Education
Some of the earliest civil rights efforts in South Carolina focused on education. In 1949, African American students and parents in Clarendon County, South Carolina, sued the school board over unequal schools. Their case, Briggs v. Elliott, was the first of five school desegregation cases that were argued before the U.S. Supreme Court under what would become known as Brown v. Board of Education. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court issued their ruling in those cases: Segregation was unconstitutional.
South Carolinians challenged segregation in universities as well, and in 1963, both Clemson and the University of South Carolina were desegregated.
November 11, 1949
African American community members in Summerton used churches like Liberty Hill AME to organize for civil rights activism. On November 11, 1949, 107 students and parents in Clarendon County submitted a petition asking the school board for equal school facilities.
Courtesy of South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the South Caroliniana Library
Schools
During the Jim Crow era, all South Carolina schools – from elementary through college – were segregated. Attempts to end the segregated school system began at local levels and developed into national legal challenges. Groups like the NAACP supported these legal efforts, and individuals, families, and churches took on many risks in order to fight for educational equality.
Clarendon County Petitioners
Parents, students and local civil rights activists
Clarendon County Petitioners
Parents, students and local civil rights activists
In 1949, African American students and parents in Clarendon County sued the school board over unequal schools in a case named Briggs v. Elliott and became a part of Brown v. Board.
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1949 In fall 1949, parents and students in Clarendon County signed a petition asking the school board for equal facilities. The first name on that list was Harry Briggs, and his name became the lead on the Briggs v. Elliott lawsuit. Briggs v. Elliott became the first of five cases under Brown v. Board. Courtesy of South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the South Caroliniana Library
June 17, 1951 Families met at churches in Clarendon County to plan for the case against the Clarendon County school system. This photograph was taken during a testimonial meeting at Liberty Hill AME Church honoring the plaintiffs and workers in Briggs v. Elliot. Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library
1951-1953 In the 1950s, South Carolina politicians tried to stall the end of school segregation by raising taxes to fund the “equalization” of segregated public schools. Scott’s Branch High School, one of the schools involved in the case of Briggs v. Elliott, received improvements under this program. Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library
1951 Harry Briggs received an award in recognition of his role in the Briggs v. Elliott school desegregation case. From left to right: E.E. Richburg, Modjeska Simkins, J.W. Seals, Joseph A. De Laine, Sr., Harry Briggs, John McCray, J.S. (Flutie) Boyd, James Hinton, and Eugene Montgomery. Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library
Rev. Joseph A. DeLaine
Pastor, teacher and civil rights activist
Rev. Joseph A. DeLaine
Pastor, teacher and civil rights activist
In fall 1949, parents and students in Clarendon County signed a petition asking the school board for equal facilities. The first name on that list was Harry Briggs, and his name became the lead on the Briggs v. Elliott lawsuit. Briggs v. Elliott became the first of five cases under Brown v. Board. Even after the 1954 Brown v. Board ruling, all-white South Carolina state and local governments continued to resist desegregation.
Courtesy of South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the South Caroliniana Library
Families met at churches in Clarendon County to plan for the case against the Clarendon County school system. This photograph was taken on June 17, 1951, at Liberty Hill AME Church during a testimonial meeting honoring the plaintiffs and workers in Briggs v. Elliott.
Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library
In the 1950s, South Carolina politicians knew that attempts to end school segregation would gain momentum. To stall, they raised the sales tax in order to improve a number of segregated schools, trying to make the schools more equal in order to keep them separate. In 1951, those taxes funded improvements to Scott’s Branch High School, one of the schools involved in Briggs v. Elliott. The renovations were complete in 1953.
Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library
Harry Briggs was among the petitioners in the Briggs v. Elliott case. He and many other brave men, women, and children signed this petition to end school desegregation in South Carolina. Many of them faced intense backlash as a result, including economic and social repercussions, threats, and physical violence. From left to right: E.E. Richburg, Modjeska Simkins, J.W. Seals, Joseph A. De Laine, Sr., Harry Briggs, John McCray, J.S. (Flutie) Boyd, James Hinton, and Eugene Montgomery.
Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library
After Briggs v. Elliott
Although the Supreme Court ruled in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case that segregated schools are unconstitutional, the all-white South Carolina state and local governments continued to resist desegregation. It was not until 1963, after winning Brown et al. v Charleston County School Board, that 11 African American students first attended a formerly White public K-12 school in Charleston, South Carolina.
The original 13 students involved in Brown et al. v Charleston County School Board were Millicent F. Brown, Oveta Glover, Clarisse Karan Hines, Ralph Stoney Dawson, Eddie Alexander, Clarence Alexander, Cassandra Alexander, Gerald Alexander, Henderson Alexander, Jacqueline Ford, Barbara Ford, Gale Ford, and Valerie Wright. Henderson Alexander and Valerie Wright later left the school system.
Higher Education
After the end of Reconstruction, South Carolina’s institutions of higher education, including the University of South Carolina, re-segregated. In the 1960s, courageous individuals like Henrie Monteith, James Solomon Jr., Robert Anderson, and Harvey Gantt challenged segregation at the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.
1963 Harvey Gantt (right), with civil rights attorney Matthew Perry, sued Clemson University, leading to its desegregation. Courtesy of The State Newspaper Photograph Archive, Richland Library
Harvey Gantt discusses attending segregated Clemson University and the lawsuit that led to its desegregation. Courtesy of Moving Image Research Collections
Harvey Gantt
Student and civil rights activist
Harvey Gantt
Student and civil rights activist
1963 Henrie Monteith, James Solomon Jr., and Robert Anderson became the first African Americans to attend the University of South Carolina since Reconstruction in September 1963. Courtesy of Richland Library
James Solomon Jr.
Professor, student and civil rights activist
James Solomon Jr.
Professor, student and civil rights activist
September 11, 1963 From left to right: Henrie Monteith, Robert Anderson and James Solomon Jr. exit the registrar’s office after enrolling in classes at the University of South Carolina. Courtesy of Richland Library
Robert G. Anderson Jr.
Student and civil rights activist
Robert G. Anderson Jr.
Student and civil rights activist
1963 Monteith, Solomon, and Anderson were the first African Americans to attend the University of South Carolina since the end of the Reconstruction Era.
Henrie Monteith (Treadwell) is interviewed about being one of three students to desegregate the University of South Carolina. Courtesy of Moving Image Research Collections
Henrie Monteith Treadwell
Student and civil rights activist
Henrie Monteith Treadwell
Student and civil rights activist
Harvey Gantt (right), with civil rights attorney Matthew Perry, sued Clemson University, leading to its desegregation.
Courtesy of the State Newspaper Photograph Archive, Richland Library
Henrie Monteith, James Solomon Jr., and Robert Anderson became the first African Americans to attend the University of South Carolina since Reconstruction in September 1963.
Courtesy of Richland Library
From left to right: Henrie Monteith, Robert Anderson and James Solomon Jr. exit the Registrar’s office after enrolling in classes at the University of South Carolina, September 11, 1963.
Courtesy of Richland Library
Monteith, Solomon, and Anderson were the first African Americans to attend the University of South Carolina since the end of the Reconstruction Era.