CHESTER, S.C. — The legacy of a man celebrated as a pioneer of public education in rural South Carolina is now permanently honored in the Midlands.
But the recognition holds even greater significance for the entire state and its history.
On Friday, state and local leaders joined community members to unveil a new historical marker in Chester in honor of Finley High School and its namesake, Samuel Louis Finley.
It’s also the 2,000th historical marker to be installed in South Carolina.
“This school is vital to our community,” Chester Mayor Carlos Williams said. “It is more than a building; it’s a legacy that has enriched East Chester and the Chester community for generations.”
The school was opened as the first high school for Black students in Chester in the 1920s and was an “equalization school,” intended to keep Black and White students segregated.
It was named in honor of its former principal, a celebrated educator in Chester County during the Jim Crow …