By Dr. Thomas Cloer, Jr.

Special to The Courier

For the last two weeks, we have focused on the battle for civil rights nationally in the USA. Now we want to focus more on Pickens County. We obviously can’t focus on all the civil rights leaders. Again, I will focus on some of the pioneers whom I remember.

I entered Clemson University in the 1960s, beginning my work on a masters degree. There had been a young African-American, Harvey Gantt, who had been admitted after suing Clemson, and after having become the first African-American enrolled at a previously all-white institution in South Carolina.

Harvey Gantt: Activist, Pioneer, Architect, Mayor

Harvey Gantt was born in Charleston, where his father was employed at a shipyard. Harvey’s father was active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the family discussed discrimination and civil rights openly

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