Jonathan Jasper Wright Institute for the Study of Southern African American History, Culture and Policy

Jonathan Jasper Wright:

In January 1870, the Honorable Jonathan Jasper Wright was nominated by the South Carolina Mission Conference as one of seven members of the Claflin University Board of Trustees. And though this represents a significant marker in the history of Claflin, Jonathan Jasper Wright provided many more significant markers in the history of South Carolina and the United States of America. He was the first African-American admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and was one of the first three black attorneys formally admitted to the South Carolina bar.
More importantly, Wright was chosen to fill a position on the South Carolina Supreme Court and thus he became the first African-American in the nation to be elected to any appellate court. However, this institute bears the Honorable Jonathan Jasper Wright's name because of his commitment to improving the welfare of African-Americans in South Carolina and throughout the southern region.
Claflin shares this commitment by supporting Wright's legacy as the University seeks to do its part in improving the wellbeing and advancing the interests of African-Americans and all citizens of South Carolina and the southern region as we progress into the 21st Century.
Southern African-American history, culture and policy has not come into fruition in a vacuum, separate and distinct from that of other citizens who reside or resided in the state, region and nation. Therefore it is incumbent upon the University, as an institute of scholarly pursuits specializing in specific social studies, to recognize, as collectively and historically meaningful, all races and cultures so that the elected work produces rigorous, inspiring and substantive engagements in both academic and public forums.
To this end, the Jonathan Jasper Wright Institute seeks to contribute serviceable scholarship in richly textured projects and develop programming that revolves around the condition of southern African-Americans in a framework that enhances the historical interactions of our citizens as we pursue scholarly studies on the nature of race in the South.

Contact:

Melissa A Pearson
Assistant Professor of English/
Director, Jonathan Jasper Wright Institute for the Study of
Southern African American History, Culture and Policy
400 Magnolia St.
Orangeburg, SC 29115
Phone:803-535-5092
Email: mpearson@claflin.edu