Longstreet, Augustus Baldwin | South Carolina Public Radio

“L” is for Longstreet, Augustus Baldwin [1790-1870]. Educator, author, clergyman, jurist. After graduating from Yale and studying law, Longstreet returned to his native Georgia where he practiced law, served in the legislature, and was elected a judge. In 1835, he published Georgia Scenes a series of literary sketches of rural life in Georgia. The book was tremendously popular and is known as one of the best examples of southern backwoods humor. In 1839, he became president of Emory College in Oxford and later was president of the University of Mississippi. His publication, A Voice from the South, established his reputation as an ardent pro-slavery advocate. In 1856, he was elected president of South Carolina College. Augustus Baldwin Longstreet was not a strong teacher, preferring telling tall tales in his parlor to delivering learned lectures.