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SC African American History Calendar April 2020 Honoree: Judge Richard Fields
Judge Richard E. Fields was born and raised in Charleston, S.C. He attended high school at the Avery Institute, graduated from West Virginia State College in 1944, and earned his law degree in 1947 from the Howard University School of Law. He was one of the first African Americans to open a law office in…
Read MoreRep. JA Moore Holds Coronavirus Video Conference
In response to the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on normal life in South Carolina, State Representative JA Moore (D-Berkeley) brought together a number of medical experts, local officials, and prominent community figures to talk about the many aspects of the crisis and inform the public. “The coronavirus pandemic has upended so many…
Read MoreMiddleton seeks to bring “strong, moral leadership” to council
The Rev. Kylon Middleton has filed to run for a West Ashley-North Charleston seat on Charleston County Council to help steer the region in a new direction and make progress. “I’m running because we need strong moral leadership on Charleston County Council for a change,” said Middleton, senior pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in…
Read MoreTwo Local Legislators to Call It Quits
By Barney Blakeney Two long serving Charleston County state legislators have announced they will retire upon completion of the current legislative session. Hollywood Rep. Robert Brown and North Charleston Rep. David Mack say they will not seek re-election in November. At the end of the session Brown will have served House Dist. 116 20 years.…
Read MoreSC General Assembly to Convene After Letter from Rep. JA Moore and Marvin Pendarvis
The South Carolina General Assembly will convene on Thursday for an emergency session to address the coronavirus pandemic after Representative JA Moore (D-Berkeley) and Representative Marvin Pendarvis (D-Charleston) sent a letter to Governor McMaster and House Speaker Lucas last week calling for the House and Senate to convene. “I am grateful for the leadership of…
Read MoreCollege Students Gain Legislative Experience Under Senator Marlon Kimpson
Each year Senator Marlon Kimpson hires young college students to serve as pages in his Senate office. This opportunity allows the students to gain valuable experience learning about our legislative process and how to work with the citizens of the district they are representing. They spend time on the Senate floor assisting with administrative tasks.…
Read MoreWashington Sees Election As County Republican Chair An Opportunity To Join Hands
By Barney Blakeney Charleston County Republicans last month conducted a historic election by voting Maurice Washington the county’s first African American chairman since Reconstruction. In an era of extreme political and racial polarization, the election could provide a threshold into a new political awakening. Washington, a Charleston native, has worked both sides of the political…
Read MoreRep. JA Moore Introduces the South Carolina Fix Our Roads and Traffic Act in House Budget to Fund State Infrastructure Projects
As the South Carolina House of Representatives debates the state’s budget this week, Rep. JA Moore (D-Berkeley) is advocating to allocate 20 million dollars to fund much needed infrastructure repairs and traffic reduction efforts in Charleston and Berkeley Counties. “Too many South Carolinians who travel I-26, I-526, Highway 17, and other corridors in the Charleston…
Read MoreBudget Surplus Alone Won’t Dispel Disparities In State’s Black Communities
By Barney Blakeney South Carolina state legislators reportedly are sitting on a substantial budget surplus. Given the disparities that exist in the state’s Black communities, I asked some local legislators how that surplus might impact those disadvantaged communities. Here’s what they had to say. Hollywood Rep. Robert Brown said the budgeting process is a complicated…
Read MoreThe League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area host documentary film premiere screening and panel discussion
As the 2020 vote approaches, Americans’ understanding of election laws and their intricacies gains greater importance. Uncivil War: U.S. Elections Under Siege, a new documentary from the Bertelsmann Foundation, paints the picture of three different (and legal) ways to undermine an election in the United States: gerrymandering, voter suppression, and disinformation. The film unravels a…
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