Power and Purpose: Congressman Jim Clyburn Talks Legacy
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Who is Congressman Jim Clyburn and what is his legacy?
You're listening to Mick Unplugged, hosted by the one and only Mick Hunt. This is where purpose meets power and stories spark transformation. Mick takes you beyond the motivation and into meaning, helping you discover your because and becoming unstoppable. I'm Rudy Rush, and trust me, you're in the right place. Let's get unplugged.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of McUnplugged. And today I literally get to sit down with one of my heroes. You know, he's advised presidents. He's reshaped the course of American history with a single endorsement. We're talking about from the halls of Congress to the heart of the movement. His voice has never wavered. It's been a compass for change, for justice, and for unity. He is the visionary. He is the resolute. He is the legendary. He is my congressman, Mr. Jim Clyburn. I am so honored to spend some time with someone being from South Carolina, being a young Black man from South Carolina. You've shaped who I was, who I've become, and the legacy that I'm trying to create.
And that all stemmed from you showing me it was possible. So I wanted to take just a moment And just say thank you. And I mean that from my soul. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And I would be remiss if we didn't talk about out of the gate. This amazing book that you were writing, The First Eight. And we talk about the legacy I want to leave behind. You put your legacy in writing for us. I'd love for you to just talk about The First Eight, where the thought came from to put this out and who you hope to touch with this amazing book that you have. Thank you.
When I published my memoir 10 years ago, 2015, one day, A group came to my office when I was a Majority Whip, and I had on the wall of my conference room these eight pictures. They're pictures of the eight African Americans who served in Congress from South Carolina before me. One of the people in the group asked me who they were. And when I told them, she said to me, I thought you were the first African American to serve in Congress from South Carolina. And I kind of playfully said to her, no, before I was first, there were eight. And later that day, I said to myself, you know, maybe one day after I get over this book we just published, I might write a book about these eight people, because I think so many of them are so important to our history.
Joseph Rainey was the first African-American to be elected to the House of Representatives and sworn in on December 12, 1970, Richard Cain, who was number four in that group, Richard Cain became an AME bishop and had pastored Emanuel AME Church down in Charleston. Then there's Smalls, Robert Smalls from Beaufort. Robert Smalls is only, to me, genuine hero of the Civil War. And it served in the State House of Representatives here in Columbia and in the Congress. I said, I'm going to write about these people. And so I started taking notes and not really getting too serious about it. Then January 6, 2021 hit. And while we were sitting in this so-called undisclosed location, having been rushed off the House floor for safety, I said to people around me, I know what's happening here.
They are trying to get this count stopped so they can get this election thrown into the House of Representatives just like was done in 1876. And when that happened, that is what started the end to Reconstruction. That's what started the beginning of Jim Crow. I said, that is what is happening here. So then I got serious about doing this book. And then when my communications director retired in the middle of doing the book, she said to me, I'm going to retire, but I want you to finish this book. You write, I'll do the copy editing, I'll do the footnotting. You just write and send me what you've written. And that's what led to the book. And that's what led to this production that's going to be released on November 11th.
And I can't wait. Again, being from South Carolina and knowing what that history means to me, I almost wonder... What took so long? But then I go, the only person that could do it is Jim Clyburn.
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