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African American History

Learn about the achievements of African Americans who have shaped South Carolina and American history.

Black History Month is celebrated every February to honor the achievements of African Americans who have shaped American history. Historian Carter G. Woodson hoped to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization by establishing Negro History Week. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that included both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass' birthdays. The week was later expanded to a month in 1976 during the United States bicentennial.

PHOTO: On March 20, 1969, Black hospital workers at the Medical College of South Carolina in Charleston went on strike to protest the firing of twelve employees and to call for higher wages and union recognition.

Within this Collection

Content Type
 Civil Rights Organizations | Road Trip

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Civil Rights Organizations | Road Trip
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) was the major civil rights organization in South Carolina. Several other organizations such as Student Nonviolent Coordinating...
 Leading the Struggle | Road Trip

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Leading the Struggle | Road Trip
There were several key leaders during the Civil Rights Movement. Despite visible leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and John F. Kennedy, young people played a major role in...
 Brown v. Board of Education | Road Trip

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Brown v. Board of Education | Road Trip
The Plessy v. Ferguson decision set the precedent that "separate" facilities for blacks and whites were constitutional as long as they were "equal." In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education case...
 Harlem Renaissance | Artopia

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Harlem Renaissance | Artopia
Bob Masteller shares how The Harlem Renaissance was the most exciting period in the history of jazz. The Harlem Renaissance took place in Harlem, New York between the end of World War I and the middle...
Dance of the Warriors | Artopia Peg Leg Bates | Artopia

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Peg Leg Bates | Artopia
A Closer Look Peg Leg Bates could leap five feet in the air and perform almost every known tap dance step. He never considered himself handicapped. "God showed me what to do with one leg," he said....
SC Veteran Remembers the Vietnam War Juneteenth Celebration | Palmetto Scene

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Juneteenth Celebration | Palmetto Scene
Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day, is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. During Rock Hill's...
 Colonel Herbert E. Carter | Tuskegee Airmen 3

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Colonel Herbert E. Carter | Tuskegee Airmen
Episode 3
Herbert E. Carter (1919 - 2012) Colonel Herbert E. Carter was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. In this interview, Wood talks about his missions. Additional Information: Carter was a...
 Major Carrol S. Woods | Tuskegee Airmen  4

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Major Carrol S. Woods | Tuskegee Airmen
Episode 4
Carrol S. Woods (1919-2007) Major Carroll S. Woods was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. In this interview, Wood talks about his graduating class, medals received and the type of planes...
Florence: A Renaissance Spirit: Early History | Carolina Stories
   - Episode 1 Tenant Farmers | Pee Dee Explorer

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Tenant Farmers | Pee Dee Explorer
Learn the history of African-American tenant farmers during the era of reconstruction as Karl McAlis ter , Francis Marion University Librarian, takes us on a tour of the two remaining hewn timber...
Florence: A Renaissance Spirit: Early History | Carolina Stories
   - Episode 1 West African Slaves | Pee Dee Explorer

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West African Slaves | Pee Dee Explorer
Find out how slaves were transported from West Africa to South Carolina. Also, discover the culture and language influences as Karl McAlister, Francis Marion University Librarian, takes us on a tour...
Florence: A Renaissance Spirit: Early History | Carolina Stories
   - Episode 1 Hewn Timber Cabins | Pee Dee Explorer

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Hewn Timber Cabins | Pee Dee Explorer
Examine the life of African American slaves as Karl McAlister, Francis Marion University Librarian, takes us on a tour of the two remaining hewn timber cabins from the Gregg Plantation in Florence...
 A Living Farm Museum | Pee Dee Explorer

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A Living Farm Museum | Pee Dee Explorer
Learn about the significance of farming in the lives of African Americans. As the only African American historical living farm museum in the United States, Freewoods Farm is devoted to recognizing the...
 Penn Center History | Road Trip

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Penn Center History | Road Trip
Joseph McDomick, Jr., former Penn Center project supervisor for over thirty years, talks about the history of the Penn Center. A history that began with the Port Royal Experiment in 1862 and the...
 Jenkins Orphanage Band | Road Trip

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Jenkins Orphanage Band | Road Trip
Lonnie Hamilton and Joey Morant recall their experiences in the Jenkins Orphanage Band. Today, the Jenkins Orphanage Band no longer has a band to support foster kids at the orphanage, but the...
 Waverly Community Tour | Road Trip

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Waverly Community Tour | Road Trip
Community volunteer gives a brief history about the Jenkins' home in the historic Waverly Community. Dr. Douglas Jenkins was the local dentist.