Slavery and the South Carolina College

The Horseshoe, the original campus of the University of South Carolina (established in 1801 as the South Carolina College), still appears much as it did in the mid-1800s. Its buildings and historic wall were substantially constructed by slave labor and built of slave-made brick. Enslaved workers were essential to the daily operations of the college, whether they were owned by the faculty or the college itself, or hired from private citizens. Enslaved people lived in outbuildings, one of which still stands behind the president’s house. The University of South Carolina recognizes the vital contributions made by enslaved people.

This historical marker was dedicated by the University of South Carolina in 2017.