Columbia, S.C. – Today, U.S. House Majority James E. Clyburn announced that the National Park Service (NPS) will add four South Carolina resources to the African American Civil Rights Network (AACRN). The Waverly Historic District, St. George Rosenwald School, Harden Street Substation and Equalization Schools Website are among the network’s properties, facilities, and interpretive programs that present a comprehensive narrative of the people, places, and events associated with the African American Civil Rights movement.
“As Black History Month comes to an end, I am pleased to see the National Park Service add these four important resources to their African American Civil Rights Network. Studying and understanding our nation’s history is a vital step towards a more perfect union,” said Congressman Clyburn. “I encourage others to take advantage of all that this network has to offer. We ought not just focus on Black history one month a year. Every month should be an opportunity to learn about the experiences of past leaders whose shoulders we all stand upon.”
South Carolina: Waverly Historic District
Established shortly after the Civil War, Waverly Historic District is significant as Columbia’s first suburb, incorporated into Columbia city limits in 1913. The former site of Waverly Five & Dime, one of several establishments operated by entrepreneur and political activist George Elmore, is located here.
South Carolina: St. George Rosenwald School
In the 1960s, the Rosenwald School building served as a meeting and training site for civil rights workers in the Dorchester County Civil Rights Movement. Meetings for Black citizens were also held to help prepare them to register and vote.
South Carolina: Harden Street Substation
The Harden Street Substation is significant for its strong association with segregation in Columbia. Its construction and the subsequent desegregation of the Columbia Fire Department were evidence of gradual racial change, the direct result of African American political organizing, civil rights litigation and direct-action protest throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
South Carolina: Equalization Schools Website
The South Carolina Equalization Schools website tells the story of a sustained political, economic, and social effort to maintain segregated public schools in the state. This program was the first time South Carolina provided any significant funding to its African American public schools. The story of the equalization school program fits into the long struggle for equal access to public education for African Americans, and the eventual fight to desegregate the public school system in the South.
The NPS accepts applications on a rolling basis from individuals and organizations associated with the African American Civil Rights movement. Details about the application and review process are available online.