The Overlooked Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina

Abstract

This paper examines the overlooked but critical role of South Carolina in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the contributions of student-led activism, landmark legal cases, and influential grassroots leaders. Focusing on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Claflin University, Allen University, Benedict College, South Carolina State University, and the Avery Institute, the study explores how students catalyzed local movements through sit-ins, marches, and organized protests. It also investigates the legal and social ramifications of desegregation efforts following Brown v. Board of Education, including the resistance from public institutions and the emergence of segregation academies. Key civil rights events—such as the Friendship Nine sit-in, the Charleston Hospital Workers\u27 Strike, and the New Year’s Day March with Jackie Robinson—are analyzed alongside the contributions of South Carolina activists and the roles of organizations like SNCC, NAACP, CORE, and SCLC. Through court cases such as Briggs v. Elliott, Edwards v. South Carolina, and Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, the paper illustrates how South Carolina’s legal battles helped redefine civil rights jurisprudence. By restoring South Carolina’s rightful place in the broader narrative, the study offers a more complete and nuanced understanding of the Civil Rights Movement in the American South