The Race and Social Justice Initiative of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, has renamed an award that it gives out each to 10 student leaders to honor James E. Campbell.
James E. Campbell, who was born in 1925, is an African American educator and civil rights activist. He worked as a teacher in Baltimore, Maryland, New York City, and Tanzania. He later became an administrator with the New York City public school system. Campbell also served as a contributing editor for the journal Freedomways. Relocating after retirement, he became a community activist in Charleston, South Carolina, and continued his involvement with educational initiatives. Throughout his life, Campbell has worked with organizations focused on socialism, Pan-Africanism, freedom struggles and equity in education.
The Student Leadership Award is a $6,000 travel and research stipend divided among 10 student-leaders who recognize the importance of social justice activism. In dedicating the awards in Campbell’s name, the leaders of the Race and Social Justice Initiative hope his lifelong commitment to civil rights will inspire future agents of change.
Thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous donor, the Race and Social Justice Initiative will be inviting students from South Carolina’s six historically black colleges and universities (Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, Benedict College in Columbia, Allen University in Columbia, Voorhees College in Denmark, and Morris College in Sumter) to apply.
