Charleston, South Carolina – Esau Jenkins, a civil rights leader and Johns Island native, died on this date in 1972, after a lifetime of community activism.
Jenkins, who was born in 1910, rose to prominence as a vocal supporter of voting rights and education. He personally bused Black youngsters to Charleston for a better education and drove adults to work, teaching them about voting rights and the state constitution throughout their route.
Jenkins formed the Progressive Club and, later, “citizenship schools” with Bernice Robinson and Septima Clark. These schools taught tens of thousands of African Americans how to read, allowing them to register and vote throughout the South.
His involvement continued with the formation of the Citizens Committee of Charleston and advocacy for Black employees in city departments.
Jenkins was inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame in 2003, acknowledging his enduring legacy.
