 charles brantley aycock (november 1, 1859 â april 4, 1912) was the 50th governor of the u.s. state of north carolina from 1901 to 1905. after starting his career as a lawyer and teacher, he became active in the democratic party during the party's solid south period. under his tenure as governor, he was an advocate for the improvement of the state's public school systems, and following his term in office, he traveled the country promoting educational causes. ==early life== charles b. aycock was born in wayne county, north carolina as the youngest of the 10 children of benjamin and serena aycock. his family lived near the present-day town of fremont, north carolina, then known as nahunta. though his father died when he was 15, his mother and older brothers recognized his abilities and determined that he should go to college. aycock attended the university of north carolina at chapel hill and joined philanthropic society, a debate and literary society at the university. after graduating in 1880 with first honors in both oratory and essay writing, he entered law practice in goldsboro and supplemented his income by teaching school. his success in both fields led to his appointment as superintendent of schools for wayne county and to service on the school board in goldsboro. his political career began in 1888 as a presidential elector for grover cleveland, when he gained distinction as an orator and political debater. from 1893 to 1897 he served as u.s. attorney for the eastern district of north carolina. in 1898 and 1900, aycock was prominent in the democratic party's "white supremacy" solid south campaigns, and was elected governor over republican spencer b. adams.our campaigns - nc governor race - aug 02, 1900 ==governor==  as governor, aycock became known as the "education governor" for his support of the public school system. it was said that one school was constructed in the state for every day he was in office. he was supposedly dedicated to education after watching his mother make her mark when signing a deed. he felt that no lasting social reform could be accomplished without education. he supported increased salaries for teachers, longer school terms, and new school buildings; "690 new schoolhouses erected, including 599 for whites and 91 for blacks." according to joh
1859_births 1912_deaths American_white_nationalists Burials_at_Historic_Oakwood_Cemetery Deaths_from_myocardial_infarction Democratic_Party_state_governors_of_the_United_States Duke_University_people Governors_of_North_Carolina History_of_racism_in_the_United_States North_Carolina_Democrats People_from_Wayne_County,_North_Carolina Political_violence_in_the_United_States Racial_segregation United_States_Attorneys_for_the_Eastern_District_of_North_Carolina White_supremacy_in_the_United_States