Harry Briggs, Jr. discusses the court case brought by his parents Harry Briggs, Sr. and Eliza Briggs against the school board in Clarendon County. He also talks about the condition of segregated schools in the 1950's, the pride he feels for his father for participating in the case, and the effect it had on his life.
Pre-interview (Contact the archive for more information.)
Harry Briggs, Jr.
Civil Rights Era
As a young child in segregated South Carolina, Harry Briggs, Jr. experienced the poor conditions of black schools, which were poorly heated, crowded and lacking resources. His parents, Harry Briggs, Sr. and Eliza Briggs, were one of several groups of parents who filed suit against the school board in Clarendon County, South Carolina. This case, Briggs v. Eliot (1954) eventually became part of the Brown v. Board of Education case which declared that segregated schools were inherently unequal. Both Harry Briggs, Jr. and his father experienced difficulty in finding work after the case. Briggs Sr. had to go to Florida to find work and Briggs, Jr. was hired as a bus driver, but then let go, once his connection to the case was known.
Bibliography
Information for this biography was gathered from the following sources:
- Interview with Harry Briggs, Jr. , conducted by Blackside, Inc. on November 2, 1985, for Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years (1954-1965). Washington University Libraries, Film and Media Archive, Henry Hampton Collection.