Noted African Americans

Learn about noted African Americans, many born in South Carolina, with local and national accomplishments.

A Conversation with Judge Finney

Video

Ernest A. Finney, Jr., was born in Smithfield, Virginia during the depression, on March 23, 1931. His mother died 10 days after he was born and his father was a teacher who traveled as part of his...
"Onward, 54th!" | Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie
Episode 4

Video

Episode 4 focuses on the attempts of the North to take back Fort Sumter and hopefully bring the war to an end. This episode illustrates the struggles of African American soldiers who fought bravely on...
Welcome to Fort Sumter | Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie
Episode 1

Video

This episode introduces the student to the social history of South Carolina, the rise of Charleston as an important shipping center, and the building of the fort where the Civil War began. It further...
Modjeska Monteith Simkins | Carolina Snaps

Video

Modjeska Monteith Simkins is known as the "matriarch of civil rights activists" in South Carolina. Born in Columbia in 1899, Simkins spent her adult life fighting for equality and advocating for human...
Ronald McNair | Carolina Snaps

Video

South Carolina native Ronald McNair was the second African-American to go into space, and was part of the STS-51L crew that died when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after lift-off on...