State Unveils 2027 African American History Calendar
The South Carolina Department of Education released its annual calendar highlighting lesser-known African Americans from the state, amid a federal lawsuit over curriculum restrictions.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in African-American
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The South Carolina Department of Education unveiled its 2027 African American History Calendar at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia. The calendar, first issued in 1989, highlights lesser-known African Americans from South Carolina who made positive contributions.
Why it matters
The release comes as the South Carolina NAACP has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Superintendent Ellen Weaver's curriculum bans, which the group claims are racially discriminatory. The calendar's continued production shows the state's stance on African American history amid that legal dispute.
The calendar has been issued annually since 1989, a continuous run of 37 years. The 2027 edition is themed "Service & Sacrifice: From South Carolina to the Nation" and commemorates the 250th anniversary of the country's founding.
The players
South Carolina Department of Education
The state agency responsible for public K-12 education policy and curriculum standards in South Carolina, which produces the annual African American History Calendar.
Ellen Weaver
South Carolina's state superintendent of education, whose memo banning "discriminatory equity ideology" in classrooms is at the center of the federal lawsuit.
South Carolina NAACP
The state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which filed the lawsuit challenging the curriculum bans as racially discriminatory.
The details
The 2027 calendar's front cover features Maj. James Capers Jr. of Bishopville, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump in June. Last year, Weaver issued a memo banning "discriminatory equity ideology" in classrooms, and the state no longer offers graduation credit for Advanced Placement African American studies courses.
Timeline
June: Maj. James Capers Jr. receives the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump.
Last year: Superintendent Ellen Weaver issues a memo banning "discriminatory equity ideology" in classrooms.
Late last month: The Department of Education unveils the 2027 African American History Calendar.
January: Plaintiff McLaurin hopes a federal court decision arrives before the spring semester begins.
Legacy Continuity
The 2027 edition extends the African American History Calendar that the state has issued every year since 1989. Its release continues that record even as the Department's broader curriculum policies face a federal challenge.
Families and students in South Carolina will see the calendar's featured figures in classrooms and community settings during 2027. The outcome of the federal lawsuit could determine whether Advanced Placement African American studies courses return to state schools.
The takeaway
Annual public calendars like South Carolina's can keep lesser-known local figures visible to students and residents year after year. Readers following the curriculum debate can track the federal case as it develops.
Further reading
Explore more African-American history coverage to see how states are shaping the way this history is taught.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Post and Courier.
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