Despite limited news coverage, in September 1962, protesters holding anti-integration signs picketed outside Woolworth's and other stores on Main Street. 5/5.

For several days, Black students ate at these newly-integrated lunch counters as city newspapers, television, and radio stations agreed not to cover the breakthrough, hoping to prevent segregationist opposition. 4/5.

Finally, on August 21, 1962, after years of boycotts and sit-ins, Black customers were served at lunch counters of eight businesses on or near Main Street, including Woolworth's, Kress, Walgreens, Eckerd's, and others. 3/5.

State NAACP President J. Arthur Brown had sent telegrams to national store headquarters promising a "selective buying" campaign until they desegregated. 2/5.

#OnThisDay in 1962, in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, lunch counters desegregated amid a news blackout. Pressure from the student movement and the NAACP led the mayor, business representatives, and NAACP officials to devise the plan. 1/5

Zines are short, DIY booklets used to share stories, knowledge, & experiences with others, including art, activism, history, and resources. With free admission to the Our Story Matters Gallery, stop by from 10 AM to 5 PM to create your own zine with our gallery attendants! 3/3

To celebrate the second anniversary of the Our Story Matters Gallery, we invite everyone to join us on Tuesday, August 26 to create your own zine! 2/3.

Over the past two years, we've shared stories of Black life in Columbia and the Washington Street Black Business District. Now, we want to hear your stories! 📖 1/3

Learn more about voting rights in South Carolina by visiting 5/5.

They knew this violated their constitutional rights, and they were not allowed to register. It wasn't until 45 years later that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed these tactics and finally allowed Black women the full opportunity to vote. 4/5.

In the weeks following the passage of the 19th Amendment, hundreds of white women registered to vote in Columbia, South Carolina. When several dozen Black women attempted to register, they were asked to read and explain passages of the South Carolina criminal code. 3/5.

Despite constitutional amendments banning voter discrimination based on race and sex, voter suppression tactics in Southern states survived. Approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, these tactics prevented women of color from voting. 2/5.

#OnThisDay in 1920, the United States ratified the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, recognizing the right of women to vote: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” 1/5

These trailblazers who attended and graduated from @uofsc from 1963 through 1983 reconnected with their classmates, viewed the “Where Do We Go From Here?” exhibit, and learned more about the work of the @UofSCCRC! #ForeverToThee 🤙 2/2

This morning the @UofSCCRC had the honor of hosting a Black Alumni Reunion, “The First Generation After Reintegration,” in the Hollings Library Program Room. 1/2

By the end of 1965, a quarter of a million new Black voters were registered to vote! South Carolinian Bishop Frederick C. James, who was a civil rights activist and friend of the @UofSCCRC, was gifted a pen the president used in the ceremony. 3/3.

The Voting Rights Act also required South Carolina and other states with a long history of voter discrimination to receive federal approval before implementing any new state voting provisions and laid out methods to challenge voter suppression. 2/3.

#OnThisDay 60 years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into federal law. It banned state laws that, intentionally or not, prevented Black people from voting. 1/3

Yesterday, we welcomed our postdoctoral fellows to campus! Dr. Thomas and Dr. Cammeron have begun their in-person onboarding here at the @UofSC, with Dr. Foster joining us next week. Keep an eye out on our social media and newsletter to keep up with their research updates.

As a sponsor, exhibitor, and presenter at this year’s conference, the @UofSCCRC is proud to help lift that mission and share the history of South Carolinians who protested and organized during the African American Civil Rights Movement. #AAAM2025 4/4