About Jim Clyburn
James
E. (Jim) Clyburn has spent his entire life living in the current Sixth Congressional
District. He was born and raised in Sumter, the eldest son of a fundamentalist
minister and a cosmetologist. He graduated from South Carolina State
University in Orangeburg with a bachelor’s degree in history.
His first job was teaching social studies at C.A. Brown High School in Charleston. While still in Charleston, he worked as an employment counselor, a director of youth programs and led the South Carolina Farm Workers Commission.
After losing a close election to become one of the first African Americans in the South Carolina House of Representative, Jim caught the eye of Governor John West, who brought him to Columbia to serve as the first minority advisor to a South Carolina governor. Under Governor West, he demonstrated his strong leadership skills which led to his appointment as South Carolina Human Affairs Commissioner, a position he retired from after nearly 18 years of service to run for Congress.
Jim ran for the Sixth Congressional seat in 1992 as one of five African American candidates following the creation of the new black majority district during reapportionment. His personal relationship with so many people throughout the district and his proven leadership ability led him to win the Democratic primary with 55% percent of the vote, eliminating the need for an expected run-off. He went on to win the general election, and to become South Carolina’s first African American to serve in Congress since Reconstruction.
© 2007 PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JIM CLYBURN |