The Briggs-DeLaine-Pearson Foundation celebrated the grand opening of its new Education Center on Saturday, marking a significant milestone in its decades-long mission to support underserved students in rural Clarendon County.
Located at 9355 Alex Harvin Highway, the 4,000-square-foot facility sits near Dr. Rose H. Wilder Elementary and Scott’s Branch High School—historically significant sites for the Briggs v. Elliott case, the first of five lawsuits consolidated into the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that desegregated American schools.
Saturday’s ribbon-cutting and open house welcomed community members, civic leaders, and longtime supporters of the nonprofit, which has worked since 1993 to honor the legacy of the plaintiffs in Briggs v. Elliott by advancing educational equity.
The Briggs-DeLaine-Pearson Foundation (BDP Foundation), a 501(c)(3) public charity, provides a variety of programs aimed at helping Clarendon County’s low-income students. These include after-school mentoring, homework assistance, vocational training, counseling, and nutritious meals. The center also offers lessons in local history and critical thinking skills through activities like chess and Scrabble.
The new facility replaces the organization’s previous makeshift settings, which began in a 900-square-foot house and later a single-wide trailer. The expansion reflects both the growth of the foundation and the enduring need in a region once dubbed the “Corridor of Shame” due to its chronically underfunded schools and lack of economic opportunity.
Board chair Marguirite DeLaine, a retired educator and niece of Rev. Joseph A. DeLaine—one of the original leaders of the Briggs v. Elliott petition—has said publicly that the center is not about exalting names, but about making the education process more accessible for today’s youth.
According to the foundation, academic proficiency remains a challenge in the area, with local schools seeing just 40% of students reaching proficiency in math and 63% in reading. Still, BDP Foundation leaders say they are seeing generational change, with former students now enrolling their children in the program.
The foundation continues to rely on community partnerships and philanthropic support, including backing from Charleston-based Classic Remodeling & Construction, CPI Security, the South Carolina Education Alliance, and Clemson University’s Call Me MiSTER initiative.
The Education Center, built debt-free on long-held land, represents both a physical and symbolic investment in the future of Clarendon County students. The foundation hopes its programs will not only uplift individual children but also help develop a local workforce capable of attracting industry and reversing economic decline.
For more information about the foundation or to get involved, visit briggsdelainepearsonfoundation.org.
