Black History Facts of the Day - In The Black Net (2024)

Black History Month is here, and, during February, WYFF News 4 Today will feature a Black History “Fact of the Day.”We’re spotlighting African American history in the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina and northeast Georgia on Monday through Friday beginning at 4:30 a.m. We will update this page daily to include the newest “Fact of the Day.”Don’t forget to watch WYFF News 4 Today every Monday through Friday beginning at 4:30 a.m.Click here to watch live. 2024Feb. 1A.J. Whittenberg: Abraham Jonas Whittenberg was a pioneer for civil rights in Greenville. He served as President of the Greenville NAACP and he fought for his daughter to be one of the first students to desegregate Greenville Schools in 1964.2023 Feb 28 : 1869 Boutique Liquor & Wine : It’s a local business built on a legacy that goes back nearly 200 years. 1869 Boutique Liquor and Wine is near the historic Nicholtown area of Greenville. Owners Pam Singleton and Seldon Peden say they offer a unique alcohol-buying experience with new product tastings, masterclasses on cooking with wines, grilling with whiskeys and cigar pairings. Singleton says it’s been an honor to make an impact on the community as the only African-American woman to own a liquor store in Greenville.”I feel very proud to be in this space and to be able to have the capacity and the support to do this and as a black woman it does make me feel extremely proud in this male dominated industry,” says Singleton.The name 1869 is a reference to the year Nicholtown landed on the map. The pair says on the first day of the year 1869, the Greenville County Sheriff auctioned off the property which ran from Laurens Road to the Reedy River. More than half of the first 20 settlers were newly-freed enslaved people who established their homes and property in the neighborhood.And with that special history in mind, Peden says they want their customers to have access to both luxury and mainstream brands.”We want this to be your store where you just come in, hang out with us, get what you want and enjoy your time,” says Peden.”It makes me feel extremely proud. To be sitting in this space and in this historic space called Nicholtown.”1869 Boutique Liquor and Wine has been holding events in honor of Black History Month featuring free tastings every Saturday of black-owned bourbons and whiskeys. Feb 27 :Marysville School : the only all-black school in Pacolet was built in 1915. It’s still standing. WYFF News 4 got an exclusive look inside the school. Click here for the full story.Feb 24 :Sara Ware : Sarah Ware was born on Dec. 29, 1922, in Anderson. She turned 100 years old in December 2022. Here is her journey in west Greenville as the first Black person to work in Greenville’s sewing industry.Feb 23 :Clemson Area African-American Museum : the Clemson Area African-American Museum is managed by the city of Clemson, and is the only African-American museum in Pickens County, at 214 Butler Street in the city of Clemson. It was founded in 2007, and in 2021 hired its first executive director, Angela Agard. She says the mission of CAAAM is to collect, interpret, exhibit and preserve the history of African-Americans in the upstate of South Carolina. The museum is located in what was once the Calhoun Colored School (the elementary and middle school for African-American students during segregation in Clemson. The Calhoun Colored School started out as a one room frame structure in 1910, and later a four room structure was formed in 1948, where the current building stands. In 1911, Calhoun Colored School only had one teacher who received an annual salary of 100 dollars. In 1913 the length of the school term was 70 days, with an average attendance of 43. Here’s what’s on display right now at CAAAM. This month, a $3.4 million grant from the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project was awarded to Clemson University, to support the creation of a Black Heritage Trail in Seneca and Clemson. CAAAM’s executive director Angela Agard is leading the city of Clemson’s project.Feb 22 : Josh White :- Greenville native, civil rights activist and trailblazing blues player Josh White was born in Greenville in 1914 and had a flourishing career heading into the 1940s. White collaborated with some of the greatest artists of the era including Woody Guthrie, and performed and recorded with the jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams. He became the first African-American artist to ever perform a nationwide tour and sell one million records. He also had a long lasting and close relationship with both President Franklin Roosevelt and the first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt and was the first African-American to play a command performance at the White House. His relationship with the Roosevelts was so close, they became the godparents of White’s son, Josh White Jr. In 1998, the USPS honored Josh White with his own postage stamp. Today a memorial statue honors his legacy in downtown Greenville at the corner of Hammond Street and Falls Park Drive. The sculpture is made entirely of bronze, and according to sculptor Joe Thompson it’s intended to show Josh White as a “dynamic force in three different moments of his life”. On the other side of the sculpture is a testimony White made before the “House Un-American Activities Committee” in 1950. It details his love for being able to speak out, or in his case, sing out against what we consider wrong and what we consider right. Josh White’s legacy will live on in the Upstate through his music and at the sculpture in downtown Greenville. Source : Josh White’s son, City of Greenville, Library of Congress. Feb 21 : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visits Upstate: according to the Greenville Chapter of the NAACP, Claussen Bakery was known to some as a business that treated its African-American employees unfairly The chapter said nearly two dozen employees went on strike in February of 1967. The group brought in activist Rev. Jesse Jackson to help and Jackson helped bring in Dr. King. A historical marker was established at the site of the bakery in 2016.Feb 20 : Joseph Vaughn : According to Furman University, in 1965, a student by the name of Joseph Vaughn walked onto the furman campus and made history right at that moment as the first African-American undergraduate at the school.Vaughn became known for carrying the weight of being what he called a “majority of one” at Furman and quickly became a student leader.”He carried it so gracefully and he carried it in such a way that he didn’t let it bother him,” says his cousin, Marcus Tate. “Again, he saw himself as an instrument of change.” He was fluent in french, a cheerleader, and also brought much-needed attention to the civil rights movement. In 2021, a bronze statue of Vaughn was unveiled as the first statue to represent a person of color on Furman’s campus.”We have entered a new season. Not only as an institution but also as a nation,” says Qwameek Bethea, the NAACP Chapter President at Furman. So, now he stands in the busiest part of campus facing out to make sure anyone who comes to Furman feels welcome. WYFF News 4 spoke to Michael Jennings, the Chief Diversity Officer at Furman. “It’s really the visual symbol of the struggle that we’ve had at Furman and of the work we continue to do w/ diversity equity and inclusion,” says Jennings. Feb 17 : Greenville County Schools integrate (on this day) – Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1970, after a long weekend, Greenville County Schools integrated all of its schools through a mid-year student reassignment plan that achieved approximately 80% white and 20% Black students and teachers at all of its schools. More than 12,000 students and 500 teachers were moved. The board and administration had just four days to conceive and complete the integration plan. Integration was originally scheduled for the fall of 1970, but a court decision in Mississippi and a push by local parents led the Fourth Circuit to reverse the September deadline. Originally set for Feb. 9, the deadline was extended to Feb. 17. Source: Greenville County Schools website. Feb 16 :Beatrice Thompson : Beatrice Thompson was the first African-American person elected to the Anderson City Council. At 90-years-old, she’s still in office. Joey Withinarts is the artist behind the painting, which is on display at the Westside Community Center.Feb 15 : Loretta Holloway : trailblazing jazz singer from Belton, South Carolina. More here – https://www.wyff4.com/article/… Feb 14:Erica McCier: is the owner and executive chef of Indigenous Underground in Abbeville and has been recognized as a 2023 South Carolina Chef Ambassador.Feb 13 : Leola Robinson-Simpson: a longtime politician and activist from Greenville, is the former representative of District 25 in the South Carolina House of Representatives. She represented the people there for nearly 10 years. Known for bringing a number of changes to the predominantly African-American neighborhoods in her district, Robinson-Simpson is also known for being jailed as a young woman for sitting at a segregated lunch counter in downtown Greenville in 1960. Shortly after, in Columbia, she helped lead black high school students on a march for racial equality at the state capital. Graduating from Sterling High School with honors, Robinson-Simpson went on to earn a master’s degree from Furman University. And before joining politics, she served for 16 years on the Greenville County School Board. She says she was always known as a fighter when it came to the needs of the students and later pushed for a bill that would require seatbelts on school buses. Leola Robinson-Simpson chose not to run for re-election in 2022, saying the best path to helping the minority community is outside the legislature.Feb 10 : Lucy Saunders Herring : Lucy Saunders Herring worked as an educator and community leader in Asheville, North Carolina. According to UNC Asheville’s Library of Special Collections, her work helped transform African-American education in Western North Carolina and the state of North Carolina. At 20-years-old, Saunders was offered a job teaching 3rd and 5th grades at Hill Street Elementary School in Asheville. She eventually transitioned into the role of ‘Jeanes Fund Supervisor’, in the central part of North Carolina. During her time there, Herring dropped the number of black teachers with substandard or provisional teaching certificates from nearly 2,000 to just under 200. In 1935 Herring moved back to Asheville and would continue working as a supervisor in Buncombe County. She became an active leader in Asheville, working with parent-teacher groups, community organizations and raised funds to buy additional books and other materials for schools. Herring was named principal of Mountain Street Elementary School six years later, and by the late 1940s she became the first African American on the Asheville School and Supervisory staff to have an office in City Hall. In 1949, Herring was appointed as the supervisor for the African American City Schools in Asheville, a position she held until her retirement in 1964. Lucy Saunders Herring remained extremely active in the community after retirement, serving on numerous boards and working to collect materials that document the heritage of black highlanders in Western North Carolina. The materials she and others gathered constituted the heritage of black highlanders collection at UNC Asheville.Feb 9 : Shirley Allmond: Shirley Allmond says she was not only the first black female deputy for the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, she was also the first black female investigator for the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.7 Allmond grew up in Sterling, a historically black community near downtown Greenville, and says she realized at a very young age that God had bigger plans for her while working as a spinner in a cotton mill. After studying criminal justice at Greenville Tech, she became a deputy in 1978 at the age of 26. She was then promoted to master deputy in 1981. In 1985, she became an investigator in the narcotics division and says the toughest part of that job was witnessing the impact that the crack epidemic had on the community. In 1987, she was honored as Officer of the Year.Over the years, Shirley Allmond kept people safe from Greer to Fountain Inn. And, as a narcotics investigator, she says she helped with drug investigations from as far away as Charleston.She tells WYFF News 4 that her job allowed her to make a positive impact on the lives in the community and also to serve as a vessel for God’s work. Feb 8 : Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia : The Regional African-American Museum of Northeast Georgia, Incorporated was founded in 2010. Its curator and current director is Audrey Davenport. Davenport says the museum’s premise is to honor & preserve the cultural heritage of communities who attended the Cornelia Regional Colored School, an ‘equalization’ school built and maintained by boards of education in Banks, Habersham, Rabun and White counties from 1955 to 1966 to avoid integration of those counties’ high schools. CRCS was K-12, but the other counties had segregated elementary schools, and to avoid integrating their high schools – students were bused from Banks, Rabun and White into Habersham. This was prior to Brown vs. Board of Education. The Regional African-American Museum of Northeast Georgia’s collection is comprised of 20 panels. It’s becoming part of the Digital Library of Georgia in the near future. The Digital Library of Georgia approached the Regional African-American Museum of Northeast Georgia, to create a “pilot” program. This March, you can see the physical collection in person, which will be featured as part of the Habersham County Historical Society’s 50th year celebration on the campus of Piedmont University, The Commons in Demorest, Georgia.Feb 7:McClaren Medical Shelter: The Upstate Urban League says the McClaren Medical Shelter was founded by Dr. Edward McClaren in 1949 to treat African-American patients during segregation. For decades, the clinic on Wardlaw St. in West Greenville, cared for patients from as far away as Laurens and Anderson – and after being moved 60 feet to make room for new apartments, the ownership of the historic building has now been transferred from the city of Greenville to the Urban League of the Upstate.”People do what is necessary to survive,” says Pastor Stacey Mills. “We’re talking about moving a group of people from survival to thriving and thriving means people learning about building a relationship with a doctor.”In all, more than 1,000 black patients received treatment at the McClaren Medical Shelter when they were not able to receive from local white facilities.Pastor Mills says that type of attention and care was crucial to the black community. “It’s imortant that a doctor is able to look at someone’s total life experience and map a healthcare treatment plan that would be wholesome and better for them as an individual,” says Pastor Mills. Feb 6 : Don Jackson : Our award-winning, Chief Photographer Don Jackson was recently recognized by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association with the Honorary Life Membership Award.Don has worked here at WYFF News 4 since 1972 when the station got money through a grant to train one person for a year as a photographer. The pay was $80 a week.The news station chose Don and when they hired him officially a year later, he never looked back. He was promoted to Chief Photographer in 1988. Don’s awards and honors include a National Award for Outstanding Public Service, a Peabody Award, 2 Regional Emmys and a slew of other honors. With this Honorary Life Membership Award, Don is being saluted for making significant contributions to the industry, both in South Carolina and outside the state. Don received his award at the SCBA Awards of Distinction Ceremony on January 27th of this year.Feb 3 : Lottie Beal Gibson : Upstate native born in 1930. Read her courageous story here.Feb 2 :Littlejohn Grill : According to the Clemson Area African American Museum, the Littlejohn Grill was a popular entertainment site for many African Americans during the height of segregation in the south. Located on Highway 93 in Clemson, visitors to the Littlejohn Grill could enjoy a meal, dance to the latest music of the time and even receive lodging. The Littlejohn Grill was owned by Horace and Gertrude Littlejohn and was in business from the 1950s through the 1970s. Family members say Horace may have been the first black man to own a club between Atlanta and Charlotte, a distance of about 250 miles. Some of the famous entertainers who performed at the Littlejohn Grill were James Brown, Ruth Brown, Otis Redding, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett and the Shirelles. The Littlejohn Grill was demolished in the 1980s and was replaced with the Littlejohn Community Center. The center’s Executive Director Adriane Garner is the granddaughter of Horace and Gertrude Littlejohn. A historical marker is at the site to commemorate the Littlejohns and the significance to the community.Feb 1 :Wisteria Garden Club : According to the Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia (RAAM), the Wisteria Civic Club, formerly known as the Wisteria Garden Club, was organized on November 20th 1965, in the home of Mrs. Willie Hamilton, under the invitation of Mrs. Beatrice Dunn. This was the first black women’s civic interest club in the area, since blacks were not allowed to join white organizations, at the time. RAAM says the purpose of this club was not only to cultivate and display plants and flowers, it was to allow youth and adults to bloom and grow during this transition from segregation to integration. After beginning in Cornelia, Georgia within a few months, memberships continued to increase– with women joining, who resided in surrounding towns and cities of Mount Airy, Clarkesville, Alto, Baldwin and Toccoa. The Wisteria Garden Club’s focus has always been its youth. Sponsoring high school graduation parties, fashion shows, softball teams, day camps and educational trips. The roster of 25 active members helps charities and non-profit organizations. The Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia’s collection is comprised of 20 panels including the Wisteria Garden Club, and is becoming part of the Digital Library of Georgia in the near future. More to follow, next week! 2022Feb 26 :Pearlie Harris : Retired Greenville County educator Pearlie Harris, originally called “Mrs. Pearlie”, grew up in Saluda, North Carolina, graduated from college and moved to Beaufort, South Carolina. After she got married, she moved to Greenville. For 30 years, she taught between 25-30 schools in Greenville County. In 1965, her husband was fighting in the war overseas in Vietnam, when she was one of the first teachers selected to go into all-white schools. Mrs. Pearlie says she endured racism, daily – even from her own students, their parents, and peers because they thought she wasn’t as nearly as qualified as her white counterparts. She says she used that adversity as motivation determined to be the best teacher in that school. She says, “I’ve been successful at a lot of things but I’m standing on the shoulders of a lot of people and they’re still lifting me up. She taught before, during and after desegregation and has been honored dozens of times in the community. Mrs. Pearlie’s also the namesake of the Bon Secours Pearlie Harris Center for Breast Health. In 2020 she was honored as the centerpiece on a massive mural that celebrates diversity and unity. Mrs. Pearlie will celebrate her 86th birthday, this April!Don Jackson : He’s forever a part of WYFF News 4’s own history. Chief photojournalist Don Jackson began working here at WYFF 50 Years ago back in 1972 when we were known as WFBC. He says that year, the station got money through a grant to train one person for a year as a photographer. The pay was $80 a week. The news station chose Don and when they hired him officially a year later, he says he never looked back. When learning to tell a story with his camera in the early days, Don says the best advice he got was shoot what’s happening but then turn around and look behind you because the real story could be anywhere. Over the years, Don has filmed thousands of stories and says his job is never the same from day to day. He says his most unforgettable assignment was a press conference by Muhammad Ali at the state house in Columbia in 1973. But Don says this station and Greenville are home and he’s never seen a reason to leave. In 2022, Don was awarded the Honorary Life Membership Award by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association (SCBA).Feb 25 :758th Tank Battalion : a display at the Military History Museum in Greenville is remembering a groundbreaking group of soldiers who fought in WWII. The 758th Light Tank Battalion was the only African-American tank battalion to fight in Italy during the war.The unit shipped off to Italy in October 1944, landing near Pisa later that year.There, they trained with the Buffalo soldiers of the all African-American 92nd Infantry Division. In early April 1945, the 758th was a part of the unit that attacked the German’s last line of defense in Italy. Reports show, they saw hard fighting into early May when the Germans finally surrendered and the war ended. The Italians looked at the African-American soldiers as liberators and they were warmly accepted and welcomed in the country. On VE Day, the city of Genoa held a parade honoring the 758th Light Tank Battalion. For their sacrifice, there’s a display at the Military History Museum at the downtown Greenville airport, honoring the 758th and all of the African-American soldiers who fought in WWII.Feb 24 :Chapman Products : Founded by husband and wife team William P. Chapman Jr. and Kimberly Chapman, the Chapman Products Company conglomerate remains a leader in the hair and skincare industries. CPC manufactures hair and skincare products for Nairobi Professional, Congo Professional, Pamper, Kerafena Natural Hair Smoothing System, Grandma’s Secret Potion, Affair Pro, and Akura Wellness Skincare. Seeing the need for better and healthier hair care products, the Chapmans wanted to fill a national void. They intentionally sought out ways to provide underserved or diverse communities exceptional products to enhance beauty without compromising style. Kimberly Chapman says, “We built our brands on the radical path of science to help prevent hair damage. In addition, our products were created to be used by professionals to alleviate hair breakage. We follow up by offering classes to ensure optimum hair health and client satisfaction.” Grandma’s Secret Potion was the first brand for CPC and the iconic picture remains a staple in the professional hair care industry. Sister brand Nairobi Professional delivers a variety of top-rated products used in salons worldwide including the #1 rated foaming lotion known in the professional hair styling community. With more than thirty years of experience manufacturing the best brands on the market, CPC continues to offer incredible solutions for hair and skin regimens with over 200 distributors, 28 employees, and a thriving worldwide footprint. In 1999 the Chapmans felt it was essential to expand into community outreach, birthing the Chapman Foundation. CFI is a charity that provides scholarships to high school students and delivers school supplies along with toys to the less fortunate. CFI has given over 250,000.00 annually to children in need internationally. SHEEN Magazine also under the CPC umbrella was also created out of necessity. Kimberly Chapman states, “Our company from the ground up but found it very expensive to advertise our brands on most national media platforms, Although I didn’t have any media experience, I knew I was interested in fashion, beauty, and entertainment. Combining all my interests in one place while advertising Chapman Hair Products would be ideal for gaining more customers. Thus, SHEEN Magazine was born.” For over a decade, this international publication has been the preeminent voice within the beauty industry. Published bi-monthly, SHEEN Magazine has consistently proven to be the catalyst of culture and a media influencer able to provide up-to-date news while predicting trends within the world of beauty, fashion, hair, and entertainment. SHEEN Magazine is “The Ultimate Beauty Guide” for the modern-day woman and has over 100K daily email reach, a 500K (plus) social media audience, and over 1-million weekly print capability.Feb 23 :Chadwick Boseman : Chadwick Boseman was born and raised in Anderson, S.C. Boseman graduated from T.L. Hanna High School. While there he was very involved on-campus. He was a student-athlete, a star on the school’s basketball team, a member of the speech and debate team — where he placed in the oratory national tournament in 1995, and he was recognized as Mr. T.L. Hanna his senior year. He graduated in 1995 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing at Howard University, then attended the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England.Boseman was very well-known for starring as T’Challa in Marvel’s Black Panther, the first African American superhero in a major feature film. He was also a superhero off-screen. The public had no idea Boseman was fighting stage 3 colon cancer, as he worked on several films. Including movies like Black Panther, Marshall, Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, Da 5 Bloods and 21 Bridges.Feb 22:Lucinda Brawley : First black female student enrolled at Clemson University. In 1963 Lucinda Brawley stepped foot on Clemson’s campus to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. Soon after she began dating the only African American student at Clemson to come before her, Harvey Gantt. Lucinda and Harvey’s bond as Clemson firsts blossomed into a forever love. They got married while they were students there. Just two years after Lucinda’s enrollment, The Gantts moved to Charlotte, North Carolina where Lucinda completed her degree at UNC Charlotte. She later earned a second bachelor’s in accounting and served on the board of governors for UNC Charlotte. Beyond her academic achievements, Lucinda has been involved in numerous civic and political activities. She’s now retired with four children and eight grandchildren.Feb 21 : Soapstone Church : Soapstone Baptist Church in Liberia, SC was founded in 1865 by freed slaves and, to this day, serves as a place of worship in an area steeped in African-American history and culture. The church has even received international attention. Their famous fish fries and their mission to help others has been covered in numerous magazines. And because of these monthly fish fries, the church’s mortgage has recently been paid off. Last year, students from Clemson University came to Soapstone to help clean the historic cemetery on the church grounds. The students finished their work with a candlelight vigil to honor the men and women buried there who were once enslaved. The church is now working with Upstate Forever to ensure the 7 acres where Soapstone, the cemetery and the one-room schoolhouse sit are protected from developers. The church says the fish fry events have come to an end but the services will continue and they’d like to hold weddings, family reunions and other functions there in the future. Feb 18 : Rodney Acker : the first African-American football player for Furman University. Acker was a wide receiver and three-year letter winner for Furman from 1970 to 1972. He was credited with 32 receptions for 360 yards and three touchdown catches during his career. Acker was also a great scholar. In 1969 he earned the highest SAT score among African-Americans in Greenville County.Feb. 17 : Greenville County Schools Integrate: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1970, after a long weekend, Greenville County Schools integrated all of its schools through a mid-year student reassignment plan that achieved approximately 80% white and 20% Black students and teachers at all of its schools. More than 12,000 students and 500 teachers were moved. The board and administration had just four days to conceive and complete the integration plan. Integration was originally scheduled for the fall of 1970, but a court decision in Mississippi and a push by local parents led the Fourth Circuit to reverse the September deadline. Originally set for Feb. 9, the deadline was extended to Feb. 17. Source: Greenville County Schools website.Feb. 16 : Jim-Ree Museum: The Elbert County Chamber of Commerce says Jim-Ree Museum is one of the only Black History museums in northeast Georgia. The Jim-Ree Museum in Elberton first came to be in the mid-1990s. Its founder, Jimmy White, says many of the early members at the museum survived the Jim Crow era and they feel it’s vital to “pass on the collective wisdom to current and future youth.” The Jim-Ree Museum is named after Jimmy’s parents Delree and Jimmy White Sr. and started as a collection of family historical documents and heirlooms before taking over Elberton’s historic courthouse. This collection is meant to educate children and adults about the contributions of African Americans in the Appalachian foothills area, the nation and the world. The motto of the museum is “Looking back, Moving forward” and they host several community events throughout the year including a fun run, health fair, and annual festival. For more information on the Jim-Ree Museum in Elberton, Georgia, visit the website www.jimree.orgFeb. 15 : The Greenville Eight: July of 1960 – the moment Black students filed into a whites-only Greenville County Library. In July of 1960, “The Greenville Eight” bravely browsed the shelves, and then sat down in the library’s reading room with the threat of being arrested. A young Jesse Jackson was there leading the way after being denied the right to check out a book earlier in the year. The sit-in lasted less than an hour and police arrived and arrested all eight students for disorderly conduct. But with the help of Donald Sampson, the first Black lawyer in Greenville, the students were quickly released on $30 bond each. The incident closed down both white and Black libraries in Greenville until further notice. In September of 1960, due to pressures to re-open the libraries to the public, the sit-in by The Greenville Eight resulted in the integration of the Greenville Library System. The disorderly conduct charges against the students were dropped. Feb. 14 :Greenville Shoe Shop: the first African American-owned business on Main Street in Downtown Greenville. Albert L. Smith was raised by an uncle who was sold in slavery three times. Smith was the first African American to own a business, opening the Greenville Shoe Shop on Pendleton Street, which is now known as Main Street. His family says Smith and his wife banked with the Greenville Bank for years during segregation. However, the bank refused to loan him money. In 1965, Smith went to Atlanta, Georgia, to secure the money to own the shoe shop. Smith’s son wrote the calligraphy sign outside of the shop.Feb. 11:Greenville’s Big Idea Comes of Age (REEM): In 1949, a report called “Greenville’s Big Idea” was released, which was a biracial committee that studied the problems of African Americans in Greenville. An Urban League of the Upstate board member found the document in the Furman University Archives, so the Urban League and a Furman student did another report to compare living conditions. When the study was published, it was called “Greenville’s Big Idea Comes of Age” because it was a follow-up funded by the Greenville Community Foundation. Greenville’s Big Idea Comes of Age addressed issues like racial inequities, social justice and disparities in key areas that negatively impact the black community. Advisory sub-committees made recommendations for improvement, and by 1950, 61 of its specific recommendations had been acted on. Greenville’s Big Idea Comes of Age became a model of community “self-study” throughout the south. In 2020, it was renamed REEM (Racial Equity and Economic Mobility Commission) and is still active today.Feb. 10: Willie Johnson: in July 2000, Willie Johnson became the first African American police chief in the city of Greenville’s history and the 23rd chief overall. Chief Johnson is a Vietnam veteran and decorated with a Bronze Star Medal and Combat Assault Award. Originally from Laurens, he joined the Greenville police force as a patrolman in 1970 and also served as detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major. Chief Johnson earned a criminal justice degree in 1975 and was a 1984 graduate of the FBI National Academy. During and after his public service, Johnson received many honors, including the 1993 Church and Community Relations Award and the 1994 Greenville Downtown Rotary Officer of the Year. Feb. 9:Young Men’s Institute Cultural Center: The building was created in 1892 and was originally called the Young Men’s Institute. Issac Dickson, the first person of color appointed to the Asheville city school board and Dr. Edward Stephens, the principal of Asheville’s first African American public school helped found the building. They wanted a place that would serve as a YMCA for the Black community. So they asked the founder of the Biltmore Estate, George W. Vanderbilt, to fund the building. YMI first served as a community center for Black construction workers at the Biltmore House. And by 1906, it served as a space for Black businesses, educational, religious and social activities. In 1980, a coalition of nine Black churches bought and restored the building. It now serves as a cultural center with historical exhibits and a variety of cultural programs.Feb. 8:Lorraine Henderson: Lorraine Henderson is the longest-serving Black female police officer in South Carolina. Henderson found out about the history she made, after retiring. Henderson is from Pelzer. She graduated from Woodmont High School, Lander University and earned a master’s degree. She’s been with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office for 43 years. Henderson started working there in 1979, and in 1986 she became a sex crimes investigator. GCSO says Henderson was the first Black female to work uniform patrol, which is on the road. She retired in July 2021 but came back part-time in January 2022.Feb. 7: Joe Madden Bus Center: Joe Madden Bus Center is named after Joe Madden, the first African American foreman in Greenville County. He earned that title in 1986 but started working in mechanics long before then, during segregation. His family tells us Joe Madden repaired Greenville County buses after they’d break down, or would need gas. In 2016, the state of South Carolina honored Madden by naming the Greenville County School bus shop after him. The Joe Madden Bus Center is located off Halton Road in Greenville. Joe Madden retired in the ’80s and lives in Simpsonville. Feb. 4:Paul Adams: Retired Lt. Col. Paul Adams graduated from Sterling High School in 1938. At a time when the south was segregated, he broke down barriers earning his college degree. Then he made history again becoming one of the Tuskegee Airmen. From there he moved to Nebraska and became an educator, and a school was named after him. He’s received many awards for his service, including the 2007 President’s Honor of Distinction.Feb. 3:Deborah Lee: First African American news anchor in South Carolina when WYFF’s call letters were WFBC. Lee Came to WFBC from Ebony magazine. She was on the anchor desk for the launch of “The Scene at 6,” WFBC’s first hourlong newscast. She left the station in 1976. Feb. 2:Sterling High School Memorial: Sterling High School was the first Black high school in Greenville County. It burned down in 1967. Sterling Students regularly held peaceful sit-ins, marches and rallies in the 1960s. Their efforts helped lead to the integration of Greenville’s public buildings. There are a few Sterling High School memorials, including a bronze statue at Sterling Square on the corner of Main and Washington streets. Two students are holding books, in what appears to be looking ahead toward their future. There are many notable Sterling alums, including city Councilwoman Lillian Brock Flemming and Rev. Jesse Jackson. Feb. 1:Dwight Woods: Urban League of the Upstate’s Young Professionals said in the mid-1980s, Dwight Woods was the longtime director at the Phyllis Wheatley Repertory Theater. The center was renamed in Woods’ honor. He said it was a promise he made to God when he was a soldier in Vietnam. The theater school has a 97% graduation rate, and many of its former students have gone on to careers on Broadway and elsewhere. That includes Tony Award nominee and Greenville native Phillip Boykin.