Blacks comprise one-third of South Carolina's population but the state has done very little to preserve the unique legacy of blacks. That may soon change, however, as the state Department of Archives and History seeks to hire a specialist to help identify historical sites, structures and cultures.
A stronger emphasis on South Carolina's black legacy is overdue. Of the state's 1,000 official markers, only about 60 designate black historical sites, according to a recent Associated Press story. Currently, no one in the Department of Archives and History has the needed expertise to specialize in black history. The lack of a black-history specialist seems, at best, inconsistent with many state lawmakers' supposed devotion to "heritage" in this state.
The department has sought for about seven years to get state legislators to fund money for the new position but had been unsuccessful until this year. The position will pay only $30,000 -- not a very competitive salary to recruit a top-tier researcher. Perhaps the department could work with a state university to recruit someone who could split his or her time between the department and teaching.
An unfortunate fact is that much of the history of ordinary blacks in this state has been lost. That history is primarily oral rather than written because prior to the Civil War it was illegal to teach blacks to read and write in South Carolina. Clearly, there's a need now to preserve as much of South Carolina's black legacy as can be preserved.