The Earth Remembers

A Connection to Place.
A Preservation of Memory.
A Journey Toward Healing.

Collected from the soil of Anderson County, these jars honor five lives taken by racial terror, preserve their stories for future generations, and invite our community into remembrance, reconciliation, and Beloved Community.

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A woman looking at display cases with jars of soil and a large map of Anderson County, South Carolina, on the wall.

Overview

The Earth Remembers exhibit was unveiled at the Anderson County Museum on February 21, 2023, creating a permanent place of remembrance for the five documented victims of racial terror lynching in Anderson County: Ed Sullivan, Elbert Harris, John Laddison, Reuben Elrod, and Willis Jackson.

Created in partnership with the Anderson Area Remembrance & Reconciliation Initiative and the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Project, the exhibit features five soil jars — each representing a person, a story, and a place connected to Anderson County’s history.

Through the leadership and support of Beverly Childs, Executive Director of the Anderson County Museum, the exhibit found a permanent home where these stories could continue to be preserved, shared, and remembered. Her commitment to telling the full history of Anderson County helped create a space for reflection, education, and community conversation.

The Earth Remembers invites visitors to acknowledge the past, honor these five lives, and continue the journey toward reconciliation and the realization of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of Beloved Community.

Remembering Through the Soil

The collection of soil is an act of remembrance, restoring dignity to lives taken and creating a lasting connection between history, place, and community. These jars preserve memory and invite future generations into the ongoing work of reconciliation.

  • On February 21, 2023, community members gathered at the Anderson County Museum for the dedication of The Earth Remembers exhibit.

    The evening marked an important step in Anderson County’s journey of remembrance as five soil jars were permanently displayed to honor Ed Sullivan, Elbert Harris, John Laddison, Reuben Elrod, and Willis Jackson.

    The gathering created space for reflection, conversation, and collective healing as the community acknowledged the past while looking toward reconciliation.

  • Community members gathered soil near the locations connected to the lynchings of Ed Sullivan, Elbert Harris, John Laddison, Reuben Elrod, and Willis Jackson. Each collection represented a commitment to remembering their names and acknowledging their stories.

  • Under the leadership of Executive Director Beverly Childs, the Anderson County Museum partnered with AAR&RI to create a permanent exhibit preserving the soil jars and sharing the stories of the five documented victims of racial terror lynching in Anderson County.

    For more than 40 years, the museum has preserved the stories that shaped Anderson County. The Earth Remembers exhibit continues that mission by ensuring these names, stories, and histories remain visible for generations to come.

  • Remembering history is not about assigning blame; it is about telling the truth.

    By acknowledging the lives lost and the injustice experienced, AAR&RI seeks to create opportunities for dialogue, healing, and reconciliation — moving toward the vision Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called the Beloved Community.

A woman with short light brown hair, glasses, wearing a light blue blazer with pearl buttons, speaking into a microphone indoors with a brick wall and window in the background.
An older man with glasses and a beard wearing a gray jacket and blue shirt, standing inside a room, holding a book or brochure. In the background, a woman in a gray checkered blazer is standing near a wall with a map and decorative items.
Three women and one man stand in an indoor exhibit, looking at maps and informational displays on the wall.
A woman with curly hair and glasses reading from paper at a podium in a museum or exhibit space, with several people seated and watching, and a camera crew recording the event.

Visit The Exhibit

The Earth Remembers Exhibit
Anderson County Museum
202 East Greenville Street
Anderson, SC 29621

Hours
Tuesday–Saturday
10am–4pm

Website
andersoncountymuseum.sc.gov


 

Featured Story

The Earth Remembers Exhibit Unveiling - Anderson County Media

The Earth Remembers is a special exhibit which documents five individuals identified as victims of lynching in Anderson County. In cooperation with the Anderson Area Remembrance and Reconciliation Initiative, five soil jars represent each person and each place.

Video Produced by Anderson County Media / Video Released on February 28, 2023

  • Icon of a lit candle inside a brown circle.

    REMEMBRANCE

    What stories does the soil preserve?
    Honoring the five lives lost by preserving soil from places connected to their stories, creating a permanent exhibit where memory has a place to live.

  • Facebook Messenger app icon with two white speech bubbles on a blue circular background.

    RECONCILIATION

    How does remembering create healing?
    Creating space for reflection and conversation where our community can acknowledge difficult truths and move forward together through understanding.

  • Icon of three people representing a group or community on a brown circular background.

    BELOVED COMMUNITY

    What future grows from remembrance?
    Inspiring generations to learn from the past, seek justice, and continue building a community rooted in compassion, dignity, and belonging.

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

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.