Remembering the Past.
Building the Beloved Community.

Inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative's Community Remembrance Project, Anderson Area Remembrance & Reconciliation initiative honors the memory of the past and works toward a more just and beloved community for all.

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Breaking Bread: Dreaming Together

An Evening of Art, Conversation, and Beloved Community

What began as a conversation with Anderson artist Nat Morris became something much more. Surrounded by his powerful artwork, community members shared personal stories of family, racial injustice, remembrance, and hope.

Through art, we discovered new ways to listen, learn, and understand one another as we continue building the Beloved Community here in Anderson.

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MEET THE FIVE

  • Silhouette of a man in a suit with handwritten script in the background.

    Ed Sullivan

  • Silhouette of a man in a suit with handwritten text in the background.

    Elbert Harris

  • Silhouette of a young man with curly hair, wearing a collared shirt and overalls, with a sepia-toned background featuring handwritten text about a person from Rock Mills, South Carolina, convicted as a laborer in 1901 at age 17 or 18.

    John Laddison

  • Silhouette of a man with short hair in front of a vintage paper background with handwritten text, wearing a suit and tie.

    Reuben Elrod

  • A silhouetted portrait of a young man with short, curly hair, wearing a jacket and a collared shirt, with a historic document or text in the background.

    Willis Jackson

Learn Their Stories

OUR CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Two people planting soil with gardening tools into glass jars labeled with Elbert Harris and his birth and death dates, outdoors on grass.

    Soil Collection

  • A memorial display in a lobby with numerous people gathered around. The display features a pile of charred wood with a church pew behind it, roped off with black barriers. A large wall behind has text that reads 'Family Ministry Complex' and directions to various facilities, with a quote from the Bible.

    The Sculpture

  • Blue historical marker plaque with gold border and black text, discussing lynching incidents in Anderson County, South Carolina, with a map icon at the top and trees and parked cars in the background.

    The Marker

  • Three people, two women and one man, are standing in a museum, looking at display cases with historical artifacts and maps on the wall.

    Earth Remembers Exhibit

  • People filming an interview in a library or bookstore with shelves of jars or bottles in the background.

    The Documentaries

  • A party table with empty plates, partially eaten food, fruits, drinks, and cake, surrounded by people.

    Community Conversations

Learn More
  • Icon of a candle with a flame on a brown circular background.

    REMEMBRANCE

    Honoring the memory of the past.

    Historical Research & The Five

    Soil Collection

    Markers & Exhibits

  • Icon of two overlapping chat bubbles on a dark blue circular background.

    RECONCILIATION

    Creating space for healthy conversations.

    Breaking Bread

    Dialogue

    Education

  • Icon of three people on a gold circular background.

    BELOVED COMMUNITY

    Working together for a future of justice and fellowship.

    Building Relationship

    Community Events

    Future Generations

"The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community."

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.