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Carolina Snaps
Dr. Anne Austin Young, one of South Carolina's first female physicians, pioneered women's healthcare from 1915 to 1978. She worked as a surgeon, obstetrician-gynecologist and psychiatrist. After finishing medical school at the top of her class, she passed the state medical exam with the highest score ever. She delivered over 10,000 babies while practicing in Anderson, SC.
Cecil Williams, a prolific photographer, captured the essence of the South Carolina Civil Rights movement. Starting at age 9, his talent led to early bookings for events. As a Jet magazine correspondent, his work adorned its cover, featuring Coretta Scott King. Williams' iconic images emerged during the Biggs Vs Elliott case. He founded the Cecil Williams Civil Rights Museum in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to preserve the history captured with his camera.
James E. Clyburn, a prominent figure in American politics, serves as the Assistant Democratic Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives and Chairman of the Democratic Faith Working Group. He is known for making history as the first African American to serve multiple terms as Majority Whip. Clyburn's humble beginnings in South Carolina shaped his dedication to public service. He has played a key role in legislative initiatives, from historic preservation to rural energy savings, and has been recognized with numerous awards for his contributions to American politics. His endorsement of Joe Biden in 2020 is credited with influencing the presidential race.
Dawn Corley, known as the "Charleston Silver Lady," is a renowned silver expert who has lectured internationally and been featured in magazines and TV shows for her knowledge of antique jewelry. Her private silver collection has been exhibited in museums. She formerly taught at the Charleston Antiques School. She owns and operates an antiques shop in Lexington, SC.
The combination of seafood like fish or shrimp with grits has its origins in Charleston, South Carolina. Grits, an ancient staple, predate European conquest, African enslavement, and the founding of the United States. The 1950 "Breakfast Shrimp" recipe in the Charleston Receipts cookbook is the first documented mention of shrimp and grits in a cookbook. Recipes vary from sautéing shrimp to baking them in a grits mixture, but they've remained a beloved breakfast choice along the South Carolina coast
Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC trains 50% of US Army soldiers and 60% of female recruits. It was established in 1917 and almost closed in 1949 but remained open due to the Cold War and Korean War. It became one of the first Army bases to desegregate. Fort Jackson is now the Army's largest training post for new soldiers.
Honorable Matthew James Perry, Jr. was a trailblazing civil rights attorney and the first African American federal judge in South Carolina. Appointed to the U.S. District Court in 1979, he dedicated his life to justice. Perry's journey started with military service in World War II, followed by earning his Bachelor of Science degree. His fight against racial injustices led to landmark civil rights cases, including the integration of Clemson University with the first African American student, Harvey Gantt. In 2005, a federal courthouse in Columbia was named in his honor.
South Carolina is home to 8 of the 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Claflin University, the state's oldest and one of the top HBCUs. HBCUs played a vital role in advancing education for African Americans, offering opportunities for professional careers and graduate degrees.
Discover the history of Hoppin' John, a beloved dish that's graced holiday tables since the 1800s. This simple yet delicious combo of peas, pork, and rice is believed to bring luck and peace for the upcoming year to anyone who enjoys it. Learn more about its intriguing origin in the Low Country of South Carolina.
Marian Wright Edelman has dedicated her life to advancing civil rights and children’s rights. Born in South Carolina in 1939, she was inspired by her father to pursue education despite adversity. After becoming the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, Edelman founded the Children's Defense Fund in 1973 to advocate for policies benefiting disadvantaged children. She helped establish Head Start and influenced reforms to foster care, childcare, and protections for abused and homeless youth. Her work continues to uplift youth and promote equality.
Parris Island in Beaufort, SC has trained US Marines since 1915. It was named after Alexander Parris. In 1949 it began training female recruits. Its mission is to transform recruits through rigorous basic training and commitment to core values. Thousands of Marines are trained there annually.
In 1685, John Thurber, a pirate, inadvertently introduced rice to America. After a storm damaged his ship, he stopped in Charleston, SC, where he met Dr. Henry Woodward. In exchange for assistance, Thurber gave Woodward seed rice from Madagascar. This exchange reportedly led to the rise of rice as Carolina's primary crop, and the importation of enslaved Africans.
Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina is home to the 9th Air Force Headquarters and the 20th Fighter Wing. It was activated as Shaw Field in 1941 for Army Air Corps pilot training before the US entered WWII. Over 8,600 pilots trained there during the war. Shaw Field became Shaw AFB when the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947. In the 1950s it was home to the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Shaw units were among the first dispatched to Operation Desert Shield in Kuwait in 1991 after Iraq's invasion.
Susan Pringle Frost, a Charleston native and suffragette, founded the Preservation Society of Charleston in 1920 to save the city's historic buildings after learning the Manigault House was to become a gas station. She pioneered the pastel-colored restoration of Rainbow Row. As a real estate agent, she bought, restored and resold many historic homes.
History In A Nutshell
Did you know that a Black sailor once served on the ill-fated Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley?
Shortly after the Hunley's arrival in Charleston, South Carolina, Lieutenant John Payne of the Confederate Navy was chosen to command the Hunley's first crew. Payne needed strong, able-bodied volunteers to man the submarine. Whether it was out of boredom or curiosity for this “fish-boat”, Absolum Williams – a sailor from the ironclad C.S.S. Palmetto State was one of the men who stepped forward. A diving accident on August 29, 1863, claimed the lives of 5 crewmembers, including Williams. The bodies of this first crew were discovered buried underneath The Citadel’s Johnson-Hagood football stadium in 1999, and later reinterred at Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery to rest alongside the other Hunley crews.
No photographs of Absolum Williams are known to exist.
What's Wild
Ants are some of the most fascinating and complex insects in the world. These tiny creatures are known for their remarkable social behavior and their ability to build intricate underground colonies. In South Carolina ecosystems, ants play a key role in maintaining a healthy habitat whether that’s in your backyard or out in the wild.
Test your knowledge and see how well you remember the episode about ants!
This edition of What's Wild is all about Carrion Beetles - one of the best bugs in the business when it comes to decomposition. If you bugged out about this episode, this quiz is for you.
Test your knowledge and see how well you remember the episode about Carrion Beetles!
This edition of What's Wild is all about Gopher Tortoises - a keystone species found in South Carolina’s sandhills. The gopher tortoise has one of the dirtiest jobs! If you caught this episode, come out of your shell and try out this quiz!
FEATURED THIS MONTH ON KNOWITALL.ORG
FIND THE CONTENT YOU NEED ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY - ALL IN ONE PLACE
KnowItAll Collections make it easy to find what you need!
Our African American History and Martin Luther King Collections contain numerous resources for African American History Month - and some you may not have imagined would be available here on KnowItAll.org!
View details below!
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY COLLECTION
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.
You’ll be amazed at the variety of resources found in the Collection! Take a look!
TOPICS
The Briggs v. Elliott case began as a simple request to provide bus transportation. In addition to having separate and very inferior facilities, black children had to walk to school, sometimes many miles.
The Friendship Nine consisted of a group of nine African American young men who were sent to jail after staging a sit-in at a segregated McCrory's lunch counter in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1961.
The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race. Meet members of the NAACP who were instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina.
Learn about noted African Americans, many born in South Carolina, with local and national accomplishments.
Approximately 150 protesters had demonstrated against racial segregation at the All-Star Bowling Alley on several occasions prior to the Orangeburg Massacre. On the evening of February 8, 1968, South Carolina State University (SCSU) students started a bonfire on the front of campus, which is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. As police and firefighters attempted to put out the fire, officer David Shealy was injured by a thrown object. South Carolina Highway Patrol officers fired shots at the protestors.
Three of the protestors, African American males, were killed and twenty-eight other protesters were injured. The three men killed included two SCSU students Samuel Hammond (18), Henry Smith (18), and Delano Middleton (17), a student at the local Wilkinson High School.
At a press conference the following day, Governor Robert E. McNair said the event was "...one of the saddest days in the history of South Carolina."
Several generations of the St. Helena community attended the historic Penn School, established as one of the first schools for freed slaves. In the 1950s and 1960s, the site served as a safe retreat for those involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other activists used the quiet refuge to plan the March on Washington, an event that helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Penn Center now serves as a resource center for those studying and protecting Sea Island communities.
Learn about the economics and hardships of slavery in South Carolina.
RELATED SERIES
A True Likeness (Richard Samuel Roberts, Photographer)
A Visit to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Park
African American History Month | Periscope
Avery Research Center | Let’s Go!
Born To Rebel, Driven To Excel (Benjamin Mays)
Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum
Civil Rights Movement | SC Hall of Fame
Civil Rights Youth Media Summit
Conversation with Judge Finney - A Lifetime of Success | ETV Classroom Classics
Dizzy Gillespie: From the Be to the Bop | Carolina Stories
Ernest A. Finney - S.C. Chief Justice | S.C. Hall of Fame
Homecoming: Art of Jonathan Green and Leo Twiggs | Carolina Stories
Jail, No Bail | Carolina Stories
Mary McLeod Bethune (Idella Bodie's S.C. Women)
Matthew Perry | SC Hall of Fame
Modjeska Simkins (Idella Bodie's S.C. Women)
Modjeska Monteith Simkins | Carolina Snaps
Penn Center: A Legacy of Change
Road Trip! Through South Carolina's Civil Rights History
Ronald McNair | Carolina Snaps
Saving Sandy Island | Carolina Stories
SC Chief Justice Ernest Finney | SC Hall of Fame
Septima Clark | SC Hall of Fame
South Carolina African American History Calendar
Talking Black in America: Roots
MARTIN LUTHER KING COLLECTION
This Collection honors the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and relays much of the history of the Civil Rights era.
RELATED SERIES
Penn Center: A Legacy of Change
African American History Month | Periscope
Road Trip! Through South Carolina's Civil Rights History
VIDEOS
Andrew Young on the Death of Martin Luther King, Jr | ETV Shorts
Benjamin Mays Historical Preservation Site Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
Benjamin Mays | SC Hall of Fame
Colored Water Fountain | Periscope
Coretta Scott King – Road Trip Through S.C. Civil Rights History
Judge Matthew Perry, Jr. | Road Trip (Courthouse Dedication April 23, 2004)
King at Penn Center – Road Trip Through S.C. Civil Rights History
Land - Penn Center | A Natural State
Leading the Struggle – Road Trip Through S.C. Civil Rights History
March on Washington | Crowd on the Mall | Periscope
March on Washingon | Periscope
March on Washington | Road Trip
Marian Wright Edelman – S.C. Hall of Fame
Martin Luther King with President Lyndon Johnson | Periscope
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) – Road Trip Through S.C. Civil Rights History (Audio file and transcript are available on this page of KnowItAll.org- direct link is here.)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebrated at the State House (2015) – Palmetto Scene
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Legislation | Periscope
Orangeburg Massacre, Part 4 – The Big Picture
Penn Center: A Legacy, Part 2 – Social Injustice
Policemen & Federal Marshals | Periscope
Road Trip Upstate, Stop 3: Key Leadership
Ruby Bridges (1960} | Periscope
Septima Clark – S.C. Hall of Fame
Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles | Periscope
Why the Penn Center? Road Trip Through S.C. Civil Rights History
Women of Character | Carolina Stories
LESSONS
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Out of the Shadows | Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
- Read, Write, Paint and Sing...Celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King
View the full Martin Luther King Collection – just one click away!
Additional Resources for February Include:
This day celebrates freedom from slavery. View resources about slavery on KnowItAll here.
On February 1, 2003, sixteen minutes before it was scheduled to land, the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) broke apart over the skies of Texas. All seven crew members perished in the accident. Columbia is the second space shuttle lost in flight, the other being the shuttle Challenger.
In this program, Dr. LeConte Cathey, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of South Carolina, talks about the risks involved with space travel. ETV sent a crew to interview people in the streets of Columbia, South Carolina to get their thoughts and reflections on the 'Challenger' disaster. More on the "Challenger" disaster is available here.
Choose from an abundance of videos on a wide array of professions right here on KnowItAll.org! Videos are organized by Career Cluster. Visit our Career Explorations Collection!
Find resources to encourage reading in our Libraries, Literature & Learning Collection!
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Visit our Women in Leadership Collection, which includes these topics and others!
- Women: Civil Rights & Equal Rights Advocates
- Women: Disability Rights Advocates
- Women in Arts Professions
- Women in Aviation
- Women in Business
- Women in Education
- Women in Engineering
- Women in Government & Public Administration
- Women in Leadership Roles
- Women in Legal Professions
- Women in Literature
- Women in Media
- Women in Medicine
- Women in Science
- Women in Sports
- Women in Technology
An international day recognizing the need to promote social justice, which includes efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender equality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections. View the collection!
National Polar Bear Day - View our resources on polar bears!
Visit our Factoids to see all of the resources that are relevant to each month's observances and dates to remember! Our February Factoids are here and our KnowItAll Factoids for the full year are here!
KNOWITALL USERS:
PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME SERIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED DUE TO OUTDATED MATERIAL OR CURRICULUM STANDARDS
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