Celebrating Black History - Jayson Abraham

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Celebrating Black History - Jayson Abraham

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February 21, 2023

1. Who are you, and where are you from?

My name is Jayson E. Abraham, and I am the son of a decorated military officer and a state employee. My mother, Colonel Patricia A Simmons-Abraham, was the first black female commander of the 1189th battalion out of Charleston, SC. My father, John, worked in several roles for the SC Department of Transportation for many years.

I was born in Charleston, SC, and raised in a small town called Orangeburg, SC. As a native of the south, I can proudly say that several family members, including my father, were a part of pivotal moments in African Americans’ fight for civil rights.

2. What is the most important thing people can do to support Black History Month?

The most important thing people can do to support Black History Month is always to remember that it is because of black inventors such as Garret Morgan (who invented the three-way traffic light) and Alexander Miles (who created the mechanism for elevators doors to close and open automatically) that everyday life can be as easy as it is. Never dismiss the thoughts, ideas, labor, and sacrifices of those who came before you.

3. How do you celebrate Black History Month?

I celebrate black history daily by regularly visiting my elders and listening to their stories about the trials and difficulties they overcame growing up and spending much of their early adulthood in the Jim Crow South. It always strengthens me when I feel like the world is against me. I never want to take the freedom and rights that I currently have and enjoy for granted. My life would be much different without the black community’s elders’ sacrifices and labor.