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The University of South Carolina has unveiled a monument honoring Black students who helped desegregate the school.
According to Blavity, University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis, Board Chairman Thad Westbrook, and civic leaders unveiled a 12-foot bronze monument dedicated to Robert Anderson, Henrie Monteith Treadwell, and James Solomon, former students who blazed the trail for desegregation on campus roughly 60 years ago.
Family members of the three trailblazers were also present for the unveiling.
“This inspiring monument, standing tall at the heart of our historic Horseshoe, will bear witness every day to the university’s unwavering promise to provide educational opportunities for all,” Amiridis said. “This is our responsibility to the people of South Carolina.”
In 2022, the school commissioned sculptor Basil Watson, who has previously created projects honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Rep. John Lewis, for the monument.
“It has been a long journey but a gratifying one that gives a sense of pride, knowing that my contribution will be a lasting monument to the building of a legacy that represents values of equality and justice,” Watson said in a statement.
At 16, Treadwell initiated a desegregation lawsuit that prompted integration at the University of South Carolina. Anderson and Solomon were also trailblazers in desegregation and continued to make significant contributions to their communities and professions after graduation.
Treadwell said the monument's proximity to the administration building and the university's visitor center symbolizes the school's progress.
“I want them to see a place where all are welcome that has embraced the fact that we are different people,” Treadwell said. “I want them to see in my colleagues, but also in myself as a woman, someone who said, ‘I can do this. This should be done so that you can also come.’ That doesn’t mean you as simply African American, but you as a member of society.”
“Everybody is welcome here. And that’s really what I want people to think about. This university took a huge step that day, and it is continuing to walk forward,” Treadwell added.
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