The unveiling of this African American History Monument on March 26, 2001, made South Carolina the first of the fifty states to have a monument dedicated to black history on the grounds of its state capitol. Authorized by Act 457 of the General Assembly, the monument was designed by Mr. Ed Dwight, who has created over 35 major memorials throughout the United States. The centerpiece of the monument is a twenty-three foot tall granite obelisk. Two curved granite walls depict historic scenes of African American history in South Carolina. Inset in a large stone in front of the centerpiece are four rubbing stones brought from Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Ghana in Africa. It is believed that rubbing a stone from home can take one back there in spirit.
