Black History Month: Here is where you can find some of Upstate’s Black historical markers

Each February, the African American legacy that shaped America is honored during Black History Month.

The month’s origins can be traced back to 1915 when author and historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association of the Study of Negro Life and History (ASALH). Dr. Woodson would go on to initiate the first Negro History Week in February 1926.

“Dr. Woodson selected the week in February that included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two key figures in the history of Black Americans,” stated the Library of Congress.

In 1986, Public Law 99-244 was passed by Congress following a series of efforts made by the ASALH to commemorate Black history through a month-long observance. The law designated February 1986 as “National Black (Afro-American) History Month.

Today, there are many ways to honor Black history, especially if you live in the Upstate. Here are Black historical sites to visit this month in Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg.

Anderson

∎ East Church Street: This street is one of downtown Anderson’s earliest. During the 20th century, the city encouraged African American businesses to set up shop there. Per the Anderson Observer, the street was said to be a business district by day and a lively attraction by night, filled with music, dancing, and other forms of entertainment. By the mid-1980s, the majority of retail businesses were no longer there due to Jim Crow laws, with many buildings decayed or destroyed. East Church Street is now honored by a historical marker in Anderson.

∎ Morris Street Slave Dwellings: These slave cabins are believed to be the last ones standing in the Upstate. In 2009, the dwellings were up for demolition before the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation purchased them. The cabins are now owned by Herman Keith, who hopes to preserve and restore them so they may continue telling their stories to others. The cabins can be found at 310 Morris St. in Anderson.

Greenville

∎ Claussen Bakery: In February 1967, 22 African American employees protested against Claussen Bakery and went on strike. According to the City of Greenville, the strike was formed due to discriminatory hiring and promotion practices within the company. Greenville’s NAACP branch also called for Claussen baked goods to be boycotted. American civil rights activist, the Rev. Jesse Jackson asked the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to visit the city, where he spoke to a crowd of 3,500 at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium to support the workers. Claussen Bakery is no longer open, but its historical marker can be located at 400 Augusta St. in Greenville.

∎ Lila Mae Brock Plaza: Lila Mae Brock was a cafeteria worker with Greenville County Schools who strived to improve the Southernside community where she lived. Born in 1915, Brock cooked meals for the hungry in her kitchen, advocated for affordable senior apartments and a community center, and helped fight crime, poverty, and neglect. When the Southernside Community Center opened in 1982, it ran a meal program that provided meals for the homeless. Until her passing, Brock served her community. She received many awards throughout her lifetime, like the Order of the Palmetto ― South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. A statue and plaza were dedicated to Brock in April 2022, located at the corner of West Washington and Hudson Streets in Greenville, per the City.

Spartanburg

∎ Black Lives Matter Mural: In the wake of civil unrest following George Floyd’s death, a mural was painted by 16 artists down West Broad Street between Church and Spring Streets in Spartanburg. According to a previous Greenville News story, the mural faces Spartanburg City Hall and the Spartanburg Police Department, bringing awareness to the Black Lives Matter Movement.

∎ Harlem Hell Fighters: The Harlem Hell Fighters were a Black National Guard unit from Harlem, New York, who were enlisted to train at Camp Wadsworth in Spartanburg in 1917. Concerns of a race riot breaking out due to Black soldiers training in a Southern town cut the unit’s stay short, who were then sent to France to fight alongside French soldiers instead (in France, Black soldiers were allowed to fight with white soldiers). For their service, the Hell Fighters were honored with France’s highest honor for bravery. The historical marker can be found at the intersection of W.O. Ezell Boulevard and Blackstock Road in Spartanburg.

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com.

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