Lowcountry

Why Tradd Street is such an important part of the Charleston, South Carolina Historic Landscape

June 8, 2024 by 4 Comments
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By Mark A. Leon

Tradd Street in Charleston, SC is renowned for its historic homes, many dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.  In the course of my many years as a Charleston resident, I have walked the duration of this street over 100 times and still continue to discover something new.  

Some of the most notable historic homes and neighborhoods on Tradd Street include:

1. The John Stuart House (106 Tradd Street), built around 1772. This single house is where Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox” of the American Revolution, is said to have stayed before the British invasion of Charleston in 1780.

2. 62 Tradd Street, a c. 1852 structure that was originally a bakery with a dwelling upstairs. The current shell is awaiting interior renovation, presenting a unique opportunity to create a dream home within the walls of this historic gem.

3. 46 Tradd Street, built prior to 1750 and formerly the home of artist Alfred Hutty.  This gate-fronted house exemplifies the iconic Charleston single house style.

4. Homes along Upper Tradd Street (also known as the Charlestowne neighborhood), featuring architectural styles from the Federal period to the early 20th century, including Charleston single houses and grand residences.

Tradd Street’s historic significance stems from its early establishment in the late 17th century, with many homes built by wealthy merchants, planters, and intellectuals in the 18th and 19th centuries, showcasing architectural styles like Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, and Victorian.[1][2] The street’s well-preserved homes offer a glimpse into Charleston’s rich history and architectural heritage.

Here are some additional related articles

Lowcountry

8 Tips on How to Prepare for Hurricane Season in Charleston, South Carolina

June 8, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Are you ready for hurricane season. Early indication, is that this may be an active season. Here are some key steps to properly prepare for hurricane season in Charleston, South Carolina:

  1. Get flood insurance. There is typically a 30-day waiting period before new policies take effect, so don’t wait until a storm is approaching.
  2. Develop an emergency communication plan for your family in case you get separated. Designate an out-of-state contact.  
  3. Prepare an emergency supply kit with enough food, water, and supplies for at least 3 days.
  4. Protect your home by installing hurricane shutters or precut plywood for windows. Trim trees and secure loose objects outside.
  5. Know your evacuation route and have a plan to leave if ordered. Charleston uses a staggered evacuation system based on zones. Pack supplies and leave early before roads get congested.
  6. If evacuating, identify shelters or make plans to stay with inland friends/family. Bring supplies to shelters. Shelters should be a last resort.
  7. Secure your property by boarding up windows and bracing exterior doors. Move valuables to higher floors if possible.
  8. After the storm, avoid downed power lines, listen for instructions, and return only when authorities say it’s safe. Be cautious entering your home and check for damage.

By following these preparedness steps outlined in the Charleston County hurricane guides, you can help keep your family safe during hurricane season.

Related Articles to Review

Lowcountry

Here are 10 of the biggest changes in Charleston, South Carolina in the last ten years

June 8, 2024 by 6 Comments
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By Mark A. Leon

If you have been a part of the evolution of the Charleston, South Carolina over the last decade plus, you have bore witness to some significant changes. With any growing pains, there are ups and downs, but overall, this transition in the Charleston landscape has been embraced with excitement for our future. Here are a list of 10 significant changes over the last 10 years to the Charleston area:

1. Rapid population growth, with Charleston County’s population increasing from around 350,000 to 420,000 in the last decade.

2. Significant increase in development and construction, with 24 large cranes dotting the skyline at one point.

3. Worsening traffic congestion and longer commute times due to the influx of new residents.

4. Transformation of the city’s organizational structure for the first time in nearly 50 years to improve efficiency and customer service.

5. Consolidation of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner production to its North Charleston facility in 2020.

6. Expansion of the Mercedes-Benz Vans plant and its selection to build the next-generation eSprinter electric van.

7. Growth of the aerospace, automotive, energy, life sciences, and IT/defense industries, attracting major companies like Boeing, Mercedes, and SPAWAR.

8. Increase in the number of restaurants, bars, and entertainment options, changing the city’s dining and nightlife scene.

9. Gentrification of downtown neighborhoods, with many homes becoming investment properties or vacation rentals.

10. Loss of some locally-owned shops and institutions that contributed to Charleston’s unique character.

Did we leave anything out? Comment below.

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Lowcountry

How did Edgar Allan Poe’s time on Sullivan’s Island Impact his writing?

June 7, 2024 by 0 Comments
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By Mark A Leon

Edgar Allan Poe’s time on Sullivan’s Island significantly influenced his writing, particularly through the inspiration he drew from the island’s environment and his interactions with local figures.

1. Setting for “The Gold-Bug”: Poe’s story “The Gold-Bug” (published 1843) is set on Sullivan’s Island, reflecting his familiarity with the locale.  The island’s isolation and natural beauty provided a vivid backdrop for the tale.

Excerpt:

“To avoid the mortification consequent upon his disasters, he left New Orleans, the city of his forefathers, and took up his residence at Sullivan’s Island, near Charleston, South Carolina. 

This Island is a very singular one. It consists of little else than the sea sand, and is about three miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds a quarter of a mile. It is separated from the main land by a scarcely perceptible creek, oozing its way through a wilderness of reeds and slime, a favorite resort of the marsh-hen. The vegetation, as might be supposed, is scant, or at least dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted, during summer, by the fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole island, with the exception of this western point, and a line of hard, white beach on the seacoast, is covered with a dense undergrowth of the sweet myrtle, so much prized by the horticulturists of England. The shrub here often attains the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and forms an almost impenetrable coppice, burthening the air with its fragrance.”

2. Influence of Local Figures: Poe developed relationships with prominent South Carolinians, such as Dr. Edmund Ravenel and Colonel William Drayton. These interactions likely enriched his intellectual and creative life, although concrete evidence of their influence is sparse. 

3. Literary Legacy: Poe’s brief stay has been mythologized by local writers and poets, who have linked his work to the region’s atmosphere and history. This has cemented his legacy in Charleston’s cultural heritage, even if some connections are speculative. 

4. Cryptology Interest: During his time on Sullivan’s Island, Poe’s interest in cryptology grew, which later became a significant element in his works, including “The Gold-Bug”. 

Overall, while Poe’s time on Sullivan’s Island was brief, it left a lasting imprint on his literary output and contributed to his enduring association with the region.

Related Articles 

Lowcountry

South Carolina State University students are closing the gap in AI skilling earning almost 1000 badges

June 6, 2024 by 0 Comments
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AI is set to create 69 million new roles by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum, but how are universities preparing the new generation of the workforce? As a South Carolina State University professor, Dr. Nikunja Swain, sought out to make sure those roles could be filled by his students, now professors and students at SCSU are preparing themselves for future careers by taking advantage of free IBM AI courses.

Dr. Swain utilized grant funds to make AI a priority in SCSU’s curriculum. Though this new curriculum was a requirement for freshman at the school to obtain one of the IBM SkillsBuild badges, many juniors and seniors took advantage of the free courses to pursue their own interests in AI. Students Keshawn Burns and graduate Juliana Chengula explored their passions in AI and technology and discuss how earned badges are equipping them the skills they may need to succeed in future careers. Including Juliana and Keshawn, the students at SCSU earned a collective 809 IBM SkillsBuild AI Badges in one year.

The integration of AI training in education is essential to staying at the forefront of technological advancements and ensuring preparedness for the future. IBM is dedicated to bridging the skills gap in AI by providing resources to develop a workforce of gifted individuals from underrepresented communities. With IBM’s resources and the dedication of Dr. Swain, the badges that these students earned are just the beginning of further closing the gap in AI skills at SCSU.

Below I’ve included short sound bites from interviews with Dr. Swain and the students mentioned above talking through how this work is pivotal to their future goals. If you would like to speak with someone from IBM, Dr. Swain, or either student to learn more about this work, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Lowcountry

5 Things to Know About George Gershwin’s Summer on Folly Island in the Summer of 1934

June 5, 2024 by 6 Comments
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90 years ago this month, George Gershwin arrived in Charleston and spent a summer on Folly Island to gain inspiration for his adaptation of DuBose Heyward’s novel “Porgy” which would become the acclaimed “Porgy and Bess”. Here are five things to know about his time in the Lowcountry and some related articles:

1. The author DuBose Heyward, whose novel “Porgy” Gershwin was adapting into an opera, insisted that Gershwin visit the area to immerse himself in the local Gullah culture that inspired the book’s setting and characters.

2. Heyward arranged for Gershwin to rent a cottage on Folly Island, which at the time was a remote and undeveloped barrier island, providing an ideal retreat for Gershwin to escape distractions and focus on composing the opera.

3. Being on Folly Island allowed Gershwin to experience the Gullah traditions firsthand by attending church services and cultural events on nearby James Island, studying the spirituals, rhythms, and “shouting” dance rituals that influenced the music of “Porgy and Bess”.

A sketch of Gershwin’s front beach cottage at Folly Beach as sketched by his cousin Henry Botkin. Photo courtesy of The George Gershwin Family, The Ira and Leonore Gershwin Trusts, and the DuBose and Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund.

4. The laid-back atmosphere and natural beauty of Folly Island, which Gershwin described as a “battered South Seas Island”, provided the creative inspiration he needed, leading to the iconic song “Summertime” being composed there.

5. Heyward believed that Gershwin’s firsthand exposure to the Gullah culture was crucial for capturing its essence in the opera, making Folly Island the ideal setting for this formative experience.

Related Articles 

Summertime for George Gershwin – Smithsonian Magazine 

Rhapsody at Folly: George Gershwin’s 1934 Folly Beach Vacation 

 Gershwin on Folly: Summertime and the livin’ was easy – Folly Beach 

Gershwin at Folly Background Information – Julian Wiles 

Lowcountry

Goose Creek, SC Based JW Aluminum Achieves Aluminum Stewardship Initiative Certification for Entire OperationsGoose Creek, SC based

June 4, 2024 by 0 Comments
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JW Aluminum’s South Carolina and Arkansas locations are the first continuous cast rolling facilities 
in the U.S. to be fully certified to ASI’s Performance Standard V3 (2022).

CHARLESTON, S.C., June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — JW Aluminum, a leading producer of high-quality flat-rolled aluminum products, today announced that it has achieved Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard Certification across its entire operations. The company’s South Carolina and Arkansas plants are the first continuous cast rolling facilities in the U.S. to be certified to ASI’s latest Version 3.0 standard.

JW Aluminum Achieves Aluminum Stewardship Initiative Performance Standard Certification for Entire U.S. Operations

JW Aluminum Achieves Aluminum Stewardship Initiative Certification for Entire Operations. The company's South Carolina and Arkansas locations are the first continuous cast rolling facilities in the U.S. to be fully certified to ASI’s Performance Standard V3 (2022). JW Aluminum serves the building products, HVAC, and transportation markets.

JW Aluminum serves the building products, HVAC, and transportation markets. ASI is a global, multi-stakeholder nonprofit certification body that sets standards to promote sustainability throughout the aluminum value chain.

To be certified, JW Aluminum underwent rigorous third-party audits to assess its adherence to the ASI Performance Standard’s robust environmental, social, and governance requirements and practices. ASI’s Performance Standard V3 defines principles and criteria for sustainability factors like production and sourcing, including greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, material stewardship, human rights, and more.

“We are extremely proud to have achieved ASI Certification across all of our operations,” said Ryan Roush, Chief Operating Officer at JW Aluminum. “As a domestic aluminum rolled products producer, our business model is inherently circular, and our corporate culture fosters integrity and accountability in every facet of our operations. Customers in our core markets and our stakeholders share these values. We will continue to communicate our performance and hold ourselves to these high standards so we can all work together successfully and sustainably for years to come.”

Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, said, “We congratulate JW Aluminum on achieving Performance Standard Certification V3 (2022). With products that are destined for several key downstream industries, this Certification demonstrates JW Aluminum’s commitment to responsible manufacturing processes and their important role in fostering improved environmental, social, and governance outcomes across the aluminium value chain.”

To learn more about JW Aluminum’s certifications and sustainability initiatives, visit www.jwaluminum.com.

About JW Aluminum: 
At the heart of American manufacturing for over 40 years, JW Aluminum produces infinitely recyclable flat-rolled aluminum that is used to make products essential to our everyday lives, like building products and HVAC components that keep our homes comfortable and safe. Over 400 teammates at our Goose Creek, South Carolina and Russellville, Arkansas facilities process the aluminum to support these vital industries. The JW Aluminum team is committed to working safely every day to secure a sustainable future for our teammates, customers, communities, and ultimately, American manufacturing.

SOURCE JW Aluminum

Lowcountry

Five Clemson students and alums awarded prestigious Fulbright scholarships

June 3, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Three Clemson students and two alums are preparing to travel to the Czech Republic, Germany, Philippines, Serbia and Scotland after being awarded Fulbright U.S. Student grants, a highly competitive scholarship program that facilitates cultural exchange, learning, research and service opportunities between American students and communities across the globe.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and its 140 participating countries. Student recipients, which include recent college graduates, graduate students and early career professionals from all academic backgrounds, use their awards to pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.

During the application process, students decide which country they would like to apply to and what type of grant they want to pursue.

Of Clemson’s five recipients, two were awarded English teaching assistantships, two will conduct research and one is enrolling in a graduate degree program.

Student Scholars

Czech Republic Fulbright Scholar Christian Blackburn

Christian Blackburn, a senior Wildlife and Fisheries Biology major and management minor from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, was awarded an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in the Czech Republic. A National Scholar and Honors student, Blackburn served as an instructor in the South Carolina Teacher Cadet program, a statistics tutor at Clemson through the University’s Academic Success Center, a conversation partner for ESL students, and spent many summer and winter breaks teaching teenagers in the U.S. Scouting program. As an ETA in the Czech Republic, he hopes to inspire personal growth and self-discovery in his students through the learning process. While he’s there, he hopes to immerse himself in the Czech culture, particularly its nature, food, outdoor recreation and music, specifically its bluegrass movement. 

Following his ETA experience, Blackburn plans to pursue a master’s in project management before working in sustainable city planning, specifically focusing on designing urban green spaces.

Phillippines Fulbright Scholar Audie Cherry

Audie Cherry, an agriculture Ph.D. student from Clay, Kentucky, was selected for a research award in the Philippines. As a Filipino-American, the award provides Cherry and his family, who will be traveling with him, an opportunity to return to his roots. Since 2012, Cherry has collaborated with several churches and schools on visits to the Philippines to deliver agricultural education and perform service in the local community. He has been working in and studying agriculture in higher education since 2010 and hopes to continue doing so by addressing knowledge gaps in agricultural education with his Fulbright Scholarship. 

Cherry plans to teach agricultural courses at Cebu Technological University-Barili during his two semesters, while also focusing on agricultural education and youth development through research and extension. He will also be collaborating with local farmers to improve sustainable agricultural practices.

Germany Fulbright Scholar Calvin Paulsen

Calvin Paulsen, a biomedical engineering major from Summerville, South Carolina, received a research award in Germany that will allow him to work at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine. He has already been working online with a researcher at the institute conducting stem cell research, with their project having the potential to uncover new targeted therapeutics for epithelial-derived cancer and aging. Paulsen established this connection while working as an undergraduate research trainee with a mechanobiology researcher on a National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Washington University in St. Louis last summer. In addition to his research, Paulsen has volunteered with organizations focused on residence life engagement, recycling and sustainability, while also working as an academic tutor.

After his Fulbright experience, Paulsen plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, with a goal of someday working at a national laboratory, where he can shape health policy and increase international research collaboration.

Alumni Scholars

Serbia Fulbright Scholar Lexie Colwell

Alexandra (Lexie) Colwell (’23) from Elgin, South Carolina, was a political science major with Russian area studies and legal studies minors at Clemson. The summer before her graduation, Colwell spent six weeks studying abroad in the Balkans, with much of that time spent in Serbia. The experience left a deep impact and inspired an interest in the diplomatic connection between Serbia and the U.S. Colwell went on to work as a teaching assistant for a political science class during her senior year, lecturing on assigned readings, facilitating class discussions, and tutoring students in the class. She plans to apply what she learned in that role to her ETA in Serbia where ETAs work with university-level students. Outside of the classroom, Colwell plans to use her time in Serbia to research the evolution of American-Serbian relations over the past 30 years.

After she completes the Fulbright program, Colwell will pursue a graduate degree in international relations, with a goal of working in the U.S. Foreign Service as a diplomat. 

Scotland Fulbright Scholar Shreya Tellur

Shreya Tellur (’23) from Simpsonville, South Carolina, was an Honors student and psychology major at Clemson. Her Fulbright University of Stirling Award will help cover cost of living expenses associated with graduate study in Health Psychology from the University of Stirling in the United Kingdom. While she’s there, Tellur hopes to volunteer at the Stirling Community Hospital to explore behavioral, physical and mental well-being changes in women during different stages of pregnancy, in order to help improve childbirth health care outcomes. She also plans to volunteer with the area’s TLC Befriending Service Project, which provides befriending services to people in the community. In her spare time, she also hopes to experience and learn to Ceilidh, a blend of dancing and storytelling, while also sharing her background in Bharatanatyam, a form of Indian classical dance.

After she completes her M.Sc., Tellur plans to go to medical school to become an M.D. with a focus in obstetrics and gynecology. She hopes to apply her psychology and medical knowledge to provide practical education programs that consider health’s psychological and emotional aspects.

Alternates

As alternates, these students may still receive awards before the start of the grant period next academic year.

Hayley Levin from Westin, Massachusetts, majored in political science at Clemson, graduating in 2023. She earned alternate status for a Fulbright MA Degree award in Israel. Levin plans to pursue a career as a political officer for the U.S. Department of State with a focus on the Middle East, after taking the Foreign Service Exam. 

Kaleigh Neely from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, graduated from Clemson with a bioengineering degree in 2019 and has since earned a master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics in 2022 through Eastern Michigan University. Neely earned alternate status for a Master of Science in Public Health award in Ireland, one of the most competitive awards in the Fulbright competition. She plans to transition from her current work in clinical care to influencing policies related to prosthetic care in the U.S. and abroad.

Marina Robichau from Landrum, South Carolina, is graduating this spring with a degree in Elementary Education. She earned alternate status for an English Teaching Assistant award in Georgia. Robichau plans to work in a multilingual school or internationally as a teacher for underprivileged students before pursuing a master’s degree.

Hayley Levin
Hayley Levin
Kaleigh Neely
Marina Robichau
Marina Robichau

Semifinalists

The National Screening Committee recommended seven additional semifinalists to their selected countries for final selection. They are Sydney Bertram (Health Sciences, ’21), Marissa Coll (Language and International Health, ’24), Helena Harte (Political Science and History, ‘24), Caroline Morgan (Political Science, ‘23), Krishna Patel (Biochemistry, ‘23), Elizabeth “Liza” Stone (Biological Sciences, ‘24), and Riley Stotzky (Political Science and Economics, ’24).

About the Fulbright U.S. Student Program Scholarship

Fulbright is a U.S. Department of State Program funded by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which has operated in over 160 countries nationwide.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished student, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state or government, and thousands of leaders across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Students interested in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program or other nationally competitive programs should contact the Office of Major Fellowships at 864-656-9704 or fellowships@clemson.edu.

Source link: Clemson University

Lowcountry

Cities with the Fastest Growing Home Prices in South Carolina

June 3, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Real Estate is a big piece of the South Carolina ecosystem and various parts of the state from the oceanfront to the Western mountains has been benefactors of a hot market. Stacker has compiled a list of the top 50 South Carolina cities with the fastest growing home prices looking at home value, 1 year and 5 year price changes.

Notables in our tri-county area include: 1. Sullivan’s Island, 3. Kiawah Island, 5. Isle of Palms, 6. Mount Pleasant, 7. Seabrook Island, 9. Wadmalaw Island, 10. Edisto Beach, 12. Charleston, 13. Awendaw, 25. Ravenel, 26. Hanahan, 28. Ridgeville, 31. Dorchester, 39. Hollywood, 41. Folly Beach, 43. Harleyville, 47. North Charleston.

Here are the top 10 fastest growing cities for home prices in the state:

10. Edisto Beach

– Typical home value: $700,720
– 1-year price change: +$59,804 (+9.3%)
– 5-year price change: +$315,254 (+81.8%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

9. Wadmalaw Island

– Typical home value: $681,488
– 1-year price change: +$64,911 (+10.5%)
– 5-year price change: +$307,095 (+82.0%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

8. Hardeeville

– Typical home value: $444,725
– 1-year price change: +$72,475 (+19.5%)
– 5-year price change: +$216,667 (+95.0%)
– Metro area: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC

7. Seabrook Island

– Typical home value: $950,898
– 1-year price change: +$83,913 (+9.7%)
– 5-year price change: +$507,485 (+114.4%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

6. Mount Pleasant

– Typical home value: $829,885
– 1-year price change: +$90,193 (+12.2%)
– 5-year price change: +$360,106 (+76.7%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

5. Isle of Palms

– Typical home value: $1,609,427
– 1-year price change: +$105,523 (+7.0%)
– 5-year price change: +$835,441 (+107.9%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

4. Sunset

– Typical home value: $1,284,987
– 1-year price change: +$134,746 (+11.7%)
– 5-year price change: +$612,414 (+91.1%)
– Metro area: Greenville-Anderson, SC

3. Kiawah Island

– Typical home value: $1,956,446
– 1-year price change: +$155,486 (+8.6%)
– 5-year price change: +$1,005,249 (+105.7%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

2. Sheldon

– Typical home value: $2,359,012
– 1-year price change: +$173,949 (+8.0%)
– 5-year price change: +$799,905 (+51.3%)
– Metro area: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC

  1. Sullivan’s Island

– Typical home value: $4,024,451
– 1-year price change: +$278,984 (+7.4%)
– 5-year price change: +$2,147,357 (+114.4%)
– Metro area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

    Click HERE for the full list of the top 50.

    Source: Stacker

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    Lowcountry

    U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Unanimous Post-Trial Decision and Long-Settled Precedent, Allows South Carolina’s Racially Discriminatory Congressional Map to Stand

    June 3, 2024 by 0 Comments
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    WASHINGTON — May 23, 2024 — In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court today issued a decision that reversed a federal trial court’sunanimous finding that Congressional District 1 in South Carolina’s 2022 map is an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The Court also ruled that the district court applied the incorrect standard to Plaintiffs’ intentional vote dilution claim and returned that claim to the district court for further proceedings.

    “Today is a dark day for democracy in South Carolina, but all hope is not lost,” said Jace Woodrum, Executive Director of the ACLU of South Carolina. “For now, the Supreme Court has upheld a racially gerrymandered map, and South Carolina voters are the ones who will suffer the consequences. Black voters in particular have had to fight for these fundamental rights throughout our history, and we are confident that together we will prevail.”

    “We remain committed to ending gerrymandering in our state and will use every tool at our disposal until ‘We the People’ truly means all of us.”

    The decision is a rejection of the historical deference given to the trial court’s factual findings and adds to the already difficult evidentiary burden that plaintiffs must demonstrate to remedy racial discrimination in voting. This divided decision underpins efforts nationwide to deny Black voters fair access to the political process to elect their preferred candidates.

    “The court violated its precedent and interjected its own, outcome-determinative fact finding for that of the unanimous three-judge court,” said Allen Chaney, legal director for the ACLU of South Carolina. “A term after declaring racial sorting anathema in the college admissions context, the court has allowed the same to go unchecked in redistricting. Democracy is weaker — and the law less just — as a result.”

    The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of South Carolina, and Arnold & Porter tried this case over eight days before a three-judge panel unanimously ruled that there was a racial target on the number of Black South Carolinians assigned to Congressional District 1; that race more than partisan affiliation explained that assignment; and, the legislature disregarded traditional redistricting principles.

    “We are deeply disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to allow South Carolina’s proposed congressional map to stand for yet another election after a unanimous federal three-judge panel recognized the racial discrimination in that map and ordered that a remedial map be used in upcoming elections beginning this year,” said plaintiff Taiwan Scott. “Our battle to fairly represent and account for everyone in our beautiful state doesn’t stop here – we’ll journey onward towards justice.”

    “Today, the Supreme Court has failed the American people. Voting rights have taken another gut punch, and the future of democracy in South Carolina is dangling by a thread. Make no mistake — we are not backing down from this fight,” said Brenda Murphy, president of the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP. “Despite today’s news, the South Carolina NAACP will continue to utilize every resource at our disposal to ensure Black South Carolinians have an opportunity to make their voices heard in another pivotal election. This is what advocacy in action looks like.”

    “The highest court in our land greenlit racial discrimination in South Carolina’s redistricting process, denied Black voters the right to be free from the race-based sorting and sent a message that facts, process, and precedent will not protect the Black vote. Today the voices of Black South Carolinians were muted, and if we are not careful the next set of votes denied could be those in your state. Make no mistake, LDF will not yield in the fight to build Black political power that represents the people who contribute mightily to this country and strengthen this democracy,” said Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). “The voting rights of Black communities remain under attack and the LDF will continue to meet moments like these with the resolve and determination necessary to protect voting rights and enforce key protections of the 14th and 15th Amendments.” 

    “Today’s decision usurps the authority of trial courts to make factual findings of racial discrimination as the unanimous panel found occurred with South Carolina’s design of Congressional District 1,” said Leah Aden, senior counsel at LDF who argued before the Supreme Court in Alexander v. SC NAACP. “The decision also defies decades of precedent that allows plaintiffs to use a wide variety of evidence to demonstrate racial discrimination in voting and forces plaintiffs to offer a particular form of proof that race more than party explains South Carolina’s line-drawing. As Justice Kagan’s dissent makes clear, today’s decision can only be justified through ‘reworking the law’ and ‘distance’ from the factual record. Despite this unfortunate decision, we will continue, including on remand on a surviving claim from this decision, to create fair redistricting maps and advocate for Black South Carolinian voters.”

    Adriel I. Cepeda Derieux, deputy director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said: “The Supreme Court’s ruling is an affront to Black voters, democracy, and precedent. South Carolina’s Legislature carved Black voters out of Congressional District 1 for the sake of partisan advantage and weakening their voting power. Justice Kagan’s dissent is right: the majority only gets where it does by ‘ignoring and minimizing’ clear evidence that South Carolina racially gerrymandered its map. And the proof that the court now asks of plaintiffs fighting discrimination is ‘unheard of in constitutional litigation.’ We continue to stand with our brave clients in this ongoing fight for voting rights.”

    “While today’s decision is unquestionably a disappointing injustice, the fight for equality in South Carolina and across the country must go on,” said John A. Freedman, Arnold & Porter’s senior pro bono counsel. “We are proud to stand with our clients and co-counsel in this important fight.”

    In 2013, the Supreme Court in Shelby County Alabama v. Holdereffectively dismantled Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and the process that since 1965 required states, like South Carolina, with documented histories of racial discrimination in voting practices to seek approval from the federal government before implementing their laws.

    In the absence of that protection, South Carolina no longer had the obligation to show that its 2022 congressional map did not racially discriminate against Black voters, requiring plaintiffs to ring the alarm about that harm during the legislative consideration of congressional maps and then file suit in federal court for redress. Today’s ruling is further evidence that racial discrimination in voting has not been eradicated in South Carolina and that Congress must act to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act —such as through passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act introduced this term — that have been steadily weakened by the Supreme Court.

    The case was filed on behalf of the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and Taiwan Scott, a Hilton Head resident and member of the Gullah-Geechee community, represented by the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of South Carolina, UMD Law Professor Chris Bryant, Arnold & Porter, and NAACP’s General Counsel’s Office. Aiding in this fight were testimonies from 24 witnesses, of which six were experts, alongside 652 pieces of evidence demonstrating the hallmarks of racial discrimination in the design of the 2022 congressional map.

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