South Carolina Hall Of Fame: Senator Fritz Hollings

Fritz Hollings served South Carolina and the nation as a member of the S.C. House (1949-1955), lieutenant governor (1955-1959), governor (1959-1963) and U.S. senator (1966-2005). Born in Charleston, Hollings graduated from The Citadel in 1942 and earned the Bronze Star in combat in World War II (1942-1945). He graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1947 and entered private practice in Charleston. As governor, Hollings moved South Carolina into the modern era, diversifying the economy with new industries, founding a network of technical colleges, instituting pay-as-you-go balanced budgets, and achieving the first AAA credit rating of any Southern state. Asserting that South Carolina is a "government of laws," he ensured the peaceful integration of Clemson University. In the senate, he was an outspoken champion of national defense, balanced budgets, fair trade, nutrition for children and the poor, and protection of the environment, particularly the oceans and coastal zones. A visionary statesman, Hollings believes that government should play a robust role in expanding opportunity, assisting the needy and advancing freedom, while practicing strict fiscal discipline.