Famous People From South Carolina
- With his memorably eccentric appearances on popular sitcoms like "NewsRadio" (NBC, 1995-99) and "Less than Perfect" (ABC, 2002-06), wacky comedian Andy Dick made his name both on screen as a certifiable scene stealer and off screen as being something close to certifiable. For a substantial portion of his career, Dick lived something of an Andy Kaufman-like existence, where his real-life antics like groping random strangers and publicly exposing himself caused both concern and outrage of whether or not he was merely performing. In 1999, part of the mystery was solved when he was arrested for hit-and-run and felony possession of drugs. Of course, he continued to appear on screen on the short-lived sketch comedy series "The Andy Dick Show" (MTV, 2001-02), appearing in films like "The Hebrew Hammer" (2003) and "Blonde Ambition" (2007), picking up guest spots on "Community" (NBC, 2009-15; Yahoo!, 2015) and "2 Broke Girls" (CBS, 2011-17) and even becoming a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC, 2005- ). Though Dick underwent treatment for substance abuse in the years that followed, which included a stint on "Sober House" (VH1, 2009-2010), his fame as a talented comedic performer was eventually eclipsed by his outsized personality and growing penchant for self-destruction, which included numerous arrests for sexual assault, drug possession and public urination, all of which turned him into little more than a punch line. His habits gained renewed attention in the post-Harvey Weinstein crackdown on offensive behavior in Hollywood, when it was revealed that Dick had been fired from two films for inappropriate conduct on set.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Mary-Louise Parker, an award-winning American actress and writer, has established a remarkable legacy in the entertainment industry. Born on August 2, 1964, in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, she grew up as the youngest of four siblings. After graduating from North Carolina School of the Arts, Parker embarked on her acting career in the mid-1980s. With her natural flair for acting, she quickly gained attention for her performances in both theater and film. Parker's career took off with her Tony Award-winning performance in the Broadway production of David Auburn's Proof in 2001. She further solidified her star status with a Golden Globe and Emmy Award for her role in HBO's miniseries Angels in America. On the silver screen, Parker has demonstrated her versatility with roles in films such as Fried Green Tomatoes, Boys on the Side, and Red. However, it was her portrayal of Nancy Botwin, a suburban widow turned marijuana dealer in the television series Weeds, that won her another Golden Globe. In addition to her acting pursuits, Parker is also an accomplished writer. Her collection of essays titled Dear Mr. You was published in 2015 and received critical acclaim. The book showcases Parker's literary talents through a series of letters addressed to significant men in her life. Despite her numerous professional achievements, Parker maintains a balanced perspective, prioritizing her role as a mother to her two children.
- Birthplace: Fort Jackson, South Carolina, USA
The 30+ Best Mary-Louise Parker MoviesSee all
- 1Fried Green Tomatoes50 Votes
- 2The Client19 Votes
- 3Boys on the Side26 Votes
- Andie MacDowell, an illustrious figure in the entertainment industry, is best known for her award-winning performances in both film and television. Born as Rosalie Anderson MacDowell on April 21, 1958, in Gaffney, South Carolina, she embarked on her journey into stardom initially as a model and later transitioned into acting. MacDowell's modeling career began with Elite Model Management, leading her to represent renowned brands such as Vogue and Yves Saint Laurent. Her striking beauty and unique talent soon caught the attention of director Bruce Beresford, offering her a starring role in his 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. Despite facing criticism for her debut performance, she unwaveringly continued to hone her craft and subsequently won hearts with her remarkable performance in Steven Soderbergh's Sex, Lies, and Videotape in 1989. This role earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, marking her arrival as a serious actor in Hollywood. In the ensuing years, MacDowell showcased her versatility with roles in various genres. She delivered memorable performances in romantic comedies like Green Card and Four Weddings and a Funeral, the latter earning her another Golden Globe nomination. Her portrayal of complex characters in dramas like Unstrung Heroes and Crush further cemented her status as a dynamic actress. Aside from her film career, MacDowell also found success on television, most notably in the series Cedar Cove. In addition to her acting prowess, MacDowell is celebrated for her philanthropic endeavors, particularly her work with ovarian cancer awareness campaigns.
- Birthplace: Gaffney, South Carolina, USA
The 40+ Best Andie MacDowell MoviesSee all- 1Groundhog Day63 Votes
- 2Green Card34 Votes
- 3Sex, Lies, and Videotape28 Votes
- Lauren Hutton was an American model and actress born on November 17, 1943 in Charleston, South Carolina. Born to Lawrence and Minnie Hutton, who divorced shortly after Lawrence returned from London and World War II, Hutton would never actually meet her father. He died in 1955 at age 36 while working as a reporter. She graduated from Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Florida in 1961, then briefly attended the University of South Florida. Hutton moved to New York for a time and worked in the Playboy Club, but returned to the South to attend Newcomb College, a coordinate school with Tulane University. She graduated with a bachelor of arts in 1964. But Hutton couldn't be kept away from New York, and went back in the late 1960s to begin a modeling career. She landed her first notable advertisement in 1968 for Chanel, photographed by Richard Avedon. The same year, Hutton made her film debut in "Paper Lion" (1968), a sports drama starring Alan Alda. Throughout the '70s and early '80s, she appeared in numerous films and TV movies while continuing to model. Hutton appeared in the Robert Redford-led "Little Fauss and Big Halsy" (1970) and made her television debut in TV movie "A Time for Love" (1973). She landed a massive contract with Revlon in 1973, the largest in the modeling industry to that point. It was worth $250,000 a year for 20 days' work. Hutton worked with Revlon in this capacity for ten years. Hutton continued to accumulate acting credits, starring in "The Gambler" with James Caan in 1974 and the Evel Knievel film "Viva Knievel!" in 1978. She also co-starred in Paul Schrader's "American Gigolo" (1980) with Richard Gere, and played recurring character Colette Ferrier on the short-lived soap opera "Paper Dolls" (ABC, 1984). Hutton starred as a vampiric countess seducing a young Jim Carrey (in one of his earliest film roles) in "Once Bitten" (1985) before appearing on film and television less frequently, besides a short-lived incarnation of her own talk show, "Lauren Hutton and " (1995-96). But Hutton modeled continued to model extensively through her seventies, appearing on the cover of Vogue a record 26 times and posing nude for the first time at age 61 for Big magazine to combat the shame women are made to feel. She made a notable return to television in a two-part appearance in "Nip/Tuck" (FX, 2003-10) in 2007 and played matriarch and makeup company head Lily LeClaire in the Amy Schumer-led "I Feel Pretty" (2018).
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- A striking young beauty with a touch of attitude, actress Jessica Stroup quickly established herself as one of Hollywood's fresh new faces to watch. Rising from modeling and commercial work to the big screen in just a few short years, Stroup first grabbed attention as an ill-fated prom attendee in the horror remake of "Prom Night" (2008). That same year, she was cast as the rebellious, but troubled Erin Silver on the highly anticipated revamping of television's most famous zip code, "90210" (The CW, 2008-13). Having raised her profile over the course of several seasons, Stroup was able to parlay her celebrity into other notable roles, including co-starring in two prominent indie thrillers, "Homecoming" (2009) and "The Informer" (2009). But it was her turn as the manic Silver that remained her most noteworthy role and made her one of Hollywood's most rapidly rising stars.
- Birthplace: Anderson, South Carolina, USA
- Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Big Show. Wight began his career in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he was known by the ring name The Giant, initially introduced as "The son of André the Giant". He is a seven-time world champion, having held the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice, the WWF/WWE Championship twice, WWE's World Heavyweight Championship twice and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once (he is the only man to have held all four of those particular titles). Wight has also found success in the tag team division, having been an 11-time world tag team champion, holding the WWF/World, WWE and WCW World Tag Team Championships multiple times with various tag team partners. Having also won the Intercontinental, United States and Hardcore championships, he is the 24th Triple Crown and 12th Grand Slam winner in WWE history, He has also won WCW's World War 3 in 1996 60-man battle royal and the 30-man André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 31. Wight has headlined multiple pay-per-view events for WCW and WWF/WWE since 1995, including the 2000 edition of WWE's premier annual event, WrestleMania.Outside of professional wrestling, Wight has appeared in feature films and television series such as Jingle All the Way, The Waterboy, Star Trek: Enterprise, and two USA Network's comedy-dramas Royal Pains, Psych and the action-drama Burn Notice. In 2010, he had his first lead role, in the comedy film Knucklehead, which was produced by WWE Studios. While at college Wight played basketball for several universities including Wichita State University, Northern Oklahoma Junior College and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Wight is married to Bess Katramados and together they have two children, as well as Wight having a daughter with his first wife.
- Birthplace: Aiken, USA, South Carolina
- Basketball star Kevin Garnett is known for his exceptional athleticism and uncompromising competitiveness. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, on May 19, 1976, Garnett's journey from being a high school phenomenon to becoming one of the most influential players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is a tale of tenacity and relentless pursuit of excellence. Garnett's career in NBA began straight out of high school when he was drafted in 1995 by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the fifth overall pick, making him the first player to be drafted directly from high school into the professional league in over two decades. His impact was immediate, and he quickly became a cornerstone for the team, earning himself an All-Star appearance by his second season. Over his 21-year career, Garnett played for the Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets, amassing a multitude of accolades including the coveted NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 2004 and an NBA Championship with the Celtics in 2008. Beyond his impressive stats and awards, Garnett is also widely recognized for changing the landscape of the game. His entry into the NBA straight from high school paved the way for future stars to follow the same path. Furthermore, his versatile style of play, which combined the agility of a guard with the power of a center, transformed the traditional role of a power forward in the sport. Today, Garnett's influence can be seen in many facets of the game, from the influx of high school draftees in the late '90s and early '00s, to the modern-day big man who possesses skills beyond just post play. Truly, Kevin Garnett is not only a basketball legend but an icon whose legacy continues to shape the sport.
- Birthplace: Mauldin, South Carolina, USA
Kevin Garnett's Best Teammates Throughout His NBA CareerSee all- 1Paul Pierce69 Votes
- 2Ray Allen59 Votes
- 3Rajon Rondo51 Votes
- Bernard Mannes Baruch (; August 19, 1870 – June 20, 1965) was an American financier, stock investor, philanthropist, statesman, and political consultant. After his success in business, he devoted his time toward advising U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt on economic matters, and became a philanthropist.
- Birthplace: Camden, South Carolina, USA
- Frank Shepard Fairey (born February 15, 1970) is an American contemporary street artist, graphic designer, activist, illustrator, and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene. He first became known for his "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" (...OBEY...) sticker campaign while attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).He became widely known during the 2008 U.S. presidential election for his Barack Obama "Hope" poster. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston has described him as one of the best known and most influential street artists. His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Charleston
- Courtney Lanair Brown (born February 14, 1978) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for Penn State University, and earned consensus All-American honors. The Cleveland Browns selected him with the first overall pick of the 2000 NFL Draft, and he played professionally for the Browns and Denver Broncos of the NFL. Brown is often listed as the biggest draft bust in Cleveland Browns franchise history.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- One of the most accomplished directors of the 20th century, Stanley Donen was born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1924. Donen began taking dance lessons as a child, and dance would remain his greatest passion, even as he enrolled at the University of South Carolina as a psychology major. He only lasted a single semester however, before, with his family's encouragement, he moved to New York to try his luck as a professional dancer. Donen landed his first role in the chorus of the original production of Rodgers and Hart's "Pal Joey" in 1940, where he first met longtime friend and collaborator Gene Kelly. The pair would work together on a number of Broadway plays, often with Donen acting as assistant choreographer. Eventually, when Kelly made the move to film, Donen did the same, making his debut in and assistant choreographing "Best Foot Forward" (1943). Before long, Donen and Kelly reconnected and began collaborating on the choreography for major movie musicals like "Anchors Aweigh" (1945). Donen eventually paired with Kelly again to not only co-choreograph but co-direct "On the Town" (1949). With his reputation as a bankable director in the difficult genre of musicals fully cemented, he went on to direct his own childhood idol Fred Astaire in "Royal Wedding" (1951) before reteaming with Kelly to co-direct the classic "Singin' in the Rain" (1952). Donen would go on to direct a number of both musical and non-musical hits like "Funny Face" (1957), "Charade" (1963), and "Two for the Road" (1967), not to mention the science fiction film "Saturn 3" (1980). Donen would direct his last feature film, frothy sex comedy "Blame it on Rio" (1984) in 1984, and henceforth largely returned to theater, memorably directing a production of "The Red Shoes" in 1993. Donen passed away in 2019. He was 94 years old.
- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer.Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuoso style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of the new music called bebop. His beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, his scat singing, his bent horn, pouched cheeks, and his light-hearted personality provided some of bebop's most prominent symbols.In the 1940s Gillespie, with Charlie Parker, became a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz.He taught and influenced many other musicians, including trumpeters Miles Davis, Jon Faddis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Arturo Sandoval, Lee Morgan, Chuck Mangione, and balladeer Johnny Hartman.Scott Yanow wrote, "Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to jazz were huge. One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up being similar to those of Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis's emergence in the 1970s that Dizzy's style was successfully recreated [....] Arguably Gillespie is remembered, by both critics and fans alike, as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time".
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Cheraw
- Ainsley Earhardt (born September 20, 1976) is an American Fox News television personality and author. She is the co-host of Fox & Friends.
- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
- James Strom Thurmond Sr. (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) was an American politician who served for 48 years as a United States Senator from South Carolina. He ran for president in 1948 as the States' Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes. Thurmond represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 until 2003, at first as a Southern Democrat and, after 1964, as a Republican. A magnet for controversy during his nearly half-century Senate career, Thurmond switched parties because of his support for Republican presidential candidate Senator Barry Goldwater. In the months before switching, he had "been critical of the Democratic Administration for ... enactment of the Civil Rights Law", while Goldwater "boasted of his opposition to the Civil Rights Act, and made it part of his platform." Thurmond left office as the only member of either chamber of Congress to reach the age of 100 while still in office, and as the oldest-serving and longest-serving senator in U.S. history (although he was later surpassed in the latter by Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye). Thurmond holds the record as the longest-serving member of Congress to serve exclusively in the Senate. He is also the longest-serving Republican member of Congress in U.S. history. At 14 years, he was also the longest-serving Dean of the United States Senate in U.S. history. In opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957, he conducted the longest speaking filibuster ever by a lone senator, at 24 hours and 18 minutes in length. In the 1960s, he opposed the civil rights legislation of 1964 and 1965 to end segregation and enforce the constitutional rights of African-American citizens, including basic suffrage. Despite being a pro-segregation Dixiecrat, he insisted he was not a racist, but was opposed to excessive federal authority, which he attributed to Communist agitators.Starting in the 1970s, he moderated his position on race, but continued to defend his early segregationist campaigns on the basis of states' rights in the context of Southern society at the time. He never fully renounced his earlier positions.Six months after Thurmond died at the age of 100 in 2003, his mixed-race, then 78-year-old daughter Essie Mae Washington-Williams (1925–2013) revealed he was her father. Her mother Carrie Butler (1909–1948) had been working as his family's maid, and was either 15 or 16 years old when a 22-year-old Thurmond impregnated her in early 1925. Although Thurmond never publicly acknowledged Essie Mae Washington, he paid for her education at a historically black college and passed other money to her for some time. She said she kept silent out of respect for her father and denied the two had agreed she would not reveal her connection to Thurmond. His children by his marriage eventually acknowledged her. Her name has since been added as one of his children to his memorial at the state capitol.
- Birthplace: Edgefield, South Carolina, USA
Shanola Hampton
Age: 47Lauded for her role as Veronica, the neighbor of the dysfunctional Gallagher clan on the U.S. series "Shameless," Shanola Hampton began acting onstage at Winthrop University in her home state of South Carolina. After earning a Masters in Fine Arts, Hampton broke into film and TV with small roles in the series "Popular," "Reba," and "Scrubs" before being cast as Flash in the 2005 comedy-drama "Related." Following a stint on the short-lived series "Miami Medical" in 2010, the actress appeared in the 2011 feature ensemble comedy "You Again" with legend Betty White before rising to fame on "Shameless."- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- As a classically-trained actor, Thomas Gibson proved to be a versatile performer throughout his career, racking up a number of impressive stage, film and television credits. During the early days of his profession, Gibson made the leap from soap operas to the big screen as a villain intent on keeping Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman apart in the immigrant drama "Far and Away" (1992) and as a stage actor in "Martin Scorsese's "The Age of Innocence" (1993). An all-American actor with a low-key charisma, Gibson continued to make small film appearances, including in yet another Cruise and Kidman collaboration, Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999), as well as in the comedy "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" (2000), but enjoyed his biggest impact on television with long-running roles as the kindly Dr. Danny Nylund on "Chicago Hope" (CBS, 1994-2000), the lovably uptight Greg on "Dharma & Greg" (ABC, 1997-2002), and the tortured FBI agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner on "Criminal Minds" (CBS, 2005- ). A steady but under-the-radar pop cultural presence, Thomas Gibson proved a rarity in Hollywood with his avoidance of scandal and stardom in favor of professionalism and dependability until an on-set meltdown, during which he reportedly kicked one of the show's producers, led to his dismissal from "Criminal Minds" at the height of the show's popularity.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Nimrata Haley (née Randhawa, January 20, 1972), known as Nikki Haley, is an American diplomat and politician who served as United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018. As a Republican, she previously served as Governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 and in the legislature. Haley was the first female governor of South Carolina, and the second Indian-American (after fellow Republican, Governor Bobby Jindal) to serve as a governor in the United States. First elected in 2004, Haley served three terms in the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 2010, during her third term, she was elected governor, and was re-elected in November 2014. In 2015, she signed legislation calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from the State Capitol. In 2016, she was named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.On November 23, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Haley for the position of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Haley was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 96–4 vote, and was sworn in on January 25, 2017. As U.N. ambassador, she affirmed the United States's willingness to use military force in response to further North Korean missile tests in the wake of the 2017 North Korea crisis. She announced her resignation on October 9, 2018, to take effect at the end of 2018.
- Birthplace: Bamberg, South Carolina, USA
- Jayson Williams (born February 22, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. In 2010, Williams pleaded guilty to assault in the accidental shooting death of a limousine driver. He served a 27-month prison sentence and was released in April 2012.
- Birthplace: Ritter, South Carolina, USA
- Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. (March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002), better known as Buck Baker, was an American stock car racer. Born in Richburg, South Carolina, Baker began his NASCAR career in 1949 and won his first race three years later at Columbia Speedway. Twenty-seven years later, Baker retired after the 1976 National 500. During his NASCAR Strictly Stock (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) career, Baker won two championships, 46 races and 45 pole positions, as well as recorded 372 top-tens. In 1957, he became the first driver to win two consecutive championships in the series. From 1972 to 1973, he competed in the Grand National East Series, where he recorded five top-tens in twelve races. On May 23, 2012, it was announced that he would be inducted into the 2013 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on February 8, 2013.
- Birthplace: Richburg, South Carolina
- John Caldwell Calhoun (; March 18, 1782 – March 31, 1850) was an American statesman from the Democratic party and political theorist from South Carolina who served as the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. He is remembered for strongly defending slavery and for advancing the concept of minority rights in politics, which he did in the context of protecting the interests of the white South when it was outnumbered by Northerners. He began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent of a strong national government and protective tariffs. In the late 1820s, his views changed radically, and he became a leading proponent of states' rights, limited government, nullification, and opposition to high tariffs—he saw Northern acceptance of these policies as a condition of the South remaining in the Union. His beliefs and warnings heavily influenced the South's secession from the Union in 1860–1861. Calhoun began his political career with election to the House of Representatives in 1810. As a prominent leader of the war hawk faction, Calhoun strongly supported the War of 1812 to defend American honor against British infractions of American independence and neutrality during the Napoleonic Wars. He then served as Secretary of War under President James Monroe, and in this position reorganized and modernized the War Department. Calhoun was a candidate for the presidency in the 1824 election. After failing to gain support, he let his name be put forth as a candidate for vice president. The Electoral College elected Calhoun for vice president by an overwhelming majority. He served under John Quincy Adams and continued under Andrew Jackson, who defeated Adams in the election of 1828. Calhoun had a difficult relationship with Jackson primarily due to the Nullification Crisis and the Petticoat affair. In contrast with his previous nationalism, Calhoun vigorously supported South Carolina's right to nullify federal tariff legislation he believed unfairly favored the North, putting him into conflict with unionists such as Jackson. In 1832, with only a few months remaining in his second term, he resigned as vice president and entered the Senate. He sought the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1844, but lost to surprise nominee James K. Polk, who went on to become president. Calhoun served as Secretary of State under John Tyler from 1844 to 1845. As Secretary of State, he supported the annexation of Texas as a means to extend the slave power, and helped settle the Oregon boundary dispute with Britain. He then returned to the Senate, where he opposed the Mexican–American War, the Wilmot Proviso, and the Compromise of 1850 before his death in 1850. Calhoun often served as a virtual party-independent who variously aligned as needed with Democrats and Whigs. Later in life, Calhoun became known as the "cast-iron man" for his rigid defense of white Southern beliefs and practices. His concept of republicanism emphasized approval of slavery and minority rights, as particularly embodied by the Southern states. His concept of minority rights did not extend to slaves; he owned dozens of slaves in Fort Hill, South Carolina. Calhoun asserted that slavery, rather than being a "necessary evil," was a "positive good," benefiting both slaves and slave owners. To protect minority rights against majority rule, he called for a concurrent majority whereby the minority could sometimes block proposals that it felt infringed on their liberties. To this end, Calhoun supported states' rights and nullification, through which states could declare null and void federal laws that they viewed as unconstitutional. Calhoun was one of the "Great Triumvirate" or the "Immortal Trio" of Congressional leaders, along with his Congressional colleagues Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. In 1957, a Senate Committee headed by Senator John F. Kennedy selected Calhoun as one of the five greatest United States Senators of all time.
- Birthplace: Abbeville, South Carolina, USA
- Robert Quinn (born May 18, 1990) is an American football outside linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina, and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the 14th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
- Birthplace: Ladson, South Carolina
- Darla Dee Moore (born August 1, 1954) is an American investor and philanthropist. She is the former president and a partner of the private investment firm Rainwater Inc. and was married to Richard Rainwater, who founded the firm.
- Birthplace: Lake City, South Carolina
- Darian Bernard Durant (born August 19, 1982) is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. He played college football at the University of North Carolina. By the end of his college career, he held school records for completion percentage, touchdowns, passing yards, total offense and completions. Durant was signed as a free agent by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2006, and became the club's full-time starting quarterback in 2009. He was named a CFL West Division All-Star in 2009 and 2013. Durant was the starting quarterback when the Saskatchewan Roughriders won the 101st Grey Cup in 2013 on their home field. Durant also played for the Montreal Alouettes in 2017. His brother Justin plays in the National Football League as a linebacker.
- Birthplace: Florence, South Carolina
- Diego "Chico" Corrales Jr. (August 25, 1977 – May 7, 2007) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2007. He was a multiple-time world champion in two weight divisions, having held the IBF super featherweight title from 1999 to 2000; the WBO super featherweight title in 2004; the WBO lightweight title from 2004 to 2006; and the WBC, Ring magazine, and lineal lightweight titles from 2005 to 2006. In 2005, Corrales received Fight of the Year honors by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America for his acclaimed first bout with José Luis Castillo.
- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina
- Peabo Bryson (born Robert Peapo Bryson; April 13, 1951, given name changed from "Peapo " to Peabo c. 1965) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina. He is well known for singing soul ballads (often as a duo with female singers) and has contributed to two Disney animated feature soundtracks. Bryson is a winner of two Grammy Awards.
- Birthplace: Greenville, USA, South Carolina
- John Broadus Watson (January 9, 1878 – September 25, 1958) was an American psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson promoted a change in psychology through his address Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it, which was given at Columbia University in 1913. Through his behaviorist approach, Watson conducted research on animal behavior, child rearing, and advertising. In addition, he conducted the controversial "Little Albert" experiment and the Kerplunk experiment. Watson popularized the use of the scientific theory with behaviorism. He was also editor of Psychological Review from 1910 to 1915. A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Watson as the 17th most cited psychologist of the 20th century.
- Birthplace: Travelers Rest, South Carolina
- Marian Wright Edelman (born June 6, 1939) is an American activist for children's rights. She has been an advocate for disadvantaged Americans for her entire professional life. She is president emerita and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Bennettsville
- Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, better known as Reverend Ike (June 1, 1935 – July 28, 2009), was an American minister and evangelist based in New York City. He was known for the slogan "You can't lose with the stuff I use!" His preaching is considered a form of prosperity theology.
- Birthplace: Ridgeland, South Carolina
- Archibald Henry Grimké (August 17, 1849 – February 25, 1930) was an American lawyer, intellectual, journalist, diplomat and community leader in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A graduate of freedmen's schools, Lincoln University and Harvard Law School, he later was appointed as American Consul to the Dominican Republic from 1894 to 1898. He was an activist for rights for blacks, working in Boston and Washington, DC. He was a national vice-president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as president of its Washington, DC branch.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- William Henry Demps, Jr. (born November 7, 1979) is a former American football safety who was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at San Diego State. Demps also played for the New York Giants and Houston Texans. He is the older brother of former NFL safety Marcus Demps.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 – April 12, 1973) was an American lyricist and Hollywood film producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture twice, in 1951 for An American in Paris and in 1958 for Gigi. Both films were musicals. In addition, he produced and was also a co-lyricist for the now-iconic film Singin' in the Rain.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Lawrence Eugene Doby (December 13, 1923 – June 18, 2003) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB) who was the second black player to break baseball's color barrier and the first black player in the American League. A native of Camden, South Carolina and three-sport all-state athlete while in high school in Paterson, New Jersey, Doby accepted a basketball scholarship from Long Island University. At 17 years of age, he began his professional baseball career with the Newark Eagles as the team's second baseman. Doby joined the United States Navy during World War II. His military service complete, Doby returned to baseball in 1946, and along with teammate Monte Irvin, helped the Eagles win the Negro League World Series. In July 1947—three months after Jackie Robinson made history with the Brooklyn Dodgers—Doby broke the MLB color barrier in the American League when he signed a contract to play with Bill Veeck's Cleveland Indians. Doby was the first player to go directly to the majors from the Negro leagues. A seven-time All-Star center fielder, Doby and teammate Satchel Paige were the first African-American players to win a World Series championship when the Indians took the crown in 1948. He helped the Indians win a franchise-record 111 games and the AL pennant in 1954, finished second in the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award voting and was the AL's RBI leader and home run champion. He went on to play for the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Chunichi Dragons before his retirement as a player in 1962. Doby later served as the second black manager in the majors with the Chicago White Sox, and in 1995 was appointed to a position in the AL's executive office. He also served as a director with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 by the Hall's Veterans Committee and died in 2003 at the age of 79.
- Birthplace: Camden, South Carolina
- Reverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis (born Gary D. Davis, April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), was a blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. His fingerpicking guitar style influenced many other artists. His students include Stefan Grossman, David Bromberg, Steve Katz, Roy Book Binder, Larry Johnson, Nick Katzman, Dave Van Ronk, Rory Block, Ernie Hawkins, Larry Campbell, Bob Weir, Woody Mann, and Tom Winslow. He influenced Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Wizz Jones, Jorma Kaukonen, Keb' Mo', Ollabelle, Resurrection Band, and John Sebastian (of the Lovin' Spoonful).
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Laurens
- Coleman Livingston Blease (October 8, 1868 – January 19, 1942) was a South Carolina politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as a state legislator, 90th Governor of South Carolina (1911-1915), and U.S. Senator. Blease, a unrepentant white supremacist, was notorious for playing on the prejudices of poor whites to gain their votes. He advocated lynching and was against education for African-Americans. As senator, he advocated penalties for interracial couples attempting to get married, as well as criticizing First Lady Lou Hoover for inviting a black guest to tea at the White House. Livingston Blease was the architect of Section 1325, which criminalized unauthorized entry into the United States rather than treating it as a civil infraction, and created the notion of "illegal immigrant".
- Birthplace: Newberry, South Carolina, USA
William A. Moffett
Dec. at 63 (1869-1933)William Adger Moffett (October 31, 1869 – April 4, 1933) was an American admiral and Medal of Honor recipient known as the architect of naval aviation in the United States Navy.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Darius Carlos Rucker (born May 13, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, which he founded in 1986 at the University of South Carolina along with Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber. The band released five studio albums with him as a member and charted six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Rucker co-wrote most of the songs with the other members. He released a solo R&B album, Back to Then in 2002 on Hidden Beach Recordings but no singles from it charted. Six years later, Rucker signed to Capitol Nashville as a country music singer, releasing the album, Learn to Live that year. Its first single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", made him the first black artist to reach number one on the Hot Country Songs charts since Charley Pride in 1983. (Ray Charles hit number one in March 1985 in a duet with Willie Nelson with "Seven Spanish Angels".) It was followed by two more number one singles, "It Won't Be Like This for Long" and "Alright" and the number three hit "History in the Making". In 2009, he became the first black American to win the New Artist Award from the Country Music Association, and the second black person to win any award from the association. A second album, Charleston, SC 1966, was released on October 12, 2010. The album includes the number one singles, "Come Back Song" and "This".
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Charleston
The Best Darius Rucker Solo Albums, RankedSee all- 1True Believers15 Votes
- 2Charleston, SC 196616 Votes
- 3Learn to Live12 Votes
- James Francis Byrnes (US: ; May 2, 1882 – April 9, 1972) was an American judge and politician from the state of South Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrnes served in Congress, the executive branch, and on the United States Supreme Court. He was also the 104th Governor of South Carolina, making him one of the very few politicians to serve in all three branches of the American federal government while also being active in state government. Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Byrnes pursued a legal career with the help of his cousin, Governor Miles Benjamin McSweeney. Byrnes won election to the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1911 to 1925. He became a close ally of President Woodrow Wilson and a protégé of Senator Benjamin Tillman. He sought election to the United States Senate in 1924, but narrowly lost a run-off election to Coleman Livingston Blease, who had the backing of the Ku Klux Klan. After the loss, Byrnes moved his law practice to Spartanburg, South Carolina and prepared for a political comeback. He narrowly defeated Blease in the 1930 Democratic primary and joined the Senate in 1931. Historian George E. Mowry called Byrnes "the most influential Southern member of Congress between John Calhoun and Lyndon Johnson." In the Senate, Byrnes supported the policies of his long-time friend, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Byrnes championed the New Deal and sought federal investment in South Carolina water projects. He also supported Roosevelt's foreign policy, calling for a hard line against Japan and Nazi Germany. On the other hand, Byrnes opposed anti-lynching legislation and some of the labor laws proposed by Roosevelt, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act. Roosevelt appointed Byrnes to the Supreme Court in 1941, but asked him to join the executive branch after the start of World War II. During the war, Byrnes led the Office of Economic Stabilization and the Office of War Mobilization. He was a candidate to replace Henry A. Wallace as Roosevelt's running mate in the 1944 election, but Harry S. Truman was instead nominated by the 1944 Democratic National Convention. After Roosevelt's death, Byrnes served as a close adviser to Truman, becoming United States Secretary of State in July 1945. In this capacity, Byrnes attended the Potsdam Conference and the Paris Peace Conference. However, relations between Byrnes and Truman soured, and Byrnes resigned from the Cabinet in January 1947. He returned to elective politics in 1950, winning election as the Governor of South Carolina. As governor, he opposed the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education and sought to establish "separate but equal" as a realistic alternative to the desegregation of schools. He endorsed most Republican presidential nominees after 1948 and supported Strom Thurmond's switch to the Republican Party in 1964.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Frank Lee Culbertson Jr. (born May 15, 1949) (Capt, USN, Ret.) is an American former naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aerospace engineer, NASA astronaut and graduate of the US Naval Academy. He served as the Commander of the International Space Station for almost four months in 2001 and was the only American not on Earth when the September 11 attacks occurred. Charles Burlingame, the captain of the plane which struck the Pentagon, was his classmate at Annapolis. He recently retired as President of the Space Systems Group at Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. Mr. Culbertson was responsible for the execution, business development and financial performance of the company's human spaceflight, science, commercial communications, and national security satellite activities, as well as technical services to various government customers. These include some of Northrop Grumman's largest and most important programs such as NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) initiatives to the International Space Station (ISS) as well as various national security-related programs.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Harold Baron Jackson (November 3, 1915 – May 23, 2012) was an American disc jockey and radio personality who broke a number of color barriers in American radio broadcasting.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his stage name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live album (a recording of his 2005 Bonnaroo performance). He occasionally tours with a full band. Beam was raised in South Carolina before moving to Virginia and then Florida to attend school. He now resides in Durham, North Carolina. The name Iron & Wine is taken from a dietary supplement named "Beef, Iron & Wine" that he found in a general store while shooting a film.
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Columbia
- James William Anderson III (born November 1, 1937), known as Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, is an American country music singer, songwriter and television personality. He has been a member in long standing of the weekly Grand Ole Opry radio program and stage performance in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1961. He has released more than 40 studio albums and has reached No. 1 on the country charts seven times: "Mama Sang a Song" (1962), "Still" (1963), "I Get the Fever" (1966), "For Loving You" (with Jan Howard, 1967), "My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)" (1969), "World of Make Believe" (1973), and "Sometimes" (with Mary Lou Turner, 1976). Twenty-nine more of his singles have reached the top ten. One of the most successful songwriters in country music history, Anderson is also a popular singer, earning the nickname "Whisperin' Bill" for his soft vocal style and occasional spoken narrations. Artists who have recorded his material include Ray Price, Wanda Jackson, Connie Smith, Lynn Anderson, Jim Reeves, Conway Twitty, Eddy Arnold, Roy Clark, Con Hunley, Lefty Frizzell, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, and George Strait. Bill Anderson had his own television show in the 1960s. Anderson has made several television appearances, including two stints as a game show host: The Better Sex (with co-host Sarah Purcell) in 1977, and the country music-themed quiz show Fandango (1983–1989) on The Nashville Network. He has also hosted an interview show called Opry Backstage and was a producer of a talent show called You Can Be a Star, hosted by fellow Opry member Jim Ed Brown, both shows on the former Nashville Network, and has made guest appearances on several other television series. Anderson is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Columbia
- Virginia Capers was a Tony-Award-winning stage actress and singer best known for her performances in the Broadway musicals "Saratoga" and "Raisin" (based on the play "A Raisin in the Sun"). From the 1960s until 2002, Capers guest starred on numerous television shows and in several feature films as well. In film, she garnered a lot attention for her performance as singer Billie Holiday's mother in "Lady Sings the Blues" and for her roles in the cult blaxploitation films "Trouble Man" and "Five on the Black Hand Side." Ensuing Appearances in two Richard Pryor films, "The Toy" and "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling," ushered in an era of comedy for Capers that ultimately afforded her a spot as school nurse Florence Sparrow in the beloved John Hughes romp "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." The actress worked on many television shows, though viewers may remember her most fondly from her recurring role on the Will Smith sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and from "Frank's Place," starring Tim Reid. Capers died on May 6, 2004 at the age of 78.
- Birthplace: Sumter, South Carolina, USA
Ben Taylor
Dec. at 64 (1888-1953)Benjamin Harrison Taylor (July 1, 1888 – January 24, 1953) was an American first baseman and manager in baseball's Negro leagues. Taylor played for the Birmingham Giants, Chicago American Giants, Indianapolis ABC's, St. Louis Giants, Bacharach Giants, Washington Potomacs, Harrisburg Giants, and Baltimore Black Sox. His playing career played lasted from 1908 to 1929. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.- Birthplace: Anderson, South Carolina
Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve
Dec. at 92 (1831-1924)Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve (October 23, 1831 – January 9, 1924) was an American classical scholar.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Francis Marion (c. 1732 – February 27, 1795) was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Acting with the Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina and Charleston in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven out of the state in the Battle of Camden. Marion used irregular methods of warfare and is considered one of the fathers of modern guerrilla warfare and maneuver warfare, and is credited in the lineage of the United States Army Rangers and the other American military Special Forces such as the "Green Berets". He was known as The Swamp Fox.
- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
- William Rankin Patton was born June 14, 1954 in Charleston, SC, the eldest of four children to a Lutheran Minister father. Patton - whose parents divorced when he was a teen - was painfully shy in adolescence, and turned to performance as a way to interact and relate to others. After graduation from high school, Patton attended the North Carolina School for the Arts for just under one year until he was expelled for behavioral issues, and then traveled for a time before training with Lee Strasberg at the esteemed Actors Studio. Like any struggling actor, Patton held many jobs while he honed his craft, such as a construction worker, salesman, security guard and elevator attendant. He began also to study under Joseph Chaikin at Open Theater in New York City; it was a joint work with Chaikin's experimental group, The Winter Project, called "Tourists and Refugees No. 2" that would see Patton win his first Obie for Best Ensemble. This era also marked his introduction to television in the telefilm chronicling the historic campus demonstration shootings in "Kent State" (NBC 1981), as well as a bit on film in Mike Nichols' epic "Silkwood" (1983). In 1984 Patton repeated his Obie victory, this time as Best Actor for his work in playwright Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love." Patton's first film lead came in the crime thriller "Chinese Boxes" (1984), followed by a villainous turn in Susan Seidelman's "Desperately Seeking Susan" (1985), and in Martin Scorsese's "After Hours" (1985), as the leather clad gent, Horst. Patton's breakout role was his supporting lead in the taut government thriller "No Way Out" (1987), as the shady, obsessive aide to the Secretary of Defense (Gene Hackman) who stops at nothing to protect his boss. He picked up his third Obie, this for Best Actor, for the 1988-89 production of "What Did He See?" Patton also appeared in the apocalyptic drama "The Rapture" (1991), the quirky and clever Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner "In the Soup" (1992) as Seymour Cassel's hemophiliac brother, and then the much talked about crime thriller "Romeo is Bleeding" (1993). After a sinister turn in "The Client" (1994) opposite Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones, Patton did more fine work as Ellen Burstyn's nephew in the 1996 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner "The Spitfire Grill" (1996), a dramatic tale of a troubled young girl's attempt to start her life over in a new small town. Patton was the protective patriarch of three beautiful daughters in "Inventing the Abbotts" (1997), and had his biggest box office adventure with the disaster film "Armageddon" (1998) as Bruce Willis' best buddy who, along with a brave crew, are set on saving Earth at all costs. In 1999, Patton published a short book called Lassitudes of Fire, an abstract homage to the actor's pain filled journey through life. On screen, Patton appeared in the crime thriller "Entrapment" (1999), indie favorite "Jesus' Son" (2000) and box office draw "Gone in Sixty Seconds" (2000) as Atlee Jackson, who recruits Nicholas Cage back into the game. Some of Patton's largest praise came from his portrayal of demoted-but-unified Coach Bill Yoast in the hugely successful sports drama "Remember the Titans" (2000), starring opposite Denzel Washington. After a high strung appearance in "The Mothman Prophecies" (2002), Patton checked into "The Agency" (CBS 2001-03) as an intelligence gatherer within the walls of the CIA, and was also noted as an American Special Agent in the real-life drama "A Mighty Heart" (2007), opposite Angelina Jolie. As a model-maker who drifts into a small town with an agenda in mind, Patton starred in the little seen independent gem "Dog Days of Summer" (2007), as well as another remote town story in the film festival favorite "Wendy and Lucy" (2008). Patton was also part of a well reviewed ensemble with Alfre Woodard in "American Violet" (2008), the story of a wrongly accused woman, which featured the actor as a lawyer with a conscience. In the police crime-action drama "Brooklyn's Finest" (2009), Patton dons his familiar Fed-in-a-suit role, with a powerful cast including Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle. Patton moved back to television in 2009 when he joined the cast of "24" (Fox 2001-2010) as the villainous Alan Wilson, chief backer of Starkwood, who is responsible for many deaths. Patton was an aggressive non-believer in the paranormal thriller "The Fourth Kind" (2009) opposite Milla Jovovich, and also joined the Disassociate Identity disorder drama "Waking Madison" (2010). Patton also rejoined director Reichardt for her exploration of America's Western landscapes in "Meek's Cutoff" (2010). The film, set in 1845, followed a wagon team's effort to survive the harsh elements.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- William Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Travis County and Travis Park were named after him for being the commander of the Republic of Texas at the Battle of the Alamo.
- Birthplace: South Carolina
- Charlayne Hunter-Gault (born February 27, 1942) is an American journalist and former foreign correspondent for National Public Radio, and the Public Broadcasting Service.
- Birthplace: Due West, South Carolina, South Carolina, USA
- Sherod Santos (born September 9, 1948 in Greenville, South Carolina) is an American poet, essayist, translator and playwright. His newest poetry collection, Square Inch Hours (W.W. Norton) was published in 2017. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Nation, Poetry, The Royal Court Theatre, Proscenium Theatre Journal, American Poetry Review, and The New York Times Book Review. His plays have been produced at the Algonquin Theatre in New York City, The Side Project in Chicago, the Brooklyn International Theatre Festival, and the Flint Michigan Play Festival. He wrote the settings for the Sappho poems in the CD Magus Insipiens, composed by Paul Sanchez and sung by soprano Kayleen Sanchez. His many honors and awards include an Academy Award for Literary Excellence from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, a Guggenheim Fellowship, The Umhoefer Prize for Achievement in the Humanities, a National Endowment for the Arts Grant, the Theodore Roethke Memorial Prize. He was also a finalist for The New Yorker Book Award in Poetry, The National Book Critics Circle Award, and The National Book Award. From 1990 to 1998 he served as external examiner and poet-in-residence at the Poets' House outside Belfast, Northern Ireland. He lives in Chicago, Illinois, where he works in an outreach program for the homeless.
- Birthplace: Greenville, South Carolina
Helen Hill
Dec. at 36 (1970-2007)Helen Wingard Hill (May 9, 1970 – January 4, 2007) was an American artist, filmmaker, writer, teacher, and social activist. When her final film, The Florestine Collection, was released in 2011, curators and critics praised her work and legacy, describing her, for example, as "one of the most well-regarded experimental animators of her generation."Hill's death at the age of 36 brought considerable media attention. In 2007, an unidentified intruder shot and killed her in her New Orleans home. Her death (one of six murders in the city that day), coupled with the murder a week before of New Orleans musician Dinerral Shavers, sparked civic outrage. Thousands marched against the rampant and continuing post-Katrina violence in New Orleans. This "March Against Violence on City Hall" drew significant press coverage throughout the United States and beyond. However, in the years following that tragic notoriety, Helen Hill's life and creative work have been widely celebrated, with her films continuing to circulate to a degree they did not during her lifetime. In 2012, Daniel Eagan wrote about Helen Hill as one of "Five Women Animators Who Shook Up the Industry".- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina
- Thomas Pinckney (October 23, 1750 – November 2, 1828) was an early American statesman, diplomat, and soldier in both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, achieving the rank of major general. He served as Governor of South Carolina and as the U.S. minister to Great Britain. He was also the Federalist candidate for vice president in the 1796 election. Born into a prominent Charleston, South Carolina family, Pinckney studied in Europe before returning to America. He supported the independence cause and worked as an aide to General Horatio Gates. After the Revolutionary War, Pinckney managed his plantation and won election as Governor of South Carolina, serving from 1787 to 1789. He presided over the state convention which ratified the United States Constitution. In 1792, he accepted President George Washington's appointment to the position of minister to Britain, but was unable to win concessions regarding the impressment of American sailors. He also served as an envoy to Spain and negotiated the Treaty of San Lorenzo, which defined the border between Spain and the United States. Following his diplomatic success in Spain, the Federalists chose Pinckney as John Adams's running mate in the 1796 presidential election. Under the rules then in place, the individual who won the most electoral votes became president, while the individual who won the second most electoral votes became vice president. Although Adams won the presidential election, Democratic-Republican candidate Thomas Jefferson won the second most electoral votes and won election as vice president. After the election, Pinckney served in the United States House of Representatives from 1797 to 1801. His brother, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, was the Federalist vice presidential nominee in 1800 and the party's presidential nominee in 1804 and 1808. During the War of 1812, Pinckney was commissioned as a major general.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Joseph Louis Bernardin (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 until 1982, and as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996 from pancreatic cancer. Bernardin was elevated to the cardinalate in 1983 by Pope John Paul II.
- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina
- Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the Eubie Blake Jazz Award in 1982.
- Birthplace: Florence, South Carolina
- Linda J. Stierle is a Nurse and a retired Brigadier General.
- Birthplace: Greenville, South Carolina
- Blanche McCrary Boyd (born 1945) is an American author whose novels are known for their eccentric characters. She is currently the Roman and Tatiana Weller Professor of English and Writer-in-Residence at Connecticut College.Boyd was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the source of her "redneck" roots. She started college at Duke University but transferred to Pomona College, graduating in 1967; she earned a master's degree from Stanford University in 1971. Boyd joined the Connecticut College faculty in 1982.
- Birthplace: South Carolina
- Eric James Joseph Massa (born September 16, 1959) is a former American politician who served as a U.S. Representative for the 29th Congressional District of New York. A Democrat, he served in Congress from January 2009 until his resignation in March 2010. Massa resigned during a pending House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Massa identified his declining health and the ongoing ethics investigation as the reasons for his resignation; however, he later said that there was a conspiracy "to oust him because he had voted against overhauling health care."It was reported in 2017 that Congress had paid nearly $100,000 to settle the harassment claims made by two male staffers against Massa.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Wayne Simmons
Dec. at 32 (1969-2002)Wayne General Simmons (December 15, 1969 - August 23, 2002) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League. Simmons was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the 15th pick of the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft. Simmons played for Green Bay for four and a half years, earning a Super Bowl ring at the end of the 1996 season. Simmons was well known for shutting down opposing tight ends, but in doing this task extremely well he was not able to obtain the attention-grabbing statistics of quarterback sacks. Simmons was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 1997 season when Seth Joyner returned from knee surgery. The Chiefs waived Simmons in 1998 after a 30-7 Monday Night loss to their arch-rival Denver Broncos, in which Simmons and fellow linebacker Derrick Thomas were called for a total of five personal fouls on the Broncos' final touchdown drive. The Buffalo Bills claimed Simmons off waivers on November 19, 1998, and played five games. He was released by the team in February 1999.- Birthplace: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Earl Manigault (September 7, 1944 – May 15, 1998) was an American street basketball player who was nicknamed "The Goat."
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Albert Gallatin Brown (May 31, 1813 – June 12, 1880) was Governor of Mississippi from 1844 to 1848 and a Democrat United States Senator from Mississippi from 1854 to 1861, when he withdrew during secession.
- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
- George McCorkle (October 11, 1947 – June 29, 2007) was a founding member and guitarist for the Marshall Tucker Band. He wrote "Fire on the Mountain", the band's first top 40 hit, though had hoped that Charlie Daniels would record the song. He left the band in 1984 and later worked as a songwriter. He released a solo album, American Street, in 1999. McCorkle was diagnosed with cancer in early June 2007 and died soon afterward, in Lebanon, Tennessee.
- Birthplace: Chester, South Carolina
- Lauren Caitlin Upton McNeil (born March 27, 1989), also credited as Caite Upton, is an American fashion model and former beauty queen from Lexington, South Carolina.
- Birthplace: Lexington, South Carolina, USA
- Joseph Lane Kirkland (March 12, 1922 – August 14, 1999) was a US labor union leader who served as President of the AFL-CIO for over sixteen years.
- Birthplace: Camden, South Carolina
Micah Jenkins
Dec. at 28 (1835-1864)Micah Jenkins (December 1, 1835 – May 6, 1864), was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, mortally wounded by friendly fire at the Battle of the Wilderness.- Birthplace: Edisto Island, South Carolina, South Carolina
- Archibald Bulloch (1730 – February 22, 1777) was a lawyer, soldier, and statesman from Georgia during the American Revolution. He was the first governor of Georgia. He was also a great-grandfather of Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, and great-great-grandfather of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- James Theodoric David (Hatchet, Rebel) (December 2, 1927 – July 29, 2007) was an American football defensive back for the Detroit Lions (1952–1959) in the National Football League. He attended Colorado A&M.
- Birthplace: Florence, South Carolina
Langdon Cheves
Dec. at 80 (1776-1857)Langdon Cheves (; September 17, 1776 – June 26, 1857) was an American politician, lawyer and businessman from South Carolina. He was a U. S. Representative from 1810 to 1815, served as Speaker of the House in 1814–1815, and was president of the Second Bank of the United States from 1819 to 1822.- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
James Longstreet
Dec. at 82 (1821-1904)James Longstreet (January 8, 1821 – January 2, 1904) was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse". He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the Eastern Theater, and briefly with Braxton Bragg in the Army of Tennessee in the Western Theater. After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Longstreet served in the Mexican–American War. He was wounded in the thigh at the Battle of Chapultepec, and afterward married his first wife, Louise Garland. Throughout the 1850s, he served on frontier duty in the American Southwest. In June 1861, Longstreet resigned his U.S. Army commission and joined the Confederate Army. He commanded Confederate troops during an early victory at Blackburn's Ford in July and played a minor role at the First Battle of Bull Run. Longstreet's talents as a general made significant contributions to several important Confederate victories, mostly in the Eastern Theater as one of Robert E. Lee's chief subordinates in the Army of Northern Virginia. He performed poorly at Seven Pines by accidentally marching his men down the wrong road, causing them to be late in arrival. He played an important role in the success of the Seven Days Battles in the summer of 1862. Longstreet led a devastating counterattack that routed the Union army at Second Bull Run in August. His men held their ground in defensive roles at Antietam and Fredericksburg. Longstreet's most controversial service was at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, where he openly disagreed with General Lee on the tactics to be employed and reluctantly supervised several attacks on Union forces, including the disastrous Pickett's Charge. Afterwards, Longstreet was, at his own request, sent to the Western Theater to fight under Braxton Bragg, where his troops launched a ferocious assault on the Union lines at Chickamauga, which carried the day. Afterwards, his performance in semiautonomous command during the Knoxville Campaign resulted in a Confederate defeat. Longstreet's tenure in the Western Theater was marred by his central role in numerous conflicts amongst important Confederate generals. Unhappy serving under Bragg, Longstreet and his men were sent back to Lee. He ably commanded troops during the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864, where he was seriously wounded by friendly fire. He later returned to the field, serving under Lee in the Siege of Petersburg and the Appomattox Campaign. He enjoyed a successful post-war career working for the U.S. government as a diplomat, civil servant, and administrator. His conversion to the Republican Party and his cooperation with his old friend, President Ulysses S. Grant, as well as critical comments he wrote in his memoirs about General Lee's wartime performance, made him anathema to many of his former Confederate colleagues. His reputation in the South further suffered when he led African-American militia against the anti-Reconstruction White League at the Battle of Liberty Place in 1874. Authors of the Lost Cause movement focused on Longstreet's actions at Gettysburg as a primary reason for the Confederacy's loss of the war. Since the late 20th century, his reputation has undergone a slow reassessment. Many Civil War historians now consider him among the war's most gifted tactical commanders.- Birthplace: South Carolina
Robert Tollison
Age: 83Robert D. Tollison (1942–October 24, 2016) was an American economist who specialized in public choice theory.- Birthplace: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Hugh S. Legaré
Dec. at 46 (1797-1843)Hugh Swinton Legaré ( lih-GREE; January 2, 1797 – June 20, 1843) was an American lawyer and politician.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Ralph Izard
Dec. at 63 (1741-1804)Ralph Izard (January 23, 1741/1742 – May 30, 1804) was a U.S. politician. He served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate in 1794.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Glenn Fant McConnell (born December 11, 1947) served as the president of the College of Charleston from 2014 to 2018. He was the 89th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from March 13, 2012 to June 18, 2014. He also had been a member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 41st District from 1981 to March 13, 2012, when he ascended to the office of lieutenant governor, as he was the incumbent Senate President Pro Tempore. The office of lieutenant governor had become vacant because of the resignation of Ken Ard on March 9, 2012 due to his indictment by a state Grand Jury for ethics violations. On March 22, 2014, he was chosen as the 22nd president of the College of Charleston, a selection which was criticized by some of the students, faculty, and community due to his support for the Confederate flag and a widely circulated photo of him dressed as a Confederate general.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Josephine Humphreys
Age: 79Josephine Humphreys (born February 2, 1945) is an American novelist.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Etta James, born as Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, was an influential American singer who redefined the landscape of R&B, soul, and blues. Her journey began in Los Angeles, California, where she sang in a church choir as a child. This early experience set the stage for her remarkable career marked by raw emotional performances and evocative vocals, which led to the creation of timeless hits like "At Last," "Tell Mama," and "I'd Rather Go Blind." James's music career spanned over five decades and saw her navigate through diverse genres, from gospel and blues to jazz and rock music, displaying her range and versatility as an artist. She signed with Chess Records in the 1960s, which catapulted her to fame and allowed her music to reach a wider audience. Over the years, her unique sound won her a collection of prestigious awards, including six Grammys and 17 Blues Music Awards. In 1993, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, securing her place in the history of music. Despite battling personal issues and addictions throughout her life, Etta James's enduring spirit and unparalleled talent secured her legacy as one of the greatest singers in American music. Her influence can be seen in numerous artists who followed in her footsteps, reflecting the lasting impact she had on the music industry. Even after her death on January 20, 2012, James's music continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide, cementing her status as an unforgettable icon of the 20th century.
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Bob Belden
Age: 68James Robert Belden (October 31, 1956 – May 20, 2015) was an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and producer. As a composer he may be best known for his Grammy Award winning orchestral jazz recording, Black Dahlia (2001). As producer he is mostly associated with the remastering of seminal recordings by trumpeter Miles Davis for Columbia Records.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Vincent Austin Sheheen (born April 29, 1971) is an American attorney and politician. He has been a member of the South Carolina Senate since 2004, representing the 27th District, which comprises Chesterfield, Kershaw, and Lancaster counties. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2001 to 2004. He ran for Governor of South Carolina twice, in 2010 and 2014, losing both times to Nikki Haley.
- Birthplace: Camden, South Carolina, USA
- George D. Webster (November 25, 1945 – April 19, 2007) was an American college and professional gridiron football player.
- Birthplace: Anderson, South Carolina
- Josh Powell (born January 25, 1983) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Changwon LG Sakers of the Korean Basketball League. Powell won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, and has also spent time with the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. In 2013, Powell was a member of the Olympiacos side that won the EuroLeague championship. He has also played in Russia, Italy, Argentina, Puerto Rico, China, the Philippines, Australia and Venezuela.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Robert DeLafayette Jeter, Jr. (May 9, 1937 – November 20, 2008) was an American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.
- Birthplace: Union, South Carolina
- Preston Smith Brooks (August 5, 1819 – January 27, 1857) was an American politician and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina, serving from 1853 until his resignation in July 1856 and again from August 1856 until his death. Brooks, a Democrat, was a strong advocate of slavery and states' rights. He is most remembered for his May 22, 1856, attack upon abolitionist and Republican Senator Charles Sumner, whom he beat nearly to death; Brooks beat Sumner with a cane on the floor of the United States Senate in retaliation for an anti-slavery speech in which Sumner verbally attacked Brooks's second cousin, South Carolina Senator Andrew Butler. Brooks's action received "widespread adoration in South Carolina and other Southern states"—the city of Brooksville, Florida named itself for him immediately afterwards—and abhorrence in the North. An attempt to oust him from the House of Representatives failed, and he received only token punishment in his criminal trial. He resigned his seat in July 1856 to give his constituents the opportunity to ratify his conduct in a special election, which they did by electing him in August to fill the vacancy created by his resignation. He was re-elected to a full term in November 1856, but died in January 1857, five weeks before the new term began in March.Sumner was seriously injured by Brooks's beating, and was unable to resume his seat in the Senate for three years, though eventually he recovered and resumed his Senate career. The Massachusetts Legislature reelected Sumner in 1856, "and let his seat sit vacant during his absence as a reminder of Southern brutality"."The caning had an enormous impact on the events that followed over the next four years.... As a result of the caning, the country was pushed, inexorably and unstoppably, to civil war."
- Birthplace: Edgefield, South Carolina, USA
- William Joseph Westmoreland (March 26, 1914 – July 18, 2005) was a United States Army General, most notably commander of United States forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1968 to 1972. Westmoreland adopted a strategy of attrition against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army, attempting to drain them of manpower and supplies. He also made use of the United States' edge in artillery and air power, both in tactical confrontations and in relentless strategic bombing of North Vietnam. Many of the battles in Vietnam were technically United States victories, with the United States Army in control of the field afterward; holding territory gained this way proved difficult, however. Public support for the war eventually diminished, especially after the Battle of Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive in 1968. By the time he was re-assigned as Army Chief of Staff, United States military forces in Vietnam had reached a peak of 535,000 personnel. Westmoreland's strategy was ultimately politically unsuccessful. Growing United States casualties and the draft undermined United States support for the war, while large-scale casualties among non-combatants weakened South Vietnamese support. This also failed to weaken North Vietnam's will to fight, and the Government of South Vietnam—a factor largely out of Westmoreland's control—never succeeded in establishing enough legitimacy to quell defections to the Viet Cong.
- Birthplace: USA, South Carolina, Saxon
Doc McJames
Dec. at 27 (1874-1901)James McCutchen McJames (August 27, 1874 – September 23, 1901) was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons (1895–1899, 1901) with the Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas. He was the National League strikeout champion in 1897 with the Washington Senators. For his career, he compiled a 79–80 record in 178 appearances, with a 3.43 ERA and 593 strikeouts. Following his breakout year with the Washington Senators he was sold to the Baltimore Orioles where he achieved stardom with a 27–15 record, pitched 40 complete games in 42 starts, and had an earned run average of 2.36. He was second in the league with 178 strikeouts, fourth in ERA and fourth in complete games. For many years that team would be considered one of the best ever. With James as star pitcher the team included such baseball legends as John McGraw, Willie Keeler, Hughie Jennings, Wild Bill Donovan and other stars of the baseball world. The following season the owners of the Baltimore Orioles purchased a half interest in the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (dubbed the "Superbas" by the media) and took their best players with them. This included James, Jennings, Keeler, Jay Hughes and Joe Kelley. During the final game of 1899, his first season with the Superbas, James came within one out of throwing a no-hitter in his 4–0 victory over the Boston Beaneaters. The no-hitter was spoiled by future Hall of Famer Hugh Duffy with a ninth-inning single. James went by his formal name of James McJames during his first season, then changed to "Doc McJames" for the remainder of his career. It is speculated that he did so to hide knowledge of his baseball career from his parents, as playing baseball was not reputable at the time. He had a clause in each of his major league contracts preventing teams from playing him on Sundays. Before playing professional baseball, James attended the University of South Carolina. He was the first Gamecocks baseball player to make it to the major leagues. In addition, he played guard on the school's inaugural football team in 1892. James was born in Williamsburg County, South Carolina. At the peak of his career he attended medical school at the Charleston Medical College (now Medical University of South Carolina) in the off-season, graduating after three years in 1900. He later left baseball to briefly practice medicine with his father and brother in South Carolina. While making a house call he was thrown from a horse-drawn carriage and within a month died from complications in Charleston, South Carolina at the Medical University of South Carolina. He was the age of 27 when he died. James was the great-grandson of Judge William Dobein James, who, at age 16 served in the Williamsburgh Militia under General Francis Marion, during the American Revolution. William James later wrote a Life of Marion, which is much used today as a reference because of its first-hand information. Doc McJames was also the great-great grandson of Major John James, chief officer under Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion of Revolutionary War fame.James practiced medicine in Cheraw, South Carolina. Cheraw was an active baseball town in this period and produced several other noted baseball players. James is buried in Old St. David's Cemetery in Cheraw, South Carolina.- Birthplace: South Carolina
Jim Tatum
Dec. at 46 (1913-1959)James M. "Big Jim" Tatum (July 22, 1913 – July 23, 1959) was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1942, 1956–1958), the University of Oklahoma (1946), and the University of Maryland, College Park (1947–1955), compiling a career college football record of 100–35–7. His 1953 Maryland team won a national title. As a head coach, he employed the split-T formation with great success, a system he had learned as an assistant under Don Faurot at the Iowa Pre-Flight School during World War II. Tatum was also the head baseball coach at Cornell University from 1937 to 1939, tallying a mark of 20–40–1. Tatum's career was cut short by his untimely death in 1959. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1984.- Birthplace: McColl, South Carolina
Mo Brooks
Age: 70Morris Jackson "Mo" Brooks Jr. (born April 29, 1954) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 5th congressional district. In 2017 he finished third in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions upon Sessions’s confirmation as U.S. Attorney General.In March 2018, he was rated the House's least bipartisan or most partisan member by The Lugar Center.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Charles I. du Pont
Dec. at 71 (1797-1869)Charles Irénée du Pont (March 29, 1797 – January 31, 1869) was an American manufacturer and politician, and an early member of the prominent du Pont family business. He was a nephew of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, the founder of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Delaware General Assembly.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
John Hemphill
Dec. at 58 (1803-1862)John Hemphill (December 18, 1803 – January 4, 1862) was an American politician and jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas from 1841 to 1846 and of the Supreme Court of Texas until 1858, and a United States senator from Texas from 1859 to 1861. A member of the Democratic Party, he was one of the signatories of the Confederate States Constitution.- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
Brevard Childs
Dec. at 83 (1923-2007)Brevard Childs was a biblical scholar.- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina
- Paul Hamilton may refer to: Paul Hamilton (politician) (1762–1816), United States Secretary of the Navy and governor of South Carolina USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60), a 1993 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590), a Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy USS Paul Hamilton (DD-307), a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy SS Paul Hamilton, a 1942 Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II Paul Hamilton (soccer) (born 1988), Canadian soccer player Paul Hamilton (footballer, born 1941) (1941–2017), Nigerian footballer and manager Paul Hamilton (Australian footballer) (born 1967), former Australian rules footballer Paul Hamilton (American football) (born 1958), American football coach and former player Paul Hamilton (architect), British architect
- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
Thornwell Jacobs
Dec. at 79 (1877-1956)Thornwell Jacobs (February 15, 1877 – August 4, 1956) was an educator, author, and a Presbyterian minister.- Birthplace: Clinton, South Carolina
Francis Lubbock
Dec. at 89 (1815-1905)Francis Richard Lubbock (October 16, 1815 – June 22, 1905) was the ninth Governor of Texas and was in office during the American Civil War. He was the brother of Thomas Saltus Lubbock, for whom Lubbock County, Texas, and the City of Lubbock are named. Born in Beaufort, South Carolina, Lubbock was a businessman in South Carolina before moving to Texas in 1836. During the Republic of Texas period, President Sam Houston appointed Lubbock to be comptroller. In 1857, Lubbock was elected lieutenant governor of Texas as a Democrat, but failed in his re-election bid in 1859. Following the Confederate secession in 1861, Lubbock won the governorship of Texas. During his tenure, he supported Confederate conscription, working to draft all able-bodied men, including resident aliens, into the Confederate States Army. He was known to praise the Great Hanging at Gainesville, where in October 1862, some 42 suspected Unionists were murdered, convicted and killed by hanging through sentences by a "Citizens Court" not recognized under state law, with some 14 lynched without benefit even of that kangaroo trial. It was part of an outbreak of violence, often caused by Confederate or state troops, in North Texas in the early years of the war. When Lubbock's term ended in 1863, he joined the Confederate Army. He was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel, serving under Major General John B. Magruder. By 1864, Lubbock was promoted to aide-de-camp for Jefferson Davis. Following the Confederacy's military collapse, Lubbock fled from Richmond, Virginia, with Davis. They were soon caught by Union troops in Georgia. He was imprisoned at Fort Delaware with John Reagan and Jefferson Davis for eight months before being paroled. On his return to Texas, Lubbock continued to pursue business interests in Houston and Galveston. From 1878 to 1891, he served as Texas State Treasurer. He died in Austin.- Birthplace: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA
David Rumph Jones
Dec. at 37 (1825-1863)David Rumph Jones (April 5, 1825 – January 15, 1863) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War.- Birthplace: Orangeburg, South Carolina
Richard Evonitz
Dec. at 38 (1963-2002)Richard Marc Evonitz (July 29, 1963 – June 27, 2002) was an American serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist responsible for the deaths of three girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia and the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Richland County, South Carolina. Evonitz has been suspected of other murders, and confessed a number of crimes to his sister shortly before committing suicide.- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina
- Ernest Frederick "Fritz" Hollings (January 1, 1922 – April 6, 2019) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from South Carolina from 1966 to 2005. A conservative Democrat, he was also the Governor of South Carolina and the 77th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. He served alongside Republican Senator Strom Thurmond for 36 years, making them the longest-serving Senate duo in history. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former U.S. Senator. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Hollings graduated from The Citadel in 1942 and joined a law practice in Charleston after attending the University of South Carolina School of Law. During World War II, he served as an artillery officer in campaigns in North Africa and Europe. After the war, Hollings successively won election to the South Carolina House of Representatives, as Lieutenant Governor, and as Governor. He sought election to the Senate in 1962 but was defeated by incumbent Olin D. Johnston. Johnston died in 1965, and the following year Hollings won a special election to serve the remainder of Johnston's term. Though the Republican Party became increasingly dominant in South Carolina after 1966, Hollings remained popular and continually won re-election, becoming one of the longest-serving Senators in U.S. history. Hollings sought the Democratic nomination in the 1984 presidential election but dropped out of the race after the New Hampshire primary. He declined to seek re-election in 2004 and was succeeded by Republican Jim DeMint.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Thomas Jefferson Rusk
Dec. at 53 (1803-1857)Thomas Jefferson Rusk (December 5, 1803 – July 29, 1857) was an early political and military leader of the Republic of Texas, serving as its first Secretary of War as well as a general at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was later a US politician and served as a Senator from Texas from 1846 until his suicide. He served as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate in 1857.- Birthplace: Pendleton, South Carolina, USA
Mike McCurry
Age: 70Michael Demaree McCurry (born October 27, 1954) is best known for having served in Bill Clinton's administration as the nation's 18th White House Press Secretary. He is a Washington-based communications consultant and is associated with the firm Public Strategies Washington, Inc. He is also active within the administration of the United Methodist Church, serving as a lay delegate to the Church General Conference and on various denominational boards. He currently co-chairs the Commission on Presidential Debates. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, he was educated at Princeton University and Georgetown University.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
James Lawrence Orr
Dec. at 50 (1822-1873)James Lawrence Orr (May 12, 1822 – May 5, 1873) was an American diplomat and politician who served as the 22nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1857 to 1859. He also served as the 73rd Governor of South Carolina from 1865 to 1868 after a term in the Confederate States Senate.- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
William Augustus Edwards
Dec. at 72 (1866-1939)William Augustus Edwards, also known as William A. Edwards, was an Atlanta-based American architect renowned for the educational buildings, courthouses and other public and private buildings that he designed in Florida, Georgia and his native South Carolina. More than 25 of his works have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.- Birthplace: Darlington, South Carolina
Robert N.C. Nix, Sr.
Dec. at 88 (1898-1987)Robert Nelson Cornelius Nix Sr. (August 9, 1898 – June 22, 1987) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1958 until 1979. He was the first African American to represent Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives. The Robert N. C. Nix Federal Building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is named in his honor.- Birthplace: Orangeburg, South Carolina, USA
- Benjamin Morgan Palmer (January 25, 1818 – May 25, 1902), an orator and Presbyterian theologian, was the first moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America. As pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans, his Thanksgiving sermon in 1860 had a great influence in leading Louisiana to join the Confederate States of America. After 1865 he was minister in the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Palmer was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Edward Palmer and the former Sarah Bunce. He was educated at Amherst College from 1833 to 1834. He taught school for two years and then attended the University of Georgia from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1838. At Georgia he was a member of the Phi Kappa Literary Society. From 1839 to 1841 he attended the Presbyterian-affiliated Columbia Theological Seminary, at that time located in South Carolina. In 1841 he married the former Mary Augusta McConnell of Columbia. In 1852 he received the doctor of divinity degree from Oglethorpe University near Milledgeville, Georgia. In 1870 he received the LL.D. degree from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He pastored the First Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia, from 1841 to 1842. He was called to First Presbyterian in Columbia, the South Carolina capital, a post he held from 1843 to 1855. He also taught in the Columbia Seminary (his alma mater) from 1853 to 1856 while he was pastoring. In 1856, he accepted the pastorate of First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans, his terminal position which he held for forty-six years. He and his family lived at 1415 Prytania Street, in the lower Garden District neighborhood of New Orleans, and the mansion has been authentically restored and turned into part of the Creole Gardens Hotel. In his personal copy of Rev. Moses Stuart's Hebrews Commentary, seminary student Wallace H. Stratton identifies "B. M. Palmer DD. Didactic" as a faculty member of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Columbia, S. C., in the year 1863. In his Thanksgiving sermon just days after the election of Abraham Lincoln as U.S. president, Palmer defended slavery and endorsed secession, saying that it was the South's "providential trust" to preserve the institution of slavery. This was only days before South Carolina became the first of the eleven states to secede from the Union. When federal troops invaded New Orleans and imposed military rule under General Benjamin Butler of Massachusetts, Palmer sent his wife and children to her father's plantation in South Carolina. He spent the remainder of the war preaching primarily to Confederate soldiers. Palmer's opposition on moral grounds to the Louisiana Lottery, operated by former Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard, helped to doom that institution as a means of raising state revenues. He preached the opening sermon and was elected the first moderator of his denomination on December 4, 1861. When the Synod of Louisiana was formed in 1901, a year before his death, he was elected its first moderator.Palmer's writings include a biography of Presbyterian minister and Columbia Seminary theologian James Henley Thornwell (1812–1862). Palmer also wrote volumes of sermons and theological treatises, including Theology of Prayer, The Broken Home, or Lessons in Sorrow, and Formation of Character. Palmer's wife died in his arms on November 13, 1888, apparently from gastritis. Palmer said that he never recovered from her death. Palmer was struck by a streetcar in New Orleans on May 5, 1902, and died twenty days later. The Palmers' remains are entombed in the city's Metairie Cemetery.One of the Palmer daughters married John Caldwell, the curator of Tulane University in New Orleans. Palmer himself established the Southwest Presbyterian Seminary (now Rhodes College). Palmer Hall at Rhodes College was named after him but renamed to Southwestern Hall on April 12, 2019 by the Rhodes College Board of Trustees after recommendations by the Palmer Hall Discernment committee review found that Palmer "...the principal legacy of Benjamin Palmer, which was found to be fundamentally at odds with our college Vision.". Palmer's papers are in several locations, including Louisiana State University and Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. An orphanage named for Palmer was started in 1895 in Columbus, Mississippi; Palmer Home for Children is "a Christ-centered home, Where Hope Still Grows." Palmer Avenue and Palmer Park in uptown New Orleans were both named for him.In its obituary of Palmer, the Christian publication The Interior reflected as follows: Dr. Palmer served God and his generation as a symbol of the immutability of the great essentials of our religion. His faithful witness to Jesus Christ in the word of his preaching and the example of his ministry gave him such power in New Orleans as few of the Lord's ambassadors have ever wielded in any age of the church. By all consent he was acknowledged for years to be the most influential man in that city, and he was so brave and outspoken that he made for righteousness not only in the private lives of men but in the civic life of the community.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Charles James McDonald (July 9, 1793 – December 16, 1860) was an American attorney, jurist and politician. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina and moved with his family to Hancock County, Georgia in 1794.He served as a brigadier general in the Georgia Militia from 1823 to 1825. McDonald served as the 37th Governor of Georgia from 1839 to 1843, defeating the Whig candidate William Crosby Dawson. In addition to serving in the Georgia Senate and Georgia House of Representatives, McDonald also served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. McDonald died in Marietta, Georgia in 1860 and was buried in the Episcopal Cemetery in that same city.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
William Jennings Bryan Dorn
Dec. at 89 (1916-2005)William Jennings Bryan Dorn (April 14, 1916 – August 13, 2005), known as W. J. Bryan Dorn, was a United States politician from South Carolina who represented the western part of the state in the United States House of Representatives from 1947 to 1949 and from 1951 to 1975 as a Democrat.- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
Stephen D. Lee
Dec. at 74 (1833-1908)Stephen Dill Lee (September 22, 1833 – May 28, 1908) was an American politician who served as the 1st president of Mississippi State University from 1880 to 1899. Prior to that, Lee was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern and Western theaters of the American Civil War.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Joe Hooper
Dec. at 40 (1938-1979)Joe Ronnie Hooper (August 8, 1938 – May 6, 1979) was an American who served in both the United States Navy and United States Army where he finished his career there as a captain. He earned the Medal of Honor while serving as an army staff sergeant on February 21, 1968 during the Vietnam War. He was one of the most decorated U.S. soldiers of the war and was wounded in action eight times.- Birthplace: Piedmont, South Carolina
- Mario Winans is an American record producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known for his 2004 song "I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Winans also won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance for co-writing CeCe Winans's song "Pray".
- Birthplace: Orangeburg, South Carolina
- James Wesley "Bubber" Miley (April 3, 1903 – May 20, 1932) was an American early jazz trumpet and cornet player, specializing in the use of the plunger mute.
- Birthplace: Aiken, South Carolina
Peggy Parish
Dec. at 61 (1927-1988)Margaret Cecile "Peggy" Parish was an American writer known best for the children's book series and fictional character Amelia Bedelia. The series was continued after her sudden death from an aneurysm by her nephew Herman Parish. Parish was born in Manning, South Carolina, attended the University of South Carolina, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Amelia Bedelia is a "Simple John" character, based on cracker-barrel punning humour and folklore. She works as a household cook and occasional servant. She uses no recipes, but, by intuitively combining a little bit of this and a little bit of that, her cakes and cookies and meals are always delicious. She is such a good cook that her employers cannot fire her, despite the disastrous way she misinterprets her their instructions: prune the shrubs, scale and ice the fish, file the letters, run over the tablecloth with an iron, shorten these dresses, serve coffee with porridge, heat a can of soup, and so on. Amelia Bedelia is extremely literal-minded.- Birthplace: Manning, South Carolina
- William Anthony Perry (born December 16, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Perry played college football for Clemson University, and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. In reference to his imposing size, he was popularly known as "The Refrigerator" or, abbreviated, "The Fridge". Perry also occasionally played at fullback at the goal line due to his size and power.
- Birthplace: Aiken, USA, South Carolina
William Preston Few
Dec. at 72 (1867-1940)William Preston Few (December 29, 1867 – October 16, 1940) was the first president of Duke University and the fifth president of its predecessor, Trinity College.- Birthplace: South Carolina
Henry Timrod
Dec. at 37 (1829-1867)Henry Timrod (December 8, 1829 – October 7, 1867) was an American poet, often called the poet laureate of the Confederacy.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Hilary Abner Herbert (March 12, 1834 – March 6, 1919) was Secretary of the Navy in the second administration of President Grover Cleveland. He also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama.
- Birthplace: Laurens, South Carolina, USA
Daniel Augustus Joseph Sullivan
Dec. at 56 (1884-1941)Daniel Augustus Joseph Sullivan (July 31, 1884 – January 27, 1941) was a United States Naval Reserve officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War I.- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
James C. Dozier
Dec. at 89 (1885-1974)James Cordie Dozier (February 17, 1885 – October 24, 1974) a native of South Carolina was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for heroism on October 8, 1918 during World War I.- Birthplace: Galivants Ferry, South Carolina
Lewie G. Merritt
Dec. at 76 (1897-1974)Lewie Griffith Merritt (nicknamed "Griff") (June 26, 1897 – March 24, 1974) was a major general and early aviator in the United States Marine Corps. Merritt served over 30 years in the Marine Corps, including service in World War I at Belleau Wood and as an aviator during World War II in both the European and Pacific Theaters. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Merritt practiced law in South Carolina.- Birthplace: Ridge Spring, South Carolina
Francis Wilkinson Pickens
Dec. at 63 (1805-1869)Francis Wilkinson Pickens (1805/1807 – January 25, 1869) was a political Democrat and Governor of South Carolina when that state became the first to secede from the U.S.A. A cousin of Senator John C. Calhoun, Pickens was born into the culture of the antebellum plantocracy, and became an ardent supporter of nullification (refusal to pay federal import tariffs) when he served in the South Carolina house of representatives, before being elected to Congress and then the state senate. As state governor during the Fort Sumter crisis, he sanctioned the firing on the ship bringing supplies to the beleaguered Union garrison, and to the bombardment of the fort. After the war, it was Pickens who introduced the motion to repeal South Carolina's Ordinance of Secession, a short speech received in silence, in notable contrast with the rejoicing that had first greeted the Ordinance.- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
- Mabel Elizabeth King (née Washington; December 25, 1932 – November 9, 1999) was an American film, stage, and television actress, and singer. She is best known for her role as Mabel "Mama" Thomas on the ABC sitcom What's Happening!! from its premiere in 1976 until the end of its second season in 1978. King's next most remembered role is that of Evillene the Witch, a role she originated in the stage musical The Wiz and reprised in Sidney Lumet's 1978 film adaptation. She recorded on the Rama Records and Amy Records labels.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Jack Bruce Johnson (born April 3, 1949) is a former American politician and lawyer. He was a Maryland state's attorney and was, from 2002 to 2010, the county executive of Prince George's County, Maryland. He was elected state's attorney in November 1994 and served as county executive from December 2002 to December 2010. On November 12, 2010, both Johnson and his wife were indicted on federal charges as part of a larger political corruption scandal in the county.On May 17, 2011, Johnson pleaded guilty to extortion and witness- and evidence-tampering. He served most of his seven-year and three-month sentence at the Cumberland Federal Correctional Institution, with prisoner number 52777-037. On December 15, 2016, Johnson was released to a federal halfway house near Baltimore. He was released from federal custody in June 2017.
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- At the age of 16, Johnny Whitworth won YM MAGAZINE's initial "Young and Modern Man" contest in 1991. Within two years, the Charleston native had begun his showbiz career making a guest appearance in the pilot of the short-lived ABC sitcom "Phenom." After landing a recurring role as a boyfriend of Julia Salinger (Neve Campbell) on Fox's "Party of 5" (1994), Whitworth made his feature film debut as a youth who works at McDonald's in the comedy "Bye Bye, Love" (1995) and that same year brought charm to his role as a would-be artist working at a record store in "Empire Records." Reportedly, the actor turned down a number of roles, attempting to avoid typecasting as the boyfriend or the heartthrob. He chose a grittier role as a brooding teenager who becomes orphaned in Martin Donovan's muddled "Someone Is Waiting" (1997). Whitworth fared better with a breakthrough performance as a leukemia victim whose condition could have been avoided in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of John Grisham's "The Rainmaker" (1997).
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Alvin Brown is an American politician who is Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida. The first African American elected to the position, he succeeded John Peyton on July 1, 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
- Birthplace: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA
John Doby Kennedy
Dec. at 56 (1840-1896)John Doby Kennedy (January 5, 1840 – April 14, 1896) was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, as well as a post-war planter, attorney, politician, and the 57th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina serving under Governor Johnson Hagood.- Birthplace: Camden, South Carolina
Robert Harrill
Dec. at 79 (1893-1972)Robert E. Harrill (February 2, 1893 – June 3, 1972) was an American man known as "The Fort Fisher Hermit". He became a hermit in 1955 at the age of 62 after a string of unsuccessful and unsatisfying jobs and a failed marriage. Harrill hitchhiked to Fort Fisher on the North Carolina Coast from Morganton, North Carolina, a distance of 260 miles (418 km). He had been committed to a mental hospital in Morganton by his in-laws, after his wife, Katie Hamrick, left him and asked for a divorce. Harrill apparently walked away from the hospital or made a key from an old spoon and used the key to escape the facility.- Birthplace: Gaffney, South Carolina
- William Dunlap Simpson (October 27, 1823 – December 26, 1890) was the 78th Governor of South Carolina from February 26, 1879, when the previous governor, Wade Hampton, resigned to take his seat in the U.S. Senate, until 1880. That year Simpson resigned to become Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. Born in Laurens District, South Carolina, in 1823, he was educated at South Carolina College (later the University of South Carolina), completing his studies in 1843, and spent one term at Harvard Law School. He practiced law in Laurens with his partner (and father-in-law) Henry Clinton Young. He served in the South Carolina legislature in the 1850s and early 1860s, and in the Confederate States House of Representatives from 1863 to 1865.After the Civil War, Simpson returned to practice law in Laurens until 1876, when he ran successfully for the post of lieutenant governor. That year Democrats regained control of the state legislature and the governorship. He was re-elected in 1878. Upon Wade Hampton resigning from the governorship to assume his US Senate seat (to which he was elected by the state legislature), Simpson was elevated to become the 78th governor of South Carolina. In 1880 he resigned after being appointed Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court. He served for ten years from 1880 until his death in 1890. He is buried at the Laurens City Cemetery.
- Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
