Press Release 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

[The College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Announces Spring Exhibition Opening of Bending to Justice: The Long Durée of Civil Rights in Charleston and The North Star Reception in partnership with the Charleston Area Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History on Friday, February 28, 2025, at 6:00 pm at the Avery Research Center] 

[Charleston, SC] – In preparation for the Avery Institute celebrating 160 years, the College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture has prepared a series of exhibitions and programs recognizing the spirit of Averyites, supporters, and the Lowcountry citizenry who have served pivotal roles in shaping education and civil rights in Charleston and the United States. In collaboration with the Charleston Area Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, please join us at the Avery Research Center on Friday, February 28, 2025, at 6:00 pm for our opening reception.  

To begin our celebration, we recognize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last visit to Charleston in 1967 with the exhibition Bending to Justice: The Long Durée of Civil Rights in Charleston. To understand the time frame of Dr. King’s visit, the exhibit will examine the Poor People’s campaign and civil rights in Charleston, including the Charleston Movement, the 1969 Hospital Strike, and Averyite Septima P. Clark. 

In alignment with the civil rights movement, our North Star exhibit examines the tenacity of Avery supporters who laid the foundation for the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. These guiding lights wanted to ensure a location to preserve the history of the Avery Institute and collect the history of the African diaspora in the South Carolina Lowcountry. The pillars of the exhibit include the Honorable Lucille Whimper, James Campbell, Ruth Rambo, Dr. Cynthia McCottry-Smith, and Senator Rev.  McKinley Washington.  

The opening reception will be an exciting opportunity to celebrate Avery at 160 years, explore the exhibit, and enjoy a night of vibrant conversation. Guests will interact with descendants of movement leaders and supporters of Avery. Light refreshments will be served. 

Event Details: 

• Date: Friday, February 28, 2025 

• Time: 6:00 PM 

• Location: Avery Research Center, 125 Bull ST, Charleston SC 29401 

• Admission: Free RSVP Required— https://libcal.charleston.edu/event/14172995  

For more information, please contact: 
DaNia Childress 
childressd@cofc.edu 
https://avery.charleston.edu/  

About Avery Research Center 
The mission of the College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture s to collect, preserve, and promote the unique history and culture of the African diaspora, with an emphasis on Charleston, the South Carolina Lowcountry, and beyond. Avery has been an educational hub for Black Charleston since its time as the Avery Institute and School, a school established for African Americans (1865–1954).