Press Release
Today, the South Carolina Department of Education and our esteemed community partners will unveil the 2022 South Carolina African American History Calendar in a special celebration at 7 pm at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia.
First created in 1989 by Southern Bell (now AT&T) to help bolster the state’s K-12 African American history curriculum, the 12-month calendar profiles individuals from across the state who have had a positive, compelling impact on South Carolina and, often, across the country.
“The 2022 Calendar honorees' commitment to improving the lives of others through education, health, the arts, advocacy, and public service are remarkable,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “Each time readers turn the page to the next month, they will be reminded of the tremendous legacy these honorees have left to inspire future generations.”
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, extraordinary precautions are being taken to hold a safe, limited seating in-person ceremony. The general public can watch the entirety of the live ceremony from their homes starting at 7:00 p.m. by visiting SCAfricanAmerican.com.
The 2022 calendar pays homage to the health care workers who have served our communities, state, and nation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The cover and each page feature photos and contributions of notable African Americans who have helped shape South Carolina’s health care system and who have opened doors in the industry for others.
This year’s calendar highlights 14 extraordinary individuals and one family who have enriched South Carolina's history and been ambassadors for the state. The honorees featured in the 2022 calendar are:
- Karen Alexander-Banks and Sergio Hudson
- Linda Bell
- Chadwick Boseman
- Nick Aaron Ford
- The Gaither Family
- Saundra Glover
- Thomas Gordon
- Willie Harriford and Harry Walker
- Elise Martin Jones
- Thomas Ezekiel Miller
- Arthur Stanley
- Isaac Woodard
Over 25,000 calendars are printed and distributed to schools, faith based organizations, community centers, and the general public to shine a light on South Carolina’s extraordinarily rich African American history. The biographies and timeline of important dates printed in the calendar are also preserved online and thanks to accompanying lesson plans, are used by educators from across the state in classroom instruction. Over the past three decades, the project has developed into a virtual hall of fame and attracts attention from around the nation.
In addition to the South Carolina Department of Education, the sponsors who make the calendar possible include AT&T, Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina, and WIS-TV.
The 2022 calendar will be available online beginning Oct. 11, 2021 and members of the public will be able to download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. For more information about previous editions of the calendar, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, please visit SCAfricanAmerican.com.
