George Floyd

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for July 21, 2020, we bring you COVID-19 warnings from medical professionals in the Upstate, recent comments from Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) on his police reform bill and the state of play on it in Congress, Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) remembrance of the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, and more.

Palmetto Perspectives is South Carolina Public Radio and SCETV's new quarterly program aiming to bring together a diverse group of voices to discuss the important issues facing the state of South Carolina and its communities.

In light of the protests that followed the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other unarmed black Americans, Palmetto Perspectives hosts Thelisha Eaddy and Adrienne Fairwell are joined by a panel of leaders from South Carolina’s African American community who will discuss these killings, the subsequent protests and how to overcome these tragedies.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for June 30, 2020, host Gavin Jackson is joined by the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Maya T. Prabhu to take an in-depth look at Georgia’s new hate crimes law. We also hear from South Carolina public health officials about increasing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, listen to your voicemails, and more.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for June 23, 2020, we look at Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) JUSTICE Act and related issues at the state level, hear from a lawyer about worker’s compensation issues during these COVID-19 times, and get more info from one of DHEC’s top officials handling the pandemic.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for June 18, 2020, we reflect on the Mother Emanuel AME massacre in Charleston five years later. We also examine the police reform bill proposed by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and other GOP lawmakers, look at the latest COVID-19 numbers in the hotspot of Greenville, and more.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for June 16, 2020, host Gavin Jackson looks at recommendations by the AccelerateED taskforce to address steps forward for educators and students amid the ongoing pandemic. Also on this episode: an intimate discussion on race and policing; a leading research economist analyzes our economy; personal protective equipment challenges; and more.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for June 9, 2020, host Gavin Jackson takes you to the latest protest outside of the governor’s mansion to hear what organizers want to see from local authorities, plus why University of South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp marched with his players. We also hear about an increase in domestic violence cases during the pandemic, look at how new graduates are facing a COVID-19 world, and more.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for June 2, 2020, we take you to Saturday’s protests in Columbia spurred by the death of George Floyd, which started with thousands gathered peacefully at the State House before devolving into isolated acts of destruction by a small group of people.

Ken Schneider looks out from his wine bar on King Street in downtown Charleston in disbelief. 

The city that displayed a wealth of grace in the aftermath of the massacre at Mother Emanuel and the shooting death of Walter Scott somehow succumbed Saturday night to the violence erupting nationwide following yet another senseless death, this time thousands of miles away in Minnesota.

“The mob just started breaking all the windows,” he says.  “Over the next 90 minutes we had roaming gangs of anywhere from eight to 12 people come in.”

The Violence

On Saturday morning, about 1,000 residents of all ages and races gathered in Rock Hill’s Fountain Park to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in the custody of four police officers  in Minneapolis, Minn.

Floyd’s death sparked protests in cities across the U.S. over the past week, calling for racial justice and an end to what protesters say is a history of police abuse and mistreatment of black citizens.

While some protests have turned violent, including one in Charlotte Friday afternoon, the Rock Hill march was one conceived in peace as a way to bring attention to the plight of black communities.