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South Carolina’s special connection to the landmark Brown v. Board Supreme Court case will be the subject on an exhibit opening Sept. 5 at USC’s McKissick Museum. The exhibit will run through February 2005.
“Courage: The Carolina Story That Changed America” will highlight the story of the Rev. J.A. DeLaine and his neighbors in rural Clarendon County who filed the first lawsuit, Briggs v. Elliot, leading to the Supreme Court’s decision that ruled “separate but equal” unconstitutional. Briggs v. Elliot later was merged with four other cases into Brown v. Board of Education.
“Many people do not know that the first case to oppose ‘separate but equal’ was filed in Clarendon County; so, there’s a definite connection with USC, being one of the major educational institutions in the state. It is important that we be involved in this commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the decision,” said Jason Shaiman, curator of traveling and temporary exhibitions at McKissick Museum. “The exhibit focuses on South Carolina’s contribution, being the state at the forefront of the issue regarding the inequalities of separate but equal.
“At McKissick Museum, we emphasize South Carolina history and culture. For us, it’s a great opportunity to help promote awareness of our state’s involvement in making education available to all people.”
The Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte organized and premiered the exhibit, which opened in January and ran through Aug. 15. Curators at the Levine worked closely with descendents of the Rev. DeLaine. Also, Val Littlefield of USC’s history department and African-American Studies Program worked as a consultant on the exhibit.
The exhibit will feature objects from the DeLaine family and many photos and photo reproductions. Some of those early photos will show well-constructed new schoolhouses for white children and dilapidated, unpainted, wooden school buildings for black students.
The exhibit also will examine socioeconomic issues in South Carolina before Brown V. Board and what life was like in the rural South.
“The exhibit will be made up, in large part, with what we call environments, which will help tell the story in a visually provocative manner,” Shaiman said. “The exhibit will present the evolution of the changes brought about by the decision. It will be instrumental in painting the overall picture of the changes in the education system in the state—the ups and downs, pros and cons—from the perspective of the African-American community.”
On display over two semesters, the exhibition will give professors in different disciplines many opportunities to incorporate its content into their curriculums.
“This type of exhibit will have a direct connection to many subjects that the students are examining through their studies, including law, education, African-American studies, and Southern studies,” Shaiman said. “This exhibit will have a very strong connection to USC, and we hope faculty and students will take every opportunity to learn about South Carolina’s role in what might be the greatest legal battle of the 20th century.”
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