From 1865 to 1975, Charleston played a powerful, though often quiet, role in the Civil Rights Movement. After Emancipation, Black Charlestonians built schools, churches, and communities in the face of segregation and inequality. One of the city’s most inspiring figures was Septima Poinsette Clark, a teacher and activist who believed education was the key to freedom. Known as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” Clark developed citizenship schools that taught African Americans how to read, write, and vote. Her work empowered thousands and shaped the broader movement. Through everyday acts of courage and a deep belief in justice, Charleston’s civil rights leaders helped push the city—and the nation—closer to equality.