Ralph Anderson (November 2, 1927 – November 30, 2019) was a Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 7th District from 1997 to 2013. Prior to being elected to the State Senate, Anderson served in the

South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seati ...

from 1991 to 1997.

Education

Ralph Anderson received his education from the following institutions: *

Sterling High School (South Carolina) Sterling High School served African American students in Greenville, South Carolina between 1896 and 1970. History Sterling High School was affiliated with the John Wesley Church and was established by Rev. D. M. Minus (Daniel Melton Minus) i ...

in Greenville *BA,

Allen University Allen University is a private historically black university in Columbia, South Carolina. It has more than 600 students and still serves a predominantly Black constituency. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as All ...

, 1949 *Graduate Studies,

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

Political Experience

Ralph Anderson had the following political experience: *Senator, South Carolina State Senate, 1997–2013 *Representative, South Carolina State House of Representatives, 1991–1997 *Council Member, City of Greenville, 1983–1991 *Board of Directors, Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 1983–1985 *City of Greenville Zoning Board, 1982–1983 *Commissioner, Greenville Civil Service Commission, 1969–1973

Legislative Committees

Ralph Anderson was a member of the following committees: *Corrections and Penology, Member *Education, Member *Finance, Member *Medical Affairs, Member *Transportation, Member *Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees *Board Member, Community Planning Council *Member, Greenville Civil Service Commission *Representative of the City, Greenville Housing Authority Board

Professional Experience

Ralph Anderson had the following professional experience: *Retired *Postmaster, United States Postal Service, 1970–1983 *Non-Commissioned Officer, United States Army, Fort Jackson/Germany, 1950–1952

Organizations

Ralph Anderson was a member of the following organizations: *President, Board of Directors, Phyllis Wheatley Center, 1985–1991 *Member, Municipal Association of South Carolina, 1986–1988 *Staffer, Family Counseling Services, 1983–1986 *Board Member, Greenville

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams (philanthropist), Georg ...

, 1969–1973 *Executive Member, Appalachian Council of Governments *Member, Greenville Regional Board of Directors, BB&T Bank *Board Member, Community Foundation of Greater Greensville, Incorporated *Member, Freemasons *First Vice President, Greenville Chapter, NCAAP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) *Member, Board of Trustees, Saint Anthony's Catholic School, Greenville *Board Member, Senior Action of Greenville County *Board Member, Sunbelt Human Advancement Resources

Retirement

On March 21, 2012, Anderson announced he would not seek re-election. He died on November 30, 2019, at age 92.

Legacy and recognitions

In November 2023, the Ralph Anderson Pedestrian Bridge was dedicated.

References

External links

Bridge dedicated to Sen. Ralph Anderson at Roper Mountain Science Center 2023
at Greenville Journal
Carolina Legislature - Senator Ralph Anderson
official SC Senate website
Project Vote Smart - Senator Ralph Anderson (SC)
profile *''Follow the Money'' — Ralph Anderson
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campaign contributions {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Ralph 1927 births 2019 deaths 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians African-American state legislators in South Carolina Allen University alumni South Carolina postmasters Howard University alumni Democratic Party members of the South Carolina House of Representatives Military personnel from South Carolina Politicians from Greenville, South Carolina School board members in South Carolina Democratic Party South Carolina state senators South Carolina city council members 20th-century African-American politicians African-American men in politics 21st-century African-American politicians