Juanita Goggins

Juanita W. Goggins (1935[1]-circa February 20, 2010[2]) was the first African-American woman elected to the South Carolina legislature.[2] She was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1974,[3] and served three terms before resigning for health reasons in 1980.[4]

A former teacher and the wife of a dentist, Goggins was also the first black woman to represent the state of South Carolina at the Democratic National Convention in 1972, and the first black woman to serve on the United States Civil Rights Commission.[2]

Among her accomplishments were securing funding sickle-cell anemia testing in county health departments, and helping pass a 1977 law that was still the basis for education funding in South Carolina at the time of her death. AP wrote: "Her proposals to expand kindergarten and to reduce student-teacher ratios in the primary grades were adopted after she left politics in 1980, citing health issues."[2]

After leaving the legislature, Goggins divorced and moved to Columbia, where she was a state social worker for a time.[2] In 2009, part of Highway 5 in Rock Hill, South Carolina was named in her honor.[5]

She died in February 2010 of hypothermia, freezing to death in her own home.[2][6] Neighbors, who later contacted Goggins' landlord, became concerned about her after lights in Goggins' home had not come on for some time.[6] The coroner stated that he had found indications she had suffered from dementia.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Honorable Juanita Goggins (1935 - 2010)". The State. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestate/obituary.aspx?n=juanita-goggins&pid=140464725. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Adcox, SEANNASeanna (March 10, 2010). "Once-revered lawmaker freezes to death alone". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 13, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5oCJLvd6c. Retrieved March 13, 2010. 
  3. ^ "Juanita Goggins: A Legislator, Not Just a Spot". Spartanburg Herald: p. 13. Monday, December 30, 1974. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19741230&id=xlMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B80EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6336,6543308. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  4. ^ Ted Mellnik (Tuesday, Jan 8, 1980). "Goggins resigns House seat". Rock Hill Herald: p. 1. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4TotAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cb4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1358,668207&dq=juanita+goggins+resignation&hl=en. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  5. ^ Brown, Robbie (March 11, 2010). "A Trailblazer of Civil Rights Dies Forgotten". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/us/12frozen.html. Retrieved March 13, 2010. 
  6. ^ a b Chris MGreal (2010-03-12). "Lonely death of Juanita Goggins, trailblazer of US civil rights". The Guardian (United Kingdom): p. 1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/12/juanita-goggins-frozen-death-southcarolina. Retrieved 2010-03-10.