Congressman Jim Clyburn bring his book tour for “The First Eight” to Litchfield Books on Jan. 24
January 11, 2026
Congressman James E. Clyburn is traveling the country promoting his new book, The First Eight, published by Little, Brown and Company in November 2025. On January 24, Congressman Clyburn will hold a book signing at Litchfield Books ( 11421 Ocean Highway) in Pawley’s Island from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.
The book chronicles the lives of the pioneering eight Black South Carolinians who preceded him in the U.S. Congress, and the events that led to the 95-year gap between the last of the eight and Jim Clyburn, who became the ninth.
“The First Eight is not my story alone. It’s South Carolina’s. It’s about the courage, conviction, and faith of the men who blazed the trail and made my own journey possible,” said Congressman Clyburn. “My hope is that readers will come to know these extraordinary South Carolinians and the important lessons their experiences teach us.”
The first African American elected to Congress, Joseph Rainey, who is featured in the book, is from Georgetown County. The Joseph Rainey House at 909 Prince Street in Georgetown is on the National Historic Register.
Find more details about the book signing at Litchfield Books here.
About The First Eight
The First Eight is Congressman Clyburn’s powerful new book about South Carolina’s central role in America’s democratic journey. Drawing on the lives of the eight Black congressmen from South Carolina who served in the wake of the Civil War, Clyburn tells a deeply personal and profoundly South Carolinian story of perseverance, progress, and the pursuit of justice. Through the extraordinary lives of trailblazers like Joseph Rainey, Robert Smalls, and Richard Cain, Clyburn explores how their courage paved the way for his own election nearly a century later and what their legacy means for South Carolina and the nation today.
