(1723–1793) Eliza Lucas Pinckney was a daughter of a plantation owner who is best known for her experiments with creating blue dye from indigo plants, which led to indigo becoming one of the colony’s most importan
(1746-1825) Charles Cotesworth Pinckney was a South Carolina lawyer and signer of the United States Constitution.
(1925-2007) Born in Dalzell, SC, Bill Pinkney was a pitcher in the Negro League, served in World War II, member of the R&B group, The Drifters and influential in the beach music scene.
(1779-1851) Born in Charleston, Joel Roberts Poinsett was a US Representative, the first US Minister to Mexico, and US Secretary of War under Martin Van Buren. The poinsettia flower is named after him.
(1903-1960) Born in Timmonsville, SC, Melvin Purvis was an FBI agent responsible for ending the criminal careers of Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and John Dillinger.
(1832-1887) Joseph Hayne Rainey was the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
(1520-1565) Jean Ribault was a French navigator who led an expedition to the New World in 1562 that founded the outpost of Charlesfort on Paris Island.
(1953- ) Born in Anderson, SC, Jim Rice is a former Boston Red Sox baseball player, coach, and sports commentator.
(1864-1941) John Gardiner Richards, Jr. was the governor of South Carolina from 1926-1931.
(1933- ) Richard Wilson "Dick" Riley was the governor of South Carolina from 1979-1987 and U.S. Secretary of Education from 1993-2001.
(1837–1923) Born in Robertville, SC, Henry Martyn Robert is the author of Robert’s Rules of Order, the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure.
(1979- ) Born in Lancaster, SC, Julie Roberts is a popular country music singer.
(1965- ) Born in Andrews, SC, Chris Rock is a well-known comedian, actor, screenwriter, television and film producer, and director.
(1958-) George Rogers won the Heisman Trophy in 1980 while playing for the University of South Carolina. He also played professionally with the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Redskins.
(1924-2015) Born in Spartanburg, SC, Al Rosen was a Major League Baseball player in the 1940s and 1950s, and was the president of several teams in his career.
(1966- ) Born in Charleston, SC, Darius Rucker is a musician and lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish.
(1883-1973) Archibald Rutledge was a famous naturalist writer who was also the first poet laureate of South Carolina.
(1739-1800) Born in Charleston, SC, John Rutledge was a signer of the US constitution and the first governor of South Carolina following the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
(1749-1800) Born in Charleston, SC, Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence and later governor of South Carolina from 1798-1800.
(1883-1975) Eulalie Chafee Salley from Aiken, SC fought for the right for women to vote.
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