Kershaw County Council honors legacy of three‑room segregated schools with unanimous resolution

KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. — Kershaw County Council on May 13 adopted a resolution acknowledging and honoring the legacy of three‑room segregated schools that served African American students during the era of segregation.

The council voted unanimously by those present to adopt the resolution after Councilman Sammy Tucker Jr. moved to recognize the work of the Gentlemen’s Club of Kershaw County and to memorialize the schools. Councilman Thomason seconded the motion.

The resolution, read in full during the meeting, says the county “acknowledges and honors the legacy of colored schools in Kershaw County,” and calls for efforts “to preserve this history through documentation, education, [and] recognition initiatives.” It names a series of local schools by example — Jackson School, Red Hill School, Mount Joshua School, Wood School, Mickel School and Saint Matthew Schools — and refers to “over 41” similar schools in Kershaw County.

The resolution also traces the local history of those schools to the wider national movement to build small schools for Black children, and refers to Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington’s partnership in that effort. At the meeting, speakers described classrooms organized by grade clusters across three rooms, long walks to school in inclement weather, and the role those schools played in producing teachers, tradespeople and community leaders.

Joe Counts, representing the Gentlemen’s Club of Kershaw County, told council, “The 3 room schoolhouse… Beginning in the morning at 5AM, you would rise to prepare yourself to do what? Walk to school,” and described disciplinary and academic structures that shaped students’ lives. William Robinson, executive director of the Knights Hill Historic Preservation Board, said his grandparents attended a Rosenwald school that still stands and urged preservation: “That building still stands today… we want to preserve that building, turn it into a community center.”

Jackie Murphy of the Gentlemen’s Club said the group took the issue on because “when your past ceases to exist, there is no future,” and supported the move to memorialize and preserve the schools’ histories for younger generations.

Councilmembers said the resolution grew out of research compiled by local volunteers and the Gentlemen’s Club, and asked that the county include the submitted materials — research, maps and archives — in county preservation or archives efforts where feasible.

Adoption of the resolution was recorded as “adopted this May 2025” in the text read to the council. The resolution did not specify a resolution number or funding commitment; the county’s action as recorded was an act of recognition and a pledge to pursue preservation “to the extent we’re able,” according to council comments during the meeting.

The Gentlemen’s Club, preservation leaders and other community members were invited to the dais for a group photo after the vote. Councilmembers said they hoped county staff and local archives could work with the club to preserve maps and research compiled by local volunteers.

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Councilmembers and presenters framed the resolution as a steps toward documenting and preserving local history rather than a funding appropriation. The council did not adopt any funding measure as part of the resolution; preservation steps and any resource needs will be addressed separately, if at all, in future meetings or through county archives.