Simmons, Furnifold

Simmons, Furnifold (McLendel)

(1854–1940) U.S. senator; born in Jones County, N.C. After leading a movement to deny African-Americans the right to vote, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (Dem., N.C.; 1887–89) and to the U.S. Senate (1901–31). He managed to hold control over Democratic politics in North Carolina while advancing his conservative views in the Senate through the committee posts he gained by seniority.