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Lonnie Randolph, Jr.

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Lonnie Randolph Jr.
Born(1940-06-03)June 3, 1940
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedOctober 19, 2024(2024-10-19) (aged 74)
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Occupations
  • Optometrist
  • civil rights leader
SpousePatricia Reuben

Lonnie Randolph Jr. (June 3, 1950 – October 19, 2024) was an American physician and civil rights activist who led the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in South Carolina, known as the South Carolina Conference of NAACP, for fourteen years.

Early life and education.

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Randolph was born in Columbia, South Carolina, and graduated from Dreher High School. He received a degree in biology from Benedict College and a Doctorate of Optometry from the Southern College of Optometry.[1][2]

Career and volunteerism

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Randolph practiced optometry through his private practice in Columbia for over forty years, and also provided services at the South Carolina Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice. He served as president of the South Carolina Optometric Association, and founded Palmetto Health's free eye clinic.[3]

NAACP leadership

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Randolph is recognized for his role in the removal of the Confederate flag from the dome of the South Carolina State House, chairing the committee that led on the flag issue.[4] He continued pressure until the flag was removed from the State House grounds after the Charleston church shooting in 2015.[5]

After Governor Nikki Haley signed legislation in July 2015 removing the flag from the State House grounds,[6][7][8][9][10] Randolph publicly noted that the NAACP had continued to press for that removal after the decision to move the flag from the dome to the grounds, especially in the form of boycotts of athletic events in South Carolina by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[11][12][13][14][15] The boycotts were officially ended by the NAACP in July 2015.[16]

In 2000, Randolph also helped launch the Martin Luther King Jr. observance titled 'King Day at the Dome', originally billed 'A March and Rally for the Removal of the Confederate Flag', a nearly 50,000 strong protest against the Confederate flag flying atop the State House.[17][18][19][20] The protest, started at Zion Baptist Church, a National Register of Historic Places site due to its activities during the Civil Rights movement,[21] included a march down Main Street and ended with a keynote speech at the South Carolina State House from NAACP national president Kweisi Mfume.[22] The year 2016 marked the first King Day at the Dome without the Confederate flag flying on the grounds.[23] The event has become an annual South Carolina NAACP event, and a regular stop for Presidential candidates.[24][25][26]

King Day was not an official holiday in South Carolina at the time of this first march in 2000. Governor Jim Hodges signed a bill into law in May 2000 which combined state recognition of the King holiday with Confederate Memorial Day. The NAACP issued a statement opposing the bill. South Carolina was the last state to officially recognize the King holiday.[27]

Personal life and death

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Randolph was married to Patricia Reuben.

Randolph died in Columbia, South Carolina, on October 19, 2024, at the age of 74.[28]

Governor Henry McMaster issued an Executive Order to have flags lowered in South Carolina in his honor.[29][30]

Speakers at Randolph's celebration of life on November 1, 2024, included Brenda Murphy, President of the South Carolina Conference of NAACP along with a representative of the NAACP National Board; Bishop William Barber II; South Carolina House of Representatives member Leon Howard and South Carolina Senator and Pastor Darrell Jackson, Sr.

Awards and honors

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  • Benedict College Hall of Fame, 1994[31]
  • Order of the Palmetto, 2011[32]
  • South Carolina NAACP President Emeritus Medal, 2017
  • South Carolina Optometric Physicians Association Optometrist of the Year, 2017[33]
  • Richland County School District One Hall of Fame, 2020[34]
  • South Carolina African American History Calendar Honoree, 2024[35]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Former SC NAACP president, longtime community leader dies after distinguished career". WIS News 10. October 20, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "In Memory of Lonnie Randolph, OD '77". Southern College of Optometry. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  3. ^ "2019–2020 Bill 5023: Dr. Lonnie Randolph, Jr". South Carolina Legislature Online. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Reiss, Cory. "Graham opposes S.C. confederate flag". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Washington Bureau. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  5. ^ "Dr. Lonnie Randolph, Jr". Leevy's Funeral Home. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "Watch S.C. Officials Call for Confederate Flag to Come Down", Bloomberg, June 22, 2015, retrieved November 4, 2024
  7. ^ "S.C. lawmakers return for flag debate". The Blade. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "All In with Chris Hayes, Transcript 06/19/15". MSNBC. June 20, 2015.
  9. ^ Jalabi, Raya (June 19, 2015). "Obama on Charleston shooting: 'I refuse to act as if this is the new normal' – live updates". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "Confederate flag taken down in South Carolina after 54 years". ABC30 Fresno. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Smith, Tim. "Randolph: flag boycott by NAACP could have ended sooner". The Greenville News. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "Wojciechowski: Battle flag". ESPN.com. July 9, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  13. ^ Swann, Amy Allyn. "NAACP boycott to stand". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "NAACP boycott still at work here". Greenville Journal. July 30, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  15. ^ "NAACP Promises Battle in S.C. Over Rebel Flag". BET. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "NAACP Ends Its Boycott of the State of South Carolina". NAACP. January 1, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Mcconchie, Brian (January 15, 2024). ""Take it down now": King Day at the Dome started as call to action over Confederate Flag". WACH. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Opinion | Renewing the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: King Day at the Dome 2003". Common Dreams. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  19. ^ Firestone, David (January 18, 2000). "46,000 March on South Carolina Capitol to Bring Down Confederate Flag". The New York Times. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  20. ^ Neal, Terry M. (February 11, 2000). "For Bush, Tough Questions on Race". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  21. ^ "SC Historic Properties Record : National Register Listing : Zion Baptist Church [S10817740182]". schpr.sc.gov. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  22. ^ "50,000 march to 'take down racist flag'". The Militant. January 31, 2000.
  23. ^ Collins, Jeffrey (June 18, 2016). "In South Carolina, a King day without the Confederate flag". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  24. ^ "MLK Day draws presidential hopefuls to South Carolina". PBS News. January 20, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  25. ^ Levenson, Eric; Yan, Holly (January 21, 2019). "These are some of the biggest MLK Day celebrations across the country". CNN. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  26. ^ "Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders Join King Day Festivities". The New York Times. January 22, 2016. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  27. ^ "King Holiday Approved in South Carolina". The Washington Post. May 2, 2000. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  28. ^ "In Loving Memory: Dr. Lonnie Randolph". Carolina Panorama Newspaper. October 23, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  29. ^ "Lowering Flags for Dr. Lonnie Randolph, Jr" (PDF). South Carolina Office of the Governor Henry McMaster. October 31, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  30. ^ "Half-Staff Alert − South Carolina". American Flags Express. November 1, 2024.
  31. ^ "Lonnie Randolph, M.D. (1994) − Hall of Fame". Benedict College Athletics. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  32. ^ "NAACP Former President Dr. Randolph Jr. dies". ABC Columbia. October 21, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  33. ^ "Summary of Award Winners" (PDF). SCOPA. 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  34. ^ Baker, Anita (February 6, 2020). "The 16th Annual Richland One Hall of Fame Induction Gala honors Midlands legends". Columbia Star. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  35. ^ "Dr. Lonnie Randolph". South Carolina African American History Calendar. Retrieved November 2, 2024.

Further reading

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  • Haynie, Olivia. “‘Push America Back from the Brink of Senseless Tribalism’: The NAACP Response to the Confederate Battle Flag at the South Carolina Capitol.” False Image of History: Perspectives on Confederate Commemoration from the Black Press (online). Fall 2024 Edition. Schaefer, Donovan O., ed. https://falseimage.pennds.org/essay/the-naacp-boycott-of-south-carolina/.
  • Lefever, Grant Burnett. Furling The South Carolina Confederate Flag: Political Expediency Or Cultural Change? University of Mississippi, 2016.
  • Woliver, Laura R., Angela D. Ledford and Chris J. Dolan. The South Carolina Confederate Flag: The Politics of Race and Citizenship. 2008.
  • Prince, Michael K. Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys: South Carolina and the Confederate Flag. University of South Carolina Press, 2004.
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