In its continuing efforts to gain national recognition as a key player to enhance the lives of people living in Richland and Lexington counties and surrounding communities in the Midlands of South Carolina, the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center (BLEC) has garnered placement on the African American Civil Rights Network.
In making the announcement, a spokesperson for the network said, “The African American Civil Rights Network seeks to tell the story of the men and women whose bravery and sacrifices shaped the movement throughout American history, and still impact our country today. The Brookland Center for Community Economic Change (dba Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center; former Lakeview School) plays a critical role in this story, and we are pleased to include it in the network.”
The significance of the achievement was greeted with delight and enthusiasm at BLEC. “We are extremely pleased and excited about this achievement,” said Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, BLEC executive director. “The rich history of Lakeview School is now on a national platform much to our delight and appreciation.” The former Lakeview School was one of 700 modern schools built or renovated for African American students in the 1950s and 1960s to preserve segregation in the State of South Carolina. Through the South Carolina
Sate Equalization Program, schools like the Lakeview School were expanded to improve the facilities, however Black and White students continued to attend separate schools and these schools were not equal in terms of quality of education and resources.
The African American Civil Rights Network encompasses properties, facilities, and interpretive programs, all of which present a comprehensive narrative of the people, places, and events associated with African American Civil Rights movement in the United States. Some of these sites may be familiar, while others shed light on a lesserknown figure or event consequential to the movement.
The network obviously was impressed by BLEC’s successful and ongoing achievements to engage and serve people of all ages and backgrounds while promoting advancements in health, education, economic empowerment and improving the lives of residents in Lexington and
Richland counties and neighboring communities throughout the Midlands of South Carolina.
For more information on the variety of programs offered at BLEC, contact Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton at crichburgcotton@brookland.cc or (803) 744-7943.
