South Carolina General Assembly declares February 22, 2017 Harbison History Day in honor of Black History Month
February 21, 2017
In support of Black History Month, the South Carolina General Assembly passed a resolution declaring February 22, 2017, as Harbison History Day in South Carolina. Midlands Technical College pioneered the resolution, which was sponsored by more than 120 legislators and honors the long tradition of multicultural, open-door access to higher education offered on the present site of the MTC Harbison Campus.
From 1911 to 1958, Harbison Institute, and later Harbison Junior College, provided higher education opportunities for African-American students during a time when options were limited. To commemorate the day, several alumni – some in their 90s – will return to the MTC Harbison Campus for a special event on February 22, 2017, at approximately 12:30 p.m.
“For almost 40 years, Midlands Technical College has continued to preserve the campus for education, and MTC is proud of the overwhelming support by the legislature in naming February 22, 2017, as Harbison History Day for the entire state of South Carolina,” said MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames.
In the days of racial segregation, graduates of Harbison Institute successfully went on to become distinguished teachers, lawyers, and civic leaders who greatly advanced the vitality and cultural heritage of South Carolina.
In a commemorative video produced by MTC, Harbison Institute alumni John Corley recalled “It’s just so nice because I wonder had it not been for Harbison – where would life have taken me? I’ll always have it in my heart.”
The residential and self-sustaining campus included gardens and dormitories until it closed in 1958. In 1978, the property was donated to Midlands Technical College with the understanding that it would be used perpetually for higher education.
The entire text from the resolution is found at the end of this advisory.
Several graduates of the Harbison Institute will return to the site of their historic college to ceremoniously ring the original Harbison Junior College Bell and attend a commemorative tree planting.
MTC preserved the original bell from 1882, dedicating it in a new bell pavilion on the Harbison Campus. This bell is symbolic of the outstanding educational opportunities afforded the African-American community at Harbison Institute, and it signifies the importance of the college to South Carolina’s history.
Harbison Institute alumna, Zadie Morris (right), who was raised on campus and was married on the campus, rang the bell at last year’s celebration. She is retired from a long career as a teacher with Lexington-Richland District 5.
“It really made some strong women and men in this area, and without Harbison having been there, we could not have done that,” said Harbison Institute graduate Ruby Shumpert. “Without Harbison, I think we would have been at a loss for improving our status in life.”
In 2006, Midlands Technical College produced a video shown on South Carolina Educational Television, Harbison Institute, In Their Own Words. The production told the story of this unique educational opportunity for African-American students through the remembrances of some of the individuals who attended. Several Harbison Institute alumni, some now in their 90s, are featured in the 26-minute video that explains this important era in Harbison’s history. http://www4.midlandstech.edu/itow/
Here is State House Bill H. 3574 adopted by the General Assembly:
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE TRADITION OF HARBISON INSTITUTE AND HARBISON JUNIOR COLLEGE IN PROVIDING OPEN-DOOR ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR DIVERSE STUDENTS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO DECLARE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017, AS “HARBISON HISTORY DAY” IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, Harbison Institute, originally founded in 1882, was established to serve African-American students, and did so, both as Harbison Institute and later as Harbison Junior College; and
Whereas, Harbison Institute offered educational opportunities for African-American students during a period when their higher education options were limited; and
Whereas, from 1911 to 1958, Harbison Institute provided higher education for African-American students at its location in Harbison, South Carolina; and
Whereas, graduates of Harbison Institute went on to become distinguished teachers, lawyers, and civic leaders who greatly advanced the vitality and cultural heritage of the State; and
Whereas, in 1978, the property of Harbison Institute was donated to Midlands Technical College with the understanding that is would be perpetually used for higher education; and
Whereas, the site is now the home of the Midlands Technical College Harbison campus, where the tradition of ensuring access to higher education for all students continues; and
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives appreciate the rich and meaningful legacy of Harbison Institute and Harbison Junior College and their significant impact on culture and lives in the Palmetto State. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and honor the tradition of Harbison Institute and Harbison Junior College in providing open-door access to higher education for diverse students from all backgrounds and socio-economic circumstances and declare Wednesday, February 22, 2017, as “Harbison History Day” in South Carolina.
About Midlands Technical College
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a comprehensive, multi-campus, public, two-year college serving Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties of South Carolina. The fifth-largest provider of higher education in South Carolina and the largest provider of transfer students to four-year colleges and universities in the state, MTC enrolls approximately 18,000 credit students annually. The college’s Corporate and Continuing Education program, one of the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast, annually has 30,000 enrollments and provides continuing education to hundreds of area businesses each year. MIDLANDSTECH.EDU
