The Progressive Club, Civil rights clubhouse in Johns Island, Charleston County, US.
The Progressive Club is a clubhouse on Johns Island in Charleston County, South Carolina, containing four distinct sections: a grocery store, meeting spaces, dormitory lodging, and educational facilities. The building on River Road offered a combination of services ranging from economic needs to education and community gatherings.
The Progressive Club organization formed in 1948; its clubhouse on Johns Island was built in 1963. The building housed Esau Jenkins' legal and financial assistance program, adult education classes and dormitory lodging, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
The site served as a Citizenship School where African American residents learned about voter registration and political participation during the 1960s. These teaching spaces helped people understand how to engage in civic life during a crucial period of change.
The clubhouse stands on River Road on Johns Island and is a National Register-listed building, not an open visitor attraction; there are no tours or set opening hours. View it from the road and check the National Register listing before planning a stop.
Between 1961 and 1965, approximately 1,600 teachers received training at this facility, making it a turning point for the civil rights movement. This intensive training activity occurred over just a few years but had long-lasting impact across the region.
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