The movement toward recognizing the importance of preserving this cultural richness led to the passage of a joint resolution of the General Assembly in 1993 that established the South Carolina African American Heritage Council and to its establishment as a commission in 2001 by executive order of Governor Jim Hodges.
The mission of the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission (SCAAHC) is to identify and promote the preservation of historic sites, structures, buildings, and culture of the African American experience in South Carolina, and to assist and enhance the efforts of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The 15-member commission includes representatives from all regions of the state.
List of South Carolina African American Heritage Commission Members (PDF)
For more information about the Commission, please e-mail Kenya Lane, SCDAH African American History Consultant
Upcoming Events
April 25, 2023, 12 Noon, Hettie Anderson State Historical Marker Unveiling, Hettie Anderson Birth Homesite, NW Corner of Wayne Street & Taylor Street, Columbia, SC 29201, Hosted by The SC African American Heritage Commission.
Please join the Commission along with Mayor Rickenmann & Councilman McDowell as we honor Gilded Age Model & Muse Harriette Eugenia "Hettie Anderson" Dickson {Dickerson}.
Hettie Anderson, a woman of African descent, was born and raised in Columbia, SC. She was a favorite of numerous famous artist and sculptors, including the world renowned sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who described Hettie as “certainly the handsomest model I have ever seen of either sex.” She is Victory, the winged goddess leading General William Tecumseh Sherman in Saint-Gaudens iconic statue in New York City’s Central Park. She is also the goddess who stands atop what is now the David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building. Her likeness is on the $20 gold coin known as the Saint-Gaudens double eagle, regarded as “The Most Beautiful Coin in the World.” Ms. Anderson is laid to rest in the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Columbia.
April 7, 2023 Commission Meeting - Agenda
December 1, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
October 11, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
September 1, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
June 9, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
June 2, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
May 3, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
April 21, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda -- Postponed
March 18, 2022 Commission Meeting - Agenda
Newsletter
Call & Response Newsletter, Fall 2021 edition
Call & Response Newsletter, Spring 2021 edition
Call & Response Newsletter, Winter 2021 edition
Call & Response Newsletter, Fall 2020 edition
Call & Response Newsletter, Summer 2020 edition
Call & Response Newsletter, Spring 2020 edition
Call & Response Newsletter: Back issues through Fall 2006.
Preserving Our Places in History Awards
Award Recipients 2006-2017 (PDF)
Award Recipients 2018 (PDF)
Commission Goals
- Increase the social, political, and economic value of African American heritage.
- Encourage and demonstrate respect for all heritage.
- Encourage the documentation of African American heritage.
- Institutionalize African American heritage as an ongoing goal of preservation.
- Explore every area of South Carolina for African American contributions.
Commission Services
- Providing advice and technical information—in partnership with the Department of Archives and History—to individuals and groups who want to preserve historic places;
- Encouraging and supporting the listing of African American historic sites in the National Register of Historic Places and the placement of South Carolina Historical Markers to recognize and interpret places important in African American history;
- Promoting the infusion of African American history into the curriculum of public schools through a partnership with the Avery Research Center for African American History & Culture and the South Carolina Department of Education;
- Providing a forum for people interested in preserving African American heritage to learn what is happening across the state, to share success stories, and to receive technical information through meetings and workshops; and
- Collaborating with other organizations and agencies to encourage the preservation of South Carolina’s African American history and culture.
Commission Accomplishments
Commission Awards
- Palmetto Award of Excellence from the South Carolina Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators for The Green Book of South Carolina
- Mercury Award of Merit from the South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society for The Green Book of South Carolina
- Award of Merit form the Confederation of South Carolina Local Historical Societies for our overall body of work
- 2018 Shining Example Award for "Best Niche Marketing" from the Southeast Tourism Society for The Green Book of South Carolina
- 2018 Historic Preservation Heritage Tourism Award from Preservation South Carolina, SCDAH, and the Office of the Governor for The Green Book of South Carolina