In April 1963, U.S Attorney General Robert Kennedy arrived in Columbia to speak about the Kennedy administration’s concern about segregation and racial discrimination. While Kennedy praised South Carolina for the peaceful integration of Harvey Gantt into Clemson College he predicted that racial troubles will worsen “unless real progress is made”.

Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22, 2013, as Katherine Mellen Charron, author and associate professor of history at North Carolina State University discusses Freedom’s Teacher:  The Life of Septima Clark.

Civil rights news moved away from Harvey Gantt and drifted back home to the midlands in March 1963. 

A five-volume set and supplement covering all aspects of the African-American experience from 1619 to the present day. Using biographies, historical essays, and thematic pieces, many written by foremost scholars, it addresses a wide array of subjects in over 2,300 articles to define in one source the cultural roots, participation in American life, and current condition of the African-American community.

This authoritative resource presents the people, places and times that defined an era and documents the launch of cultural development among African Americans in 1920s Harlem. This single volume contains almanac and biographies sections with primary source documents in sidebars throughout.

The Coretta Scott King Award is given by the American Library Association (ALA) annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators. This year’s recipient was Bryan Collier, an artist whose work is no stranger to the ALA.  The winning illustrations are presented in the book entitled I, Too, Am America, a short but powerful poem written by Langston Hughes, in which Collier beautifully portrays strength in the face of adversity with his watercolor washed collages. Collier has illustrated more than 20 books in his career, collecting several Coretta Scott King awards as well as three Caldecott Honors.

Celebrate African American History Month at the Richland Library and join us for Voices of Our People, an annual celebration of African American life, culture, art, and history.  This event is a showcase of community talent featuring artists, singers, poets, dancers, and much more.  Voices of Our People is being held at 4 library locations this year so don’t miss out! 

African Americans in South Carolina have a long and vibrant history, beginning in 1540, 130 years before the founding of Charles Town.  Several Africans were members of the Hernando DeSoto expedition through the Southeast.  According to the chronicles of this expedition, one of these African adventurers fled with the captured Native American “Queen” of Cofitachique and possibly became the first person of African descent to live in the Carolinas.

At the Crossroads of Freedom & Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation & the March on Washington – This year’s National Black History Month theme highlights two pivotal moments in African American history.  It was 150 years ago that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln, providing freedom for over 3 million slaves in the United States.  Fifty years ago on August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his compelling “I Have a Dream” speech, expressing his vision of equality for all mankind.  To learn more about these remarkable events, check out some of the books listed below.  For recommendations on where to begin your online research, see the Related Resources (online research tools) and Websites lists.