COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina NAACP held a rally at the State House on Saturday, reflecting on legislation introduced this past session and asking voters to get involved.
“It’s a cause that we need to be aware of. We’re in South Carolina I think we’ve become so comfortable we have not realized how many of the battles we have fought for in the past several years are slipping away. We need to wake up and understand the importance and the power of the vote,” Madie Robinson with the Florence branch of the NAACP said.
While at the rally, Brenda Murphy, president of the South Carolina State NAACP Conference, talked about why the organization gathered.
“It’s necessary because of all the challenges we have here,” Murphy said.
They’re challenges she said the group is drawing attention to.
“Education, in terms of CRT [critical race theory] also, you know, we’re concerned about anything – any bill – that relates to education that has impact, especially in our communities,” Murphy said.
She’s referring to House Bill 3728, the Transparency and Integrity in Education Act, and Senate Bill 234, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Legislators introduced both bills during the recent legislative session but neither passed.
Supporters of the two bills said it’s time for parents to choose the education and environment their students learn in.
In addition to her concerns about these bills, Murphy said she has one ask for voters.
“Educate our communities about the power of their vote and the importance of being engaged with city council, county council, school board councils; it doesn’t all just work here, but they need to work at home as well,” she said.
The rally was the first of many the organization has planned in different congressional districts in hopes of charging voters.