Learn about noted African Americans, many born in South Carolina, with local and national accomplishments.
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Sen. John W. Matthews, Jr. (D-Orangeburg) is the recipient of the 2018 David H. Wilkins Award for Excellence in Legislative Leadership. The award is presented by The Riley Institute at Furman...
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To say that Congressman Jim Clyburn is a driven man is an understatement. Clyburn had been involved in politics, one way or another, ever since his youth. It was during his time as South Carolina...
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While serving as the head of the human affairs commission, Jim Clyburn was unsuccessful in his two attempts to be elected South Carolina’s secretary of state. Clyburn’s determination to win put him...
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With Clyburn’s success in Washington, he does not have as much time for golf like he used to. Clyburn’s rise through the ranks has been steady, and marked by his ability to reach across the aisle, and...
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Upon returning home to Columbia, Matthew Perry established the Jenkins and Perry Law Firm, and became the chief legal counsel for the S.C. NAACP, where he began the battle toward the desegregation of...
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In 1975, after a nomination from Senator Strom Thurmond, then President Gerald Ford nominated Matthew Perry to a position on the U.S. Court of Military Appeals. Perry discusses what the Court of...
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Matthew Perry was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on August 3, 1921. Perry grew up in Columbia, and attended South Carolina State University, where he studied business administration. His education...
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When the opportunity came for a young Dizzy Gillespie to leave Cheraw, he took it. Dizzy moved to Laurinburg, North Carolina, where he went to school at the Laurinburg Institute. While in Laurinburg...
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Dizzy Gillespie was awarded the coveted Handel Medal, which is New York City’s most prestigious arts award. Gillespie is also part of the Newport Jazz Festival Program, and introduced friends and...
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Jazz legend John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. Dizzy Gillespie, Cheraw's claim to fame, filled many musical roles, such as trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer...
