Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1292971
B M & T ••• September/October 2020 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 38 Many are familiar with the events of the Civil Rights Movement, especially as they happened in cities like Birmingham and Washington DC. However, many don't know about the campaigns waged for equality in Columbia. Promoting that "Our Story Matters," the Columbia SC 63 initiative plans various exhibits and programming, as well as a lasting heritage element focused on Columbia's Civil Rights story by way of seven permanent markers along Main Street noting various defining moments of the move- ment and a corresponding walking tour. Later this fall, updates and a new exhibit installation in the Modjeska Monteith Simkins House will be complete. Purchased at auction by Simkins in 1932, this home was a gathering place for human rights activists for nearly 60 years, earning Simkins the moniker, "the matriarch of Civil Rights activists of South Carolina." The new multimedia exhibit, "An Advocate of the People," views Simkins' career as a public health worker and state secretary of the South Carolina NAACP through the lens of the Civil Rights Movement. Historic Columbia, the local organization responsible for preserving and operating the house, hopes visitors will leave this historic site with a greater understanding of the ongoing fight for equality and how they can carry on Simkins' legacy. The space will also be available for small group meetings. When you come to Columbia, you'll find a community and a hotel and restaurant industry that's resilient and has pulled together to withstand the unforeseen circumstances presented to us this year. We can't wait to safely welcome you back. Skyline Daylight, No Billboard Photo Credit: Tucker Prescott Photo courtesy of Historic Columbia