The Radical Experiment of South Carolina
The History and Legacy of a Reconstructed University
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3617614 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tyler D Parry (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 105 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 539-566 |
| Publication date | 2020-09-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of African American History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1548-1867 • E-ISSN: 2153-5086 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1086/709026 |
| OpenAlex | W3115637516 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 5 |
South Carolina’s electoral politics provided unique venues for Black empowerment during Reconstruction. Though largely overlooked in the historiography, the state’s flagship institution, the University of South Carolina, was a crucial piece of its Reconstruction philosophy. By 1868, legislators and university trustees radically altered their approach to higher education by expanding student scholarships and declaring it was a “tuition-free” institution open to all, regardless of race or class. These adjustments allowed Black men to matriculate by 1873, and they eventually comprised the majority of students until it was resegregated in 1877. This article reviews the Reconstruction government’s policies toward educational equality, the public response to the governmental shifts, and how students viewed their time at the institution. I reveal how African American politics in South Carolina directly intersected with educational concerns throughout the Reconstruction period. I conclude the essay by exploring how this historical moment was remembered or denied by subsequent generations
Archaeology · Art history · Political science · South carolina · Academic Freedom and Politics · American History and Culture · History · Public Administration · Race, History, and American Society
| Highly cited | No |
|---|