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.
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Standing over 65 feet tall and 25 feet wide, the Angel Oak on John’s Island, near Charleston, SC, is believed to be the largest live oak tree east of the Mississippi river.