder of the New Era Club, the South Carolina first suffrage club. She was also the founding member of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina.
Early life and education
Emily Plume Evans was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Abbie Richardson and David Scott Plume. David Scott was a legislator, banker, and manufacturer, helping his family become well off. In 1895, Evans met South Carolina Governor John Gary Evans, and they married in 1897 in Waterbury, Connecticut. They moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina and had one child, their daughter named Emily Victoria.In 1901, they moved into their home in Spartanburg, where their residence is now known as the Evans-Russel house, where they lived until they died in 1942.
Career
Episcopal Church of the Advent in Spartanburg was where Evans was an active member of, after moving. Within that, Evans was also in the local chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.In 1912, Evans and her friend Helen G. Howland formed South Carolinas first statewide women's suffrage organization, which they named the New Era Club. The New Era Club only lasted a short amount of time. Prior to the New Era Club, white southerns considered suffrage movements a threat to southern culture, and challenged stereotypical female behavior. By the turn of the 20th century, South Carolina women once again contributed to pro-suffrage movements, and became successful this time around. The New Era Club was populated by mainly white middle class women, and was disguised as a study group. They met twice a month to discuss education, public health, and the educational rights of women and children. In 1914, Evans club announced their truth and joined the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Columbia and Charleston followed suit after Spartanburg, and together they united and became the South Carolina Equal Suffrage League on May 15th, 1915.
The South Carolina Equal Suffrage League became affiliated with the National American Women Suffrage Association. Their entire goal through the organization was to bring awareness to South Carolina and win over the public through their literature, petitions, speakers, and parades.
Following the path of 1917, Congress passed a suffrage amendment, and Evans and her club members continued to host rallies across the state to lobby politicians to ratify the amendment. By 1920, Evans was the founding member of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina.
Continuing her New Era Club efforts, Evans still worked to improve working conditions for her target population. She became the chair of the Committee on Social and Industrial Conditions of South Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs in 1916. Evans petitioned for more strict child labor laws and working hour regulations, and efficient education laws. Following her educational efforts, Evans became president of the Spartanburg Florence Crittenden Circle. This was a etiquette and correctional school for wayward girls.