South Carolina has a rich and complex history when it comes to African American experiences. Enslaved Africans were first brought to the South Carolina colony in the early 18th century, and by the time of the American Revolution, African Americans made up a significant portion of the population, primarily as enslaved laborers on plantations.

After the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, South Carolina played a pivotal role in the Reconstruction era. The state was the first to ratify the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, and was also one of the first states to establish public schools for African Americans. During Reconstruction, South Carolina had a significant number of African American politicians serving in state and local government, including Robert Smalls, who famously commandeered a Confederate ship and delivered it to the Union forces during the Civil War.

However, the progress made during Reconstruction was short-lived, as the rise of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to increased disenfranchisement and discrimination against African Americans. In the 1950s and 1960s, South Carolina was a battleground for the Civil Rights Movement, with notable figures like Septima Clark, Modjeska Simkins, and Esau Jenkins leading efforts for desegregation and voting rights.

One of the most significant events in South Carolina's Black history was the tragedy at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston in 2015, where nine African American churchgoers were killed by a white supremacist. The aftermath of this event reignited conversations about race relations and prompted discussions about the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the state and throughout the country.

Overall, South Carolina's Black history is a complex tapestry of resilience, struggle, and triumph, with African Americans playing a crucial role in shaping the state's past and present.