South Carolina has played a significant role in Black history in the United States. The state played a pivotal role in the transatlantic slave trade and was a major hub for slaves being brought to America. The Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans who have preserved many aspects of their African heritage, are prominent in South Carolina, particularly in the Lowcountry region.

During the Civil Rights Movement, South Carolina was a battleground for racial equality. The Orangeburg Massacre in 1968, where three Black students were killed by state troopers during a protest at South Carolina State University, was a tragic event that highlighted the ongoing struggle for civil rights in the state.

South Carolina is also home to numerous historic sites related to Black history, such as the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, the Charleston Slave Mart Museum, and the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, one of the first schools for formerly enslaved people.

In recent years, South Carolina has made headlines for the removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol grounds following the 2015 Charleston church shooting, as well as the election of Tim Scott as the first Black senator from the state since Reconstruction. The state continues to grapple with issues of systemic racism and racial inequality, but the legacy of Black history in South Carolina is rich and enduring.