The Town of Latta and the Latimer Historic School Committee have been awarded a planning grant from SC Humanities to undertake a significant mission: to gather and safeguard historical information and artifacts that vividly portray the vibrant Black history and stories associated with the former African American School and the broader community.
The Listen, Learn, Preserve and Celebrate project will commence with a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the construction of the Latimer School in the Town of Latta, SC at the Latimer Gymnasium on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 4 p.m. This event will mark the school’s recent listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The school represents African American education in Dillon County, SC during the 1950s after the passage of Brown v. Board of Education. Dr. Christina Butler, Butler Preservation L.C., Charleston, SC, will share the significance of this historic equalization school, and more broadly the importance of this momentous accomplishment with Latta residents young and old, and especially the students of Dillon County today, who can draw inspiration from the educational heritage of their community’s past.
The project transcends mere data collection; it’s a community-wide effort that will involve engaging with the public, preserving our heritage, and sharing our collective history. Our goal is to conduct compelling oral history interviews and capture these invaluable sessions on video. We are thrilled to extend an invitation to the graduates of the Latimer School and the broader community to take part in our community-wide initiative to provide input on the future use of the school building. We will be organizing a series of five meetings to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. Additionally, we will establish a drop-off site for citizens to donate artifacts and memorabilia that hold significance to the school to be placed in a Latimer School Museum in the future. Ultimately, we aim to ensure that future generations of African Americans not only recognize their history but also actively participate in the legacy that the Latimer Schools embody in our community.
The mission of South Carolina Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. This not-for-profit organization presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state.
