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Columbia, S.C. – Discover South Carolina, the WeGOJA Foundation, and the US Civil Rights Trail have released a podcast series highlighting significant moments in South Carolina history that helped shape the national Civil Rights Movement.

In the new Legacy of Courage podcast historians and experts take listeners on a journey through time, from the 1860s to the 1960s, in the three-episode series. In captivating detail, they share stories of people and events that changed the course of history and explore how those key moments build upon one another to eventually set the stage for the national civil rights crisis. The podcast also highlights places you can visit to learn more about these events and the brave men and women who fought against inequality.

“From Robert Smalls’ courageous escape to freedom during the Civil War to Congressman Clyburn’s participation in peaceful student protests as a young man at South Carolina State University, this podcast covers a century’s worth of moments – and the ripple effects they created – that shaped the country,” said Duane Parrish, director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism. “Thanks to the dedication and expertise of the many voices and minds who contributed to this podcast, it includes both well-known historical accounts and shares fascinating under-told stories that many native South Carolinians probably have never heard. We are so proud of the final product, and we hope it inspires listeners to visit the South Carolina museums, sites, and historical markers where these stories come to life.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to share the fascinating stories of African Americans in South Carolina who helped shape our nation during the Civil Rights Movement," said Dawn Dawson-House, executive director of the WeGOJA Foundation, a non-profit that advocates for historic preservation. "Their stories are often hidden in plain sight. This podcast series shines new light on this legacy and raises awareness about the rich, complex story of our past."

The series is presented in chronological order, starting with the Port Royal Experiment in 1862 and ending with the Charleston hospital workers’ strike for better pay and treatment in 1969. The storytellers include US Congressman James E. Clyburn; Michael Moore, a great-great-grandson of Civil War hero Robert Smalls; Bobby Donaldson, director of the Center for Civil Rights History at the University of South Carolina; Cecil Williams, who was a photographer for Jet magazine during the Civil Rights Movement and who later founded the Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum in Orangeburg; and more.

Listen to the Legacy of Courage podcast here or wherever you get podcasts. For more information about significant sites associated with the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina, visit SCLegacyofCourage.com or GreenBookofSC.com and search “Civil Rights.” To learn more about the US Civil Rights Trail, visit CivilRightsTrail.com. 

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About the WeGOJA Foundation
The WeGOJA Foundation identifies, documents, and promotes African American history in South Carolina and helped produce the GreenBookofSC.com, an online travel guide to more than 400 African American historic sites in the state. In addition to the Civil Rights podcasts, the Foundation is collaborating with the International African American Museum and Hub City Press to publish a paperback version of the Green Book, with the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce and SC Sea Grant Consortium in the development of the Gullah Geechee Seafood Trail, and with North Carolina’s African American Heritage Commission to develop a toolkit as a resource for communities to identify and document extant sites advertised in the Negro Motorists Green Book. Learn more at WeGOJA.org.

About the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism is a cabinet agency assigned to operate and manage South Carolina's state parks, market the state as a preferred vacation destination, and provide assistance to communities to develop recreation assets. Explore the official tourism site of South Carolina and discover all the rich history, sandy beaches, and family attractions a South Carolina vacation has to offer at DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.