History of South Carolina in Timeline

South Carolina, a state in the Southeastern United States, borders North Carolina, the Atlantic Ocean, and Georgia. It's the 40th-largest and 23rd-most populous U.S. state, with a population of over 5.1 million according to the 2020 census and a GDP of $213.45 billion in 2019. Comprising 46 counties, its capital is Columbia, while Charleston is its most populous city. The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson area is the largest metropolitan area in the state with an estimated population of 1.59 million in 2023.

1900: African American population in South Carolina in 1900

In 1900, the census demonstrated that 782,509 African American citizens comprised more than 58% of South Carolina's population, but they were essentially without any political representation in the Jim Crow society.

1910: The Great Migration from 1910-1970

From 1910 to 1970, 6.5 million blacks left South Carolina and other southern states in the Great Migration for jobs, opportunities, and relative freedom in U.S. cities outside the former Confederate states.

1910: Tillman's control of Democratic state politics until 1910

Governor "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman controlled Democratic state politics from the 1890s to 1910 with a base among poor white farmers.

1920: South Carolina rejected the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920

South Carolina was one of several states that initially rejected the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, giving women the right to vote.

1924: Virginia adopted one-drop law in 1924

In 1924, Virginian legislators adopted a one-drop law, forgetting that their state had many people of mixed ancestry among those who identified as white.

1930: White majority population in 1930

By 1930, South Carolina had a white majority population for the first time since 1708.

1954: Hurricane Hazel in 1954

Memorable hurricanes to hit South Carolina include Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

July 1, 1969: South Carolina ratified the Nineteenth Amendment on July 1, 1969

The South Carolina legislature later ratified the Nineteenth Amendment on July 1, 1969, giving women the right to vote.

1970: The Great Migration from 1910-1970

1975: Home rule passed in 1975

In 1975, home rule was passed in South Carolina, overturning local representative government and reducing the role of the counties to agents of state government.

1976: Jimmy Carter carried the state

In 1976, Jimmy Carter was the last Democratic candidate to carry South Carolina.

1980: Voted Republican

Since the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan, South Carolina has voted Republican in every presidential election.

January 21, 1985: Lowest recorded temperature in South Carolina on January 21, 1985

On January 21, 1985, the lowest recorded temperature in South Carolina was −19 °F (−28 °C) at Caesars Head.

1989: Hurricane Hugo in 1989

Memorable hurricanes to hit South Carolina include Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

1990: Emissions goal for 2020 set against 1990 levels

South Carolina's Climate, Energy, and Commerce Committee Final Report recommends a voluntary economy-wide goal of reducing emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2020.

1994: BMW production facility since 1994

Since 1994, BMW has had a production facility in Spartanburg County near Greer.

1995: Carolina Panthers inaugural season

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers played their inaugural season's home games at Clemson's Memorial Stadium.

1996: Zapp Group since 1996

Since 1996 the Zapp Group operates in Summerville near Charleston.

1997: South Carolina's GSP and per-capita real GDP in 1997

In 1997, South Carolina's gross state product (GSP) was $97 billion and its per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in chained 2000 dollars was $26,772.

2000: Foreign-born population growth between 2000 and 2005

According to the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, South Carolina's foreign-born population grew faster than any other state between 2000 and 2005.

2000: South Carolina's per-capita real GDP in 2000 dollars in 1997 and 2007

In 1997, South Carolina's per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in chained 2000 dollars was $26,772 and $28,894 in 2007.

2005: Foreign-born population growth between 2000 and 2005

2005: Fritz Hollings left office

In 2005, Fritz Hollings, the most recent Democratic senator to serve South Carolina, left office.

2007: South Carolina's GSP and per-capita real GDP in 2007

In 2007, South Carolina's gross state product (GSP) was $153 billion and its per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in chained 2000 dollars was $28,894.

2008: South Carolina Climate, Energy, and Commerce Committee Final Report in 2008

In 2008, South Carolina released its Climate, Energy, and Commerce Committee Final Report.

2009: Poll about arts participation

In 2009, a statewide poll by the University of South Carolina Institute for Public Service and Policy Research found that 67% of residents had participated in the arts in some form during the past year.

2010: Largest religion in South Carolina in 2010

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), in 2010, the largest religion in South Carolina was Christianity. As of 2010, South Carolina was the American state with the highest per capita proportion of citizens who follow the Baháʼí Faith.

2010: Foreign Direct Investment in 2010

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) brought 1.06 billion dollars to the state economy in 2010.

2010: Population increase since 2010

The 2019 population of South Carolina was an increase of 523,350, or 11.31%, since the year 2010.

2010: Percentage increase since the 2010 census

The 2020 census determined that South Carolina had a 10.7% percentage increase in population since the 2010 census.

2011: Boeing opened aircraft manufacturing facility in 2011

In 2011, Boeing opened an aircraft manufacturing facility at Charleston International Airport.

March 2012: South Carolina nonfarm jobs in March 2012

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of March 2012, South Carolina had 1,852,700 nonfarm jobs.

June 29, 2012: Highest recorded temperature in South Carolina on June 29, 2012

On June 29, 2012, the highest recorded temperature in South Carolina was 113 °F (45 °C) in Johnston and Columbia.

2012: State debt in 2012

The state debt in 2012 was calculated to be $22.9bn, or $7,800 per taxpayer.

November 20, 2014: South Carolina legalized same-sex marriages on November 20, 2014

On November 20, 2014, South Carolina became the 35th state to legalize same-sex marriages, when a federal court ordered the change.

2014: Common Core repealed

In 2014, South Carolina repealed the Common Core standards in schools.

2014: South Carolina Supreme Court ruling

In 2014, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the state had failed to provide a "minimally adequate" education to children in all parts of the state as required by the state's constitution.

December 2016: School bus system

As of December 2016, South Carolina maintained a 5,582-bus fleet with the average vehicle in service being fifteen years old.

January 5, 2017: EPA award for cleaner school buses

On January 5, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded South Carolina more than $1.1 million to replace 57 school buses with new cleaner models through its Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program.

2018: Top countries of origin for South Carolina immigrants in 2018

As of 2018, the top countries of origin for South Carolina's immigrants were Mexico, India, Germany, Honduras and the Philippines.

2018: Hurricane Florence in 2018

Memorable hurricanes to hit South Carolina include Hurricane Florence in 2018.

2019: Estimated population of South Carolina in 2019

In 2019, South Carolina had an estimated population of 5,148,714.

2019: South Carolina's GDP in 2019

In 2019, South Carolina's GDP was $213.45 billion.

2020: Non-Christian Religions in 2020

ARDA's 2020 study reported 6,677 Muslims, 830 Orthodox Jews, 3,430 Reform Judaism adherents, and 8,383 Hinduism adherents in the state.

2020: Christianity as the largest religion in 2020

According to the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, Christianity remained the largest religion at approximately 74% of South Carolina's population.

2020: Native American population in South Carolina in 2020

In 2020, 24,303 people in South Carolina identified as being Native American alone, and 83,808 did in combination with one or more other races.

2020: Racial makeup of South Carolina in 2020

In 2020, the racial makeup of South Carolina was 63.4% White, 25.0% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 5.8% from two or more races. 6.9% of the total population was of Hispanic or Latino origin of any race.

2020: South Carolina population in 2020

In 2020, the recorded population of South Carolina was 5,118,425 according to the census. Also in 2020, the population of Columbia was 136,632 and the population of Charleston was 150,227.

2020: Voting difficulty ranking

In a 2020 study, South Carolina was ranked by the Election Law Journal as the 7th hardest state for citizens to vote in.

2020: Emissions goal for 2020 set against 1990 levels

South Carolina's Climate, Energy, and Commerce Committee Final Report recommends a voluntary economy-wide goal of reducing emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2020.

July 1, 2021: Earthquakes in South Carolina on July 1, 2021

Between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, there were 74 recorded earthquakes in South Carolina, six of which exceeded a 3 magnitude.

July 1, 2022: Earthquakes in South Carolina on July 1, 2022

Between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, there were 74 recorded earthquakes in South Carolina, six of which exceeded a 3 magnitude.

November 8, 2022: Registered voters

As of November 8, 2022, there were 3,740,743 registered voters in South Carolina.

2022: Homeless population in South Carolina in 2022

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 3,608 homeless people in South Carolina.

2022: Percentage of women in state legislature in 2022

As of 2022, South Carolina had one of the lowest percentages among all states of women in state legislature, at 17.6%.

2022: South Carolina health care ranking

In 2022, South Carolina was ranked 37th out of the 50 states for overall health care by The Commonwealth Fund.

2022: Religion statistics in 2022

In 2022, the Public Religion Research Institute estimated that Christians increased to 76% of the population in South Carolina, and the unaffiliated formed 20% of the state's population.

2022: K-12 schools in 2022

South Carolina has 1,167 K–12 schools in 79 school districts with an enrollment of 751,660 as of 2022. In 2022, South Carolina spent $11,747 per public school student.

April 2023: Winthrop University poll results

In April 2023, a Winthrop University poll found that an overwhelming majority of South Carolinians supported legalizing medical marijuana and believed that a separation between church and state was "critical".