Carolina Snaps
The Rollins Sisters
Season 4 Episode 8 | 51sVideo has Closed Captions
The Rollins sisters played a pivotal role in advancing women's suffrage in South Carolina.
Born into a free black family during Reconstruction, the Rollins sisters played a pivotal role in advancing women's suffrage in South Carolina. Frances, Lottie, and Louisa were prominent activists. Frances challenged discrimination on a steamboat and won a court case.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Carolina Snaps is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Support for this program is provided by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.
Carolina Snaps
The Rollins Sisters
Season 4 Episode 8 | 51sVideo has Closed Captions
Born into a free black family during Reconstruction, the Rollins sisters played a pivotal role in advancing women's suffrage in South Carolina. Frances, Lottie, and Louisa were prominent activists. Frances challenged discrimination on a steamboat and won a court case.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Carolina Snaps
Carolina Snaps is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipA movement requires a team.
And with the wisdom of these five sisters, the women's suffrage movement in South Carolina made significantly leeway during their time.
The Rollins sisters were born into an aristocratic, free black family during the Reconstruction era.
The eldest daughter, Frances, started her civil rights activism when she was denied from boarding a steamboat traveling from Beaufort to Charleston.
She then brought the conductor to court for violating discrimination laws and won.
In the 1860's, Frances and Lotti started a school in Charleston for black children, although they had to later move to Columbia due to funding issues.
In 1869, Lottie addressed the South Carolina state legislature about women's suffrage being the first black woman to do so.
Around this time, Frances wed another civil rights activist and a uthor William J. Whipper.
And along with Whipper's help, the sisters made significant impressions on the state of South Carolina and its legislature.
Support for PBS provided by:
Carolina Snaps is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Support for this program is provided by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.