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'Justice for All' exhibit highlights civil rights history in South Carolina

The exhibit is on display at the Orangeburg County Library through the end of November.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The 'Justice for All' exhibit at the Orangeburg County Library centers the state of South Carolina for its role in the Civil Rights movement.

“It shows that much of what we assume to be the civil rights movement around the country had some key pivotal moments in South Carolina," said USC history professor Dr. Bobby Donaldson.

Many of these moments are captured in photos and newspaper clippings. One of those, highlighting South Carolina's Sarah Mae Fleming who was forced from a segregated Columbia bus in 1954.

It's an incident that later played a role in Rosa Parks' case in Alabama.

RELATED: Before there was Rosa, there was Eastover's Sarah Mae Flemming

Another moment, highlighting former student leader at South Carolina State Fred Moore who organized a series of strikes in support of black owned businesses.

According to Dr. Donaldson, some visitors of the exhibit have already played a part in piecing together history.

“A woman who went to Orangeburg-Wilkinson immediately recognized her husband in one of the photographs so we’re hoping that during the stint of the exhibit  in Orangeburg more people will come out, they will examine what’s there and help us to add more identification to what’s on display," he said.

The exhibit is the result of about 60 archival collections at USC including letter, videos, and other sources. The aim is to educate the public and increase the visibility of South Carolina history.

RELATED: Orangeburg gets federal funding to build civil rights museum

“I think education and awareness is the first step toward eliminating racism that we have to be aware of things that have happened in the past, things that are currently taking place today in terms of racial treatment, racial equality," said Orangeburg resident Pastor JP Sibley.

The exhibit will be on display through the end of November, then it makes its next stop in Hartsville.

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