COLUMBIA, S.C. — A group at Midlands Technical College Gathered to celebrate 111 years of black history.
The bell that sits at Midland Tech's Harbison Campus sits right in the middle of campus. On Wednesday, it's ring beamed across the school, echoing off of buildings, championing a century of progress.
With that symbolic sound, Harbison History day kicked off at the college. In the early 1900s Harbison Agricultural College, a black farming school was created and planted in Irmo, South Carolina to provide schooling and farming classes for black students in the midlands. Lionel smith was a student at Harbison and says it was a great place to learn about farming while getting a degree.
"We as youngsters played on the playground here and we wanted to become mechanics, agriculture men and all that."
On Wednesday, a crowd gathered to remember the school, it's students and their legacy. Dr. Ronald Rhames, the president of Midlands Technical college, spoke to News19 about the importance of holding a day to remember.
"I can't imagine the environment that they did it in and how they persevered throughout the times that they were under. So to meet those people who came through those kinds of challenges, is inspiring."
Shortly after the bell ringing ceremony, the crowd traveled to upper pine grove cemetery
According to Irmo mayor Barry Walker, professors and alumni from Harbison are buried on these grounds, and other pioneers, including Harold Boulware, who was the first black judge in Richland County.
"Anytime we can bring reverence and honor to the past, especially during black history month, we're able to continue on what they set fourth for us to grow on. For instance, me being the mayor of Irmo probably wouldn't have happened if I didn't have these people laying the foundation."
Smith agrees, saying younger generations could learn a lot from the struggles of the past.
"If the youngsters would know how we had to come up during the times. You had to grapple for everything you got. It wasn't a give it to you or a quick fix or anything, you had to work for it, had get you a good education, get you a good trade so you could be successful in life."