Millicent E. Brown, Featured Speaker, 70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

May 23, 2024 @ 5:30pm - 8pm | Location: Brookland Banquet and Conference Center, 1066 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, SC 29169

May 23, 2024 @ 5:30pm - 8pm
Location: Brookland Banquet and Conference Center, 1066 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, SC 29169
Hosted by: Center for Civil Rights and History and Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum

Join us for a celebration in honor of South Carolina's historical Briggs v. Elliott case and the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.

Millicent E. Brown, a lifelong social justice advocate and author of Another Sojourner Looking for Truth will be a featured speaker.

Millicent E. Brown's family home at 270 Ashley Avenue in Charleston, South Carolina, was a center of civil rights activity. There Brown gained intimate knowledge of the struggle for racial justice, and those experiences set her on a life course dedicated to the civil rights struggle. Best known as the named plaintiff in the federal court case that, in 1963, forced the initial desegregation of public schools in South Carolina, her experiences as an activist range across years and well beyond her native state. Another Sojourner Looking for Truth is Brown's insightful reflection on her search for freedom in a nation deeply mired in white supremacist beliefs and overt violence against people of color.

In this revealing memoir, Brown writes about her fears and doubts, as well as the challenges of being a teenager expected to "represent the race" to combat negative stereotypes of African Americans. Readers also gain perspective on the interpersonal aspects of white backlash to civil rights progress and strategic machinations within the movement. Overall, Brown's words will inform, inspire, and challenge everyone to better understand the civil rights struggle and confront its ongoing challenges.

Millicent E. Brown is a retired associate professor of history from Claflin University, having taught at several other institutions of higher education. She is a lifelong community advocate and spokesperson for improvements in historically and currently exploited neighborhoods and communities of color. Currently she consults with museums, historical sites, and organizations seeking more accurate analyses of social justice initiatives.

Hosted by the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina and the Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum.

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