Septima Poinsette Clark, born in Charleston, South Carolina, was a pioneering educator and civil rights activist dedicated to building a more just society. She created Citizenship Schools—community-based programs that taught literacy, civic engagement, and voter registration skills to thousands of African Americans across the South. These efforts helped over 28,000 Southern Blacks pass literacy tests and register to vote, challenging segregation and expanding voting rights.
Clark’s initiatives significantly increased Black voter participation and cultivated new community leaders, especially women. Despite losing her teaching position for refusing to leave the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, she persisted, collaborating with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to develop the Citizenship Education Program. Known as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” Clark emphasized education as a vital tool for justice and unity. Her legacy endures through her work in civil rights education and social justice movements, inspiring ongoing efforts to promote equality. Her life exemplifies how teaching and activism can transform communities and history, leaving a lasting impact on South Carolina and the nation.
Presented through a partnership between the South Carolina Department of Education and South Carolina ETV.
View the series on KnowItAll.org here.
The SC African American History Calendar for 2026 is now available here and for downloading here.