U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn was first elected to Congress in 1992, making history as the first Black person to represent South Carolina in the House of Representatives since George Washington Murray in the 1890s, reports ABC News. And while Clyburn has had his own tenured success as a Democratic leader in Congress, his goal is to connect the dots for others about South Carolina’s long legacy of Black congressional leaders.
Recently, Rep. Clyburn announced a new book entitled “The First Eight,” which will chronicle the story of eight Black congressmen who represented South Carolina in the decades following the Civil War.
“The lives and legacies of these ‘unique eight’ have been known to me for some time but it is clear to me from my conversations in my home state and around the country, that their contributions and significances are not well known and appreciated nor are the devious and dubious circumstances and conditions that were made legal by state and federal actions that ended Black representation in the South,” said Clyburn in a statement.
The book will cover the story of the eight trailblazing Congressman up until the Jim Crow segregation laws halted the forward progress of Black leadership at the government level in the South.
The book is set to be released under Little, Brown and Company, with Clyburn referring to the book as a labor of love.
“I felt compelled to share their stories and highlight the lessons they teach. This is a passion project for me,” explained Clyburn.
There is no word yet on when “The First Eight” will be released.
Clyburn is also the author of “Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black.”
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