Today, the South Carolina Department of Education, South Carolina ETV (SCETV) and the University of South Carolina Center for Civil Rights Research and History announce the launch of standards-based African American history content for classrooms across the state.
“These lessons and resources are not just reserved for the celebration of Black History Month, but should be used by educators throughout the year to highlight the important contributions of African Americans in our state and in the nation,” said the Superintendent State Education Molly Spearman.
Over the past 32 years, South Carolina’s African American History Calendar has highlighted and drawn national attention to notable African American filmmakers with ties to South Carolina. This year, the Calendar has been reinforced with lesson plans developed by teachers from South Carolina, as well as videos and documentaries produced by SCETV. All content is in line with South Carolina College and Career Ready standards. The University of South Carolina supports research content creation and connects developers to primary sources.
“As a public media network in South Carolina, SCETV is proud to serve as the state’s top storyteller – a role that gives us opportunities to work on projects like the African American History Calendar,” said the president and SCETV CEO Anthony Padgett. “We are honored to once again be involved in such an important community and educational initiative, highlighting individuals who have had a real and lasting impact on their communities and the state.”
The 2021 lesson plans, activities and videos encourage teachers to engage their students in an in-depth discussion of the honorees. Each month’s activity coincides with the month’s honoree and focuses on the historical impacts they have had on society and South Carolina. Class activities support students who fulfill the South Carolina Graduate Profile through learning based research, as well as helping school districts to ensure that African American history and African American culture and experiences are integrated into the existing K-12 social studies curriculum.
The 2021 African American History Calendar features the Jenkins Institute, located in Charleston, on the cover. The Jenkins Institute, founded in 1891, was formerly known as the “Jenkins Orphanage”. What started out as a simple act of kindness from a husband and wife welcoming four orphans would eventually turn into a musical empire that inspired some of the country’s most famous African-American talents.
The honorees presented in the 2021 calendar are:
Allie Brooks, a native of Florence, South Carolina, has served for more than 35 years as a teacher, principal and superintendent of schools in Pee Dee.
Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a native of Gifford, Florida, became the first African American woman in Orangeburg County to be elected a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
Bernard and Herbert Fielding, natives of Charleston, South Carolina, were active members of the NAACP. Bernard was the first African-American probate judge in Charleston County. Herbert became one of the first African-American lawmakers in the South Carolina House of Representatives since Reconstruction.
Rosa Franklin, a native of Cordesville, South Carolina, was the first African American to serve in the Washington State Senate.
Sherman James, a native of Hartsville, South Carolina, was the first African American to be elected president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, the largest professional society of epidemiologists in North America.
Willis and Clara Langley, natives of Washington, North Carolina, were the first African American couple to buy a McDonald’s restaurant in the city of Columbia.
L. Casey Manning, Sr., a native of Dillon, South Carolina, was the first African American to receive a scholarship to play basketball at the University of South Carolina.
Amy Surginer Northrop, a native of Dixiana, South Carolina, was named the first African American state inspector of beauty salons in South Carolina.
Gloria Blackwell Rackley, a native of Little Rock, South Carolina, was an educator and an influential member of the NAACP and the Civil Rights Movement in Orangeburg. Rackley won several significant civil rights lawsuits.
Nathan Spells, Sr., a native of Bowman, South Carolina, is the CEO and founder of Construction Dynamics, Inc., one of the leading General Contracting and Construction Management companies owned and operated by minorities in the Southeast.
AJ Whittenberg, a native of Fork Shoals, South Carolina, served as president of the NAACP in Greenville and was instrumental in the breakdown of schools in Greenville. A primary school was named after him in 2001.
Dorris Wright, a native of Greenville, South Carolina, played a key role in the Upstate Civil Rights Movement and led Greenville’s first diner protests.
Click here to see the 2021 calendar and class activities.