South Carolina teacher and politician Charles D. Hayne. Portrait painted by Janice Livingston of the Heritage Council of North Augusta.

Many classroom teachers have earned recognition in professions outside of the field of education. One of these was Charles D. Hayne, an educator who worked for the Freedman’s Bureau who also earned fame as a South Carolina State Senator.

Charles was born “a free person of color” in 1844 in Charleston, South Carolina. His father was white, and his mother was a free Black. Charles was the nephew of South Carolina politician Robert Y. Hayne. As a young man, Charles worked as a tailor in his native city of Charleston.

During the Civil War, Charles served in the Confederate Army and assisted in the defense of the city of Charleston. After the war was won by the North, the former tailor became the postmaster for the town of Aiken in Aiken County. He held that position from 1868 until 1880. Later, Charles gained employment as a teacher at the Freedmen’s Bureau. He was assigned to teach at a school in Barnwell County, South Carolina.

In 1868, Charles was elected as a delegate to the South Carolina Constitutional Convention. The same year, he was elected to his state’s House of Representatives on the Republican ticket. He was re-elected to the House in 1870. While in office, Charles also served on the Board of Directors for several corporations, including the railroad. Two years later, the former teacher was elected to the South Carolina State Senate, where he served for four years.

Charles D. Hayne passed away in 1913. He was 69 years old. To learn more about this educator and politician, see this link at Palmetto Bella Magazine.