Historic portraits telling the story of Black South Carolinians now online through USC library

Nearly 6,000 historic pictures of Columbia’s Black families and community, are all available free to the public online for the first time.

By: Jessica Holdman

Outlets: South Carolina Daily Gazette

Published: August 8, 2026

Words: 1,143

Last Updated: 1 week, 1 day ago

COLUMBIA — A young boy looks directly into the camera with his arms wrapped around his pet rooster.

A boxer crouches in a fighting stance, gloves up in front of his face.

Nurses dressed head to toe in white in front of the home of Dr. Matilda Evans, the first Black woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina.

These images, featured in a collection of nearly 6,000 historic pictures by photographer Richard Samuel …

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