The South Carolina Civil Rights Museum (SCCRM) announced growing support from individual donors, corporate partners, foundations, and community leaders as the institution prepares to enter its new permanent home at Railroad Corner in early 2026. While major progress has been made in securing the museum’s future, an additional $4 million is now being sought to fabricate, install, and fully realize the museum’s exhibits and storytelling environments.
Founded in 2019, the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum has quickly become one of the region’s most compelling cultural and educational institutions, attracting more than 75,000 visitors to its current location. With relocation to the new, significantly expanded facility at Railroad Corner—adjacent to Claflin University and South Carolina State University and within one of the most historic civil rights corridors in America—the museum expects to welcome more than 200,000 visitors annually once fully operational.
The museum’s unique location between Columbia and Charleston, at exits 145, 149, 154, places it at an intersection where daily, over 140,000 vehicles pass each day.
The new facility will serve as a national destination and educational resource, presenting immersive exhibits that chronicle South Carolina’s central role in the struggle for civil rights, constitutional justice, and human dignity.
Broad Community and Corporate Support
An incomplete list of recent meaningful contributions and pledges from a growing network during the last 12 months include:
Individual contributions: Polly Shepard, Jeanne Hammock, Barbara Kinard Brewer-Phillips, Mary and Young Butler, Jerry Fryer, Dianne Sumter, Nancy Wilson, Abagail and Andrew Hugine, Kay R. Harvin, Kimberly Love, John Culp, Sara June and Francis Goldstein, Margaret & Robert Seidler, Charles Lumpkin, Gloria Shower, Anita Hare, Henry N. Tisdale, Vernon Burton, Stephon Edwards, Becky Lee, Joan Turnquist, Carl Carpenter, Ruth Bowden, Grace Hembly, Walter Curry, Brad Hutto, Linda Stewart, Lynette Robinson, Maclendra Long, Gloria Gilmore, Cynthia P. Johns, Thomas Kennedy, Kathy Crump, Ruth & Edward Knight, Lucille & Joseph Rodino, Mary Stewart Murphy, and many other anonymous contributions.
Support and program funding have been received from: South Carolina General Assembly—spearheaded by the Orangeburg Legislative Delegation, Central Carolina Community Foundation, South Carolina Arts Commission, and SC Humanities.
Corporation donations have been received from: Paragon Builders, Norfolk Southern, Walmart, BMW, Boeing, Volvo, Center for Learning, Watershed Consulting, Farlow-Moyd Law Firm, Orangeburg Chapter Jack & Jill, DESA, and Friends of Congressman James Clyburn.
Speaking of Congressman Clyburn, at the beginning of our museum building concept, he was able to secure funding from USDA for furnishing and equipment. Much appreciation also must be acknowledged to the City and County of Orangeburg who in this joint venture built the new museum.
Together, these contributions have enabled the museum to sustain its growth and begin the transformation of the site into a world-class civil rights destination. Support has come not only in financial form, but also through in-kind services, professional expertise, materials, and long-term partnerships; most notably from the Board of Directors and Advisors.
“From local citizens to national corporations, the response has been both inspiring and humbling,” said museum founder and civil rights photographer Cecil J. Williams. “This museum belongs to the people, and it is being built by the people.”
Final Phase: $4 Million for Exhibits and Installation
To complete the museum’s full vision, the SCCRM is now launching a $4 million campaign that will support the following:
• Fabrication and installation of permanent and rotating exhibits
• Museum-quality display cases and mounting systems
• Large-scale photographic installations from a 70-year civil rights archive
• Interactive storytelling and multimedia presentations
• Gallery lighting and interpretive design
• Preservation and archival storage systems
• Outdoor exhibit pavilions and specialty installations
Once the museum occupies the new Railroad Corner facility in the first quarter of 2026, exhibit installation and fabrication will continue over an estimated six- to nine-month period before full completion.
A Nationally Significant Destination
The South Carolina Civil Rights Museum preserves and presents one of the most comprehensive photographic and artifact collections documenting the American civil rights movement, with particular emphasis on South Carolina’s pivotal yet often under-recognized role.
Through immersive storytelling, rare artifacts, and a world-renowned photographic archive, the museum will offer visitors an experience that connects past struggles with present and future civic responsibility.
The Railroad Corner location itself stands within walking distance of sites connected to the Orangeburg Movement, the Orangeburg Massacre, student activism, and early legal challenges that helped reshape the nation.
Economic, Educational, and Cultural Impact
At full operation, the museum is projected to:
• Attract more than 200,000 visitors annually
• Generate significant heritage tourism for Orangeburg and the region
• Serve as an educational resource for schools and universities nationwide
• Host national traveling exhibitions and scholarly programs
• Create jobs and stimulate local economic development
Call to Action
The South Carolina Civil Rights Museum is calling upon individuals, corporations, foundations, and friends of history across the nation to help complete this historic undertaking.
“We have built the foundation. Now we must build the story,” said Williams. “With broad support from across the country, we will complete a museum worthy of the history it preserves and the future it inspires.”
Contributions of all sizes are welcomed and recognized. Naming opportunities, gallery sponsorships, corporate partnerships, and legacy gifts are available as part of this final campaign.
About the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum
Founded in 2019, the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum is dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the history of the civil rights movement in South Carolina and its national impact. Through photography, artifacts, and personal narratives, the museum presents an unvarnished account of the struggle for equality and justice while inspiring new generations to continue the work of democracy.
For information on contributions, sponsorships, or partnership opportunities, contact the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum at 803-541-1662 or email info@sccivilrightsmuseum.org
