Henrie Monteith Treadwell, the first Black woman to graduate from USC, gave an author talk to discuss her new memoir, “Come Along with Me: An African American Woman’s Journey for Justice” on Friday.
According to the University of South Carolina Press, the memoir covers a wide range of topics, including Treadwell's experience as a trailblazer in the fields of health equality and social justice. She also gives a personal account of the challenges that came along with being admitted as one of USC's first Black American student since the Reconstruction Era.
History of Treadwell at USC
Treadwell, along with Robert Anderson and James Solomon Jr., was one of the first Black students to desegregate USC in 1963. A 12-foot monument of the three, based on a photo of them exiting the Osborne Administrative Building, sits on the Horseshoe beside the McKissick Museum.
In May 1962, the then-16-year-old Treadwell applied to USC and was rejected. With the help of her family, friends and attorneys including civil rights lawyer Matthew Perry, she sued the university and won a class action law suit. In 1963, the then-18-year-old Treadwell was accepted at USC and enrolled in classes, which ended around 90 years of segregation.
Author Talk
Treadwell's author talk, hosted by USC's Center for Civil Rights History and Research and All Good Books, took place at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, located in Columbia's Waverly Historic District. Treadwell attended the church's school before attending USC.
Dr. Bobby Donaldson, a professor of history at USC who also serves as the executive director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research, said he invited Treadwell to come to Columbia. He said the memoir was released this week by the USC Press, in cooperation with USC's division of Access, Civil Rights and Community Engagement.
"We very much wanted to create a space where we can celebrate her journey but also a place to share her new publication," Donaldson said.
Many people see Treadwell as the woman with a statue, but they don't know about her life leading up to integrating the university, and they also don't know what happened afterwards, Donaldson said.
"We're excited that she's now able to share her memoir with the general public, and people now have a chance to know much more about this monumental figure in USC history," Donaldson said.
Beryl Dakers, one of South Carolina's first African American on-air broadcasters, led the author talk conversation with Treadwell.
Treadwell said people told her for years she needed to write a book. She said the idea kept coming back to her, and eventually she set time aside to write her memoir.
Elder Brian Fields said he attended the event to hear Treadwell's thoughts on activism and civil justice.
"I'm trying to understand what the temperature is in the (Civil Rights) Movement in (South Carolina)," Fields said. "I'm trying to understand the thinking ... What is the climate of the people here? And then what is the climate of their leaders and not solution, but ...their projection and their involvement in the movement?"
Treadwell said after people read her book, she wants them to feel that they should have a hand in making society just for all.
"I would like for people to not just leave the words on the page," Treadwell said. "Make them action words."
Dakers asked Treadwell what it meant for her to be a civil rights activist at a young age. Treadwell said she never thought there was an issue with her age, how she fit in or how she became an activist.
"I think that it never occurred to me that what I was doing was something unusual. It was, but it never occurred to me," Treadwell said. "I thought that's what I should be doing, and I did."