Johns Island in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Progressive Club

Photographed by David J Gaines, June 4, 2016

1. The Progressive Club Marker

Inscription.

The Progressive Club, built in 1962-63, was a store and community center for Johns Island and other Sea Islands until it was badly damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The club had been founded in 1948 by civil rights activist Esau Jenkins (1910-1972), who worked to improve educational, political, economic, and other opportunities for blacks on the island and in the lowcountry. (Continued on other side) (Continued from other side) Jenkins, Septima Clark (1898-1987), and Bernice Robinson (1914-1994) founded the first Citizenship School in 1957 to encourage literacy and voter registration. Its success led to many similar schools across the South, called “the base on which the whole civil rights movement was built.” The Progressive Club was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

Erected 2013 by Preservation Society of Charleston. (Marker Number 10-81.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights.

Location. 32° 40.622′ N, 80° 2.417′ W. Marker is on Johns Island, South Carolina, in Charleston

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County. It is at the intersection of River Road (State Highway S-10-91) and Royal Oak Drive, on the right when traveling east on River Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Johns Island SC 29455, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Lowcountry.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: John's Island Presbyterian Church (approx. 2½ miles away); Federal Expedition on John's Island / Battle of Burden's Causeway (approx. 3.1 miles away); St. John’s Episcopal Church (approx. 3.9 miles away); Battle of Sol-Legare Island (approx. 4.3 miles away); Mosquito Beach (approx. 4.7 miles away);

The Progressive Club Marker Reverse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by David J Gaines, June 4, 2016

2. The Progressive Club Marker Reverse

Hunter's Volunteers (approx. 4.9 miles away); Battery Number 5 (approx. 5½ miles away); Secessionville (approx. 5.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Johns Island.

Photographed by David J Gaines, June 4, 2016

3. The Progressive Club Marker

As can be seen, the building was severely damaged by Hurricane Hugo.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2016, by David J Gaines of Pinson, Alabama. This page has been viewed 768 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 20, 2016, by David J Gaines of Pinson, Alabama. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.