To say that Congressman Jim Clyburn is a driven man is an understatement. Clyburn had been involved in politics, one way or another, ever since his youth. It was during his time as South Carolina State College where Clyburn found his niche in politics, and became a civil rights advocate. During the 50’s and 60’s, Clyburn crossed paths with other S.C. civil rights figures, such as Matthew Perry, and L. DeQuincey Newman. After getting married, Clyburn moved to Charleston where he taught high school history. In the early 1970’s, Clyburn began his career in elective politics, and then S.C. governor John West was so impressed with Clyburn’s work, that Clyburn was appointed to Gov. West’s staff; being the first African American elected to serve on a governor’s staff since Reconstruction. During Jim Clyburn’s service on the governor’s staff, he created effective antidiscrimination laws. These laws were so effective, in fact, that other states, like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, patterned their antidiscrimination laws, following S.C.’s model.
Standards
- 5.4.CE Analyze the causes and impacts of social movements in the U.S. and South Carolina.
- This indicator was designed to foster inquiry into the role of South Carolina in the Modern Civil Rights Movement, to include the influence of court cases such as Briggs v. Elliot and Flemming v. South Carolina Electric and Gas. This indicator was also developed to promote inquiry into the relationship between national leadership, protests, and events and South Carolina leadership, protests and events, such as the Friendship Nine and the Orangeburg Massacre.
