Lucille Simmons Whipper (June 6, 1928 - August 27, 2021) was an American Democratic Party politician who served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1986 to 1996.
Here, Whipper implemented an affirmative action program and played a major role in integrating the Avery Institute, a center dedicated to African American history, with the college.
[4] In 1972, Whipper landed a job at the College of Charleston as Director of the Office of Human Relations and Assistant to the President, making her the first African American to hold this position.
[4] Serving under administrator Theodore Stern, Whipper led the way in developing the school's first affirmative action plan.
[3] During this time, she worked on directing a multimillion-dollar federal project called the Elementary and Secondary School Aid Act (ESSA).
[3] After two years, Whipper returned to the College of Charleston where she continued her work as Director of the Office of Human Relations and Assistant to the President.
[7] Whipper's work and dedication to the Avery Institute played a critical role in its preservation and integration with the College of Charleston.
[7] Later, Whipper sought a position of greater public service, and in 1986, she became the first African American woman to be elected to a South Carolina seat in the House of Representatives.
[11] In 1992, Whipper was nominated for Speaker Pro Tempore (a top leadership post in the House), by Tim Rodgers in an attempt to send positive signals to the blacks.
[5] In 1999, Whipper's service in office was recognized by the South Carolina state government after they decided to name a connector bridge in Charleston after her.
[3] His death forced Whipper to move back to Charleston and provide for her infant son while teaching at public high schools.
[21] This initiative has raised tens of thousands of dollars for both African children affected by AIDS and local HIV/AIDS prevention clinics.
[22] In 2006, Whipper and retired financial executive Paul Hines actively backed 4 people (Toya Green, Ruth Jordan, Gregg Meyers and Susan Simons) in a Charleston County school board race.
[11] This summit, which was sponsored by AARP South Carolina, was an opportunity for black women to come together and find a way to solve social problems that persist in their communities.