Introduction

Adventures in Faith: Library Services to Blacks in South Carolina

Faith has been the guiding spirit and the essential companion of South Carolina's Black citizens during their long and painful struggle for equal access to library facilities and services. The history of this struggle is a series of adventures in faith. The faith was both religious and secular, activated by a sense of justice and rightness. The adventures, both exciting and dangerous, were always undertaken with a desire to achieve a better life for the individual, the community, and the state.

Through documents and photographs, this exhibit highlights some of the stories of these adventures in faith. We recognize that it is a vastly incomplete story with much left to tell. We also know that these other adventures will remain untold and undocumented unless efforts are made to collect and preserve related photographs and documents. Therefore, we urge any viewers of this exhibit who know of material relevant to the history of libraries in South Carolina to contact us.