Former president of S.C. State University, Orangeburg The late Dr. Maceo Nance knew a new day was coming. He was the president of S.C. State University during its darkest hour, the Orangeburg Massacre of 1968 that claimed the lives of three students and injured 27 more when civil rights protestors were attacked with lethal violence by the state’s Highway Patrol. Nance is credited with holding together a fractured community and nursing a wounded institution to health during that pivotal, historic moment. He is also credited with laying the groundwork for an institution that is today globally competitive and is among the top institutions in the nation for producing African American college graduates. Nance’s 19-year tenure coincided with some of the most dramatic change in American history, as we changed from a nation crippled by racial segregation to a nation empowered by a commitment to live up to its highest ideals. Confident this day was coming, Nance engineered the transformation at S.C. State, from the segregation-era school limited to producing mostly teachers and farmers to a university that builds leaders in every field.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF S.C. STATE UNIVERSITY Learn more about the people featured in this calendar at www.scafricanamerican.com
General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. named Commander-in-Chief of North American Frank Robinson, professional Air Defense Command baseball player, named MVP in 1975. of the American League, 1966.
Labor Day
Althea Gibson became the first African American George Washington Murray Integration in public schools athlete to win a U.S. Carter G. Woodson founded the Charles Houston, NAACP Louis Latimer, inventor and was elected to Congress from The National Black Convention began in Washington, D.C. national tennis Association for the Study of leader, was born in 1895. engineer, was born in 1848. South Carolina in 1895. met in Cleveland in 1848. and Baltimore in 1954. championship in 1957. Negro Life and History in 1915.
Jackie Robinson, first Black baseball player in the major leagues, Mordecai Johnson, first Black “Duke” Ellington won Spingarn was named National Alain L. Locke, philosopher U.S. Cabinet member Dr. Mae Jemison became first Claude A. Barnett, founder of president of Howard University, Medal for his musical League Rookie of the and first Black Rhodes Scholar, Constance Baker Motley was African American female the Associated Negro Press, died in 1976. achievements in 1959. Year in 1947. was born in 1886. born in 1921. astronaut in space in 1992. was born in 1889.
Booker T. Washington delivered John Coltrane, innovative and United States Constitution “Atlanta Compromise” address Atlanta University was founded First episode of ‘The Cosby F.W. Leslie, inventor, patented Ralph Bunch awarded Nobel famed jazz musician, was born signed in 1787. in 1895. in 1865. Show’ aired in 1984. the envelope seal in 1891. Peace Prize in 1950. in 1926.
Hugh Mulzac, first African American captain of a U.S. Barbara W. Hancock became merchant ship, Nine African American students the first African American ‘Appeal to the Colored Citizens launched with the integrated Little Rock High woman named a White House Bessie Smith, blues singer, ‘Memphis Blues’ published in of the World’ published in ‘Booker T. Washington’ Johnny Mathis, singer, was School in 1957. fellow, 1974. died in 1937. 1912. 1929. in 1942. born in 1935.