Jesse T. Anderson was South Carolina's eleventh State Superintendent of Education for five consecutive terms from 1947 to 1967. During his twenty-year tenure, Anderson's accomplishments were many:

• the introduction of the state's first school bus system,
• the consolidation of 1,680 school districts to 108,
• the establishment of South Carolina's first educational television, and
• the implementation of an adult vocational and technical education program.

Anderson also oversaw the desegregation of South Carolina's public schools. He managed to integrate all but four school districts with relative ease and little resistance from the population.

Anderson attained his Bachelor of Arts from Furman University and his Master of Arts from the University of South Carolina. Before serving as state superintendent, Anderson was Florence County Superintendent for seventeen years. He was also president of the South Carolina Education Association, life member of the South Carolina Chief Administrators Association, Master of the Masonic Lodge, American Legion commander, World-War-One veteran, president of the Lions Club, and Officer in the Grand Commandery.

Anderson died in September 1990.