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From the shadows of segregation to the frontlines of protest, Ralph Canty Sr. takes us on an extraordinary journey through the civil rights movement in Sumter, South Carolina. Born in 1945 just blocks from Lincoln High School, Canty emerged as a fearless young activist whose determination to dismantle racial barriers would forever change his community.

With remarkable clarity, Canty recounts the pivotal moment when he and two fellow students staged a sit-in at the Holiday Inn on July 27, 1963—an act that triggered immediate arrest and launched what became known as the "Sumter Movement." Despite opposition from both white segregationists and hesitant Black community leaders, Canty and his colleagues meticulously planned their strategy, understanding they might pay "the ultimate price" for challenging the status quo.

What distinguishes Canty's narrative is his nuanced portrayal of Sumter's unique racial dynamics. While segregation cut through town "like an apple pie," the community largely avoided the brutal violence seen elsewhere in the South, thanks in part to law enforcement leaders who maintained what Canty calls a certain "nobility" in their approach. This environment allowed for strategic civil disobedience that gradually eroded segregation's foundations.

Among the most fascinating revelations is Canty's simultaneous employment at a white-owned business throughout his activism. Despite leading boycotts by day and organizing protests by night, the Jackson family never fired him—a testament to both his exemplary work ethic and the complex economic interdependence that sometimes transcended racial lines.

Canty's story bridges past and present struggles for racial justice. Reflecting on the 2020 protests following George Floyd's murder, he observes a profound shift in focus: while his 1960s activism fought for equal privileges, today's movement fights for the fundamental value of Black lives themselves. This perspective offers a powerful framework for understanding how far we've come and the critical work that remains.

For anyone seeking to understand the courage it takes to stand against injustice, the strategic thinking behind successful movements, or the personal cost of fighting for change, Ralph Canty's testimony provides an essential, firsthand account of history in the making.

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The front porches of Augusta, Georgia shaped Dr. Bobby Donaldson long before formal education ever could. Through his grandmother's stories, the seeds of historical inquiry were planted, setting him on a path to become one of the nation's foremost chroniclers of South Carolina's civil rights movement.

When Dr. Donaldson arrived at the University of South Carolina 25 years ago, established scholars confidently told him "there wasn't much of a civil rights movement in South Carolina." This assertion – which he immediately recognized as false – exemplifies the historical erasure he's spent his career fighting. Drawing inspiration from pioneers like Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who created Negro History Week (now Black History Month) while facing similar institutional barriers in the 1930s, Donaldson has methodically constructed an irrefutable record of Black resistance and activism throughout South Carolina's history.

Through the Center for Civil Rights History and Research, Donaldson has democratized historical knowledge beyond academic circles. His team digitizes forgotten photographs, develops curriculum for teachers, creates walking tours, and records oral histories – all while training the next generation of historians. The work reveals extraordinary stories: Joseph Rainey, the first Black representative in the South Carolina legislature who helped create a constitution mandating integrated education; the brief period when USC had a majority-Black student body in the 1870s; and the ordinary families from Summerton whose petition for better schools became the cornerstone of Brown v. Board of Education.

Guided by civil rights activist Donella Brown Wilson's principle that "history has no purpose unless you use it," Donaldson's work transcends mere documentation. In our current moment, when battles over curricula and historical interpretation rage across the country, his meticulous research provides both inspiration and armor for those fighting to preserve accurate historical narratives. Listen as he shares how these recovered stories illuminate not just where we've been, but where we might go next.

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"We be sisters. We be the same, coming from the same place, going through." The powerful poetry of Lucille Clifton opens this profound exploration of sisterhood, collective power, and remembrance during Women's History Month.

What happens when women recognize their shared journey and lock arms together? The answer transforms families, communities, and nations. With women comprising 55% of Florence's population and 52% of America's citizens, we hold numerical strength that becomes transformative when united around common purpose.

This journey through Women's History Month celebrates the "Queens of the Grove" at Savannah Grove Baptist Church—women like Miss Gladys Jackson, the entrepreneur and mother of prosperous Black farmers, and First Ladies who led with grace and wisdom. These local heroines shared space with national icons like Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who rose from nearby Maysville, South Carolina, to advise presidents and befriend Eleanor Roosevelt. Dr. Iola Jones, whose memorial plaque now stands in Florence, brought these world-changers directly to segregated schools, showing children possibilities beyond their immediate circumstances.

The most urgent message emerges when examining today's challenges: our children are struggling with reading fundamentals while parents substitute screens for bedtime stories. The greatest disservice we do to future generations is failing to teach them their history—for as the wisdom goes, "If I do not know from which I have come, it is extremely hard to develop directions to where I want or need to go."

As we face increasingly complex challenges, remember these words: "When you rock is the only time I can rock." Our strength has always been in our unity. Let God's word light your path, then go forth and let your light shine brightly wherever you find yourself. The time for sisterhood is now.