Senator Kay Patterson

Senator Kay Patterson was born in Darlington County on January 11, 1931, the son of James and Leila Prince Patterson. His early years were spent in Darlington and Sumter Counties under the watchful eyes and instruction of his paternal and maternal grandmothers, Mrs. Meta B. Patterson and Mrs. Emma Joseph. He attended Lincoln High School in Sumter, South Carolina, graduating in the Class of 1949, followed by two years at Claflin College (now Claflin University). Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served until 1953. While in the Marines, he earned the rank of Buck Sergeant. Continuing his education, Senator Patterson completed requirements for a B.S. Degree in Social Sciences at Allen University in 1956 and a Master’s Degree in Education at South Carolina State College (now South Carolina State University) in 1971. Other coursework included those taken at Temple University and the National Defense Education Act/NDEA Institute in Black History at Atlanta University in 1963. Senator Patterson spent fourteen years as a classroom educator, teaching at several schools – W. A. Perry Middle School, C. A. Johnson Preparatory Academy, and Benedict College. In January 1983, he was selected by the SC House Education Committee to serve on the University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees, the first Black to serve on the Board since Reconstruction. He also served a 16-year tenure as a UniServ Representative for the SC Education Association before retiring in 1986. Recognized for his commitment to education and community service, he was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from South Carolina State University in 2000; and the Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from the University of South Carolina in 2005. He was also honored by AT&T in the 2003 SC African American History Calendar. An outspoken legislator championing the cause of the poor and downtrodden, he was elected to the SC House of Representatives in 1974 and served until 1985. The same year, he was elected to the SC Senate, Richland County District 19, and served until 2008 with committee assignments in Banking and Insurance, Corrections and Penology, Education, Finance, and Transportation. In 1990 during his tenure in the Senate, he served as Chairman of the SC Legislative Black Caucus. As an outspoken and fiery speaker in his practice of politics, Patterson was a moving force in promoting and effectuating change in the state of South Carolina. Since 1980, he had been a proponent for removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House dome having initially sponsored a bill on the removal in 1983. Among the many membership affiliations through the years, he was a member of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and most recently, Brookland Baptist Church, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Edisto Lodge No. 39 Prince Hall Masons, NAACP Life Member, to name a few. Senator Patterson was married to the former Jean James of Pinewood, SC. He and his wife are the parents of two children, Eric (deceased) and Pamela and grandparents to Eric Jr., Ashley, and Courtland. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Senator K. Patterson Scholarship Fund at Allen University and/or South Carolina State University in honor of his lifelong commitment to education. Allen University Attn: Dr. Dub Taylor Office of Institutional Advancement 1530 Harden Street Columbia, SC 29204 Or click on the link https://allen-university.snwbll.com/senator-kay-patterson-scholarship-fund or text senator-kay-patterson-scholarship-fund to (803) 710-7484 South Carolina State University SC State University Foundation (with in memory of Kay Patterson on the memo line) and mailed to Office of Institutional Advancement, PO Box 7305, Orangeburg, SC 29117. Online gifts may be made at www.scstateallin.com. At the drop-down box for gift designation, choose General Scholarship and indicate “in memory of Kay Patterson” in the comments section.

Senator Kay Patterson

January 11, 1931 - December 13, 2024