Community leaders, residents, and supporters gathered on Dec. 18, as the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center (BLEC) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the reopening of the Harold White Human Development Center following years of extensive renovations that included: painting; flooring; lighting; new basketball goals; new bleachers; and new translucent window panels that allow natural light.

During the ceremony, BLEC formally acknowledged and thanked the donors and partners whose support made the restoration possible. Recognized contributors included the National Park Service, the Lexington County Community Development Block Grant, and a number of individual and corporate donors and partners, including but not limited to Jumper-Carter-Sease Architects, TD Bank, Brookland Baptist Church, Dr. Charles B. Jackson, Sr., Dr. Charles B. Jackson, Jr., Dr. Rudy and Corliss Wise, Mr. Donny Burkett, Mr. Reginald Rearden, and Deacon Dennis and Bernice Breeland.

The long-anticipated reopening marks the completion of a multi-phase restoration effort aimed at revitalizing the historic center and expanding its ability to serve the community.

Renovations included roofing restoration, interior and exterior painting, upgraded lighting, new bleachers, new basketball goals, new metal doors, and the installation of translucent panels to allow for natural light throughout the facility. Most of the renovations were completed by M.E. Contracting, whose work played a significant role in bringing the multi-phase restoration project to completion.

The renovations were completed in three phases over the past five years through funding and support from the Lexington County Community Development Block Grant, the National Park Service, and committed individual and corporate donors.

Community officials praised the collaborative effort, emphasizing the center’s renewed role as a hub for recreation, education, and community engagement.

“The reopening of this center is not just about a building—it’s about preserving history, honoring excellence, and investing in the future of our community,” said Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, executive director of the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center.

The center is named in honor of Harold White, a trailblazer in education and athletics whose career spanned more than four decades. Born in Columbia to the late Thomas A. White and Rosetta Edwards White, White was the sixth of seven children and a 1958 graduate of C.A. Johnson High School. He earned his degree from South Carolina State College, now South Carolina State University, in 1963.

White began his professional career at Robert Smalls Junior High School in Beaufort before returning to the Midlands in 1964 to teach and coach at Lakeview High School in West Columbia. He later returned to C.A. Johnson High School, where he taught and coached football, and went on to serve as director of student activities at Benedict College.

In 1971, White made history as the first African American coach at the University of South Carolina. He later served as an academic counselor and retired in 2007 as senior associate athletic director, leaving a lasting legacy of leadership, mentorship, and barrier-breaking achievement.

With renovations complete, the Harold White Human Development Center is positioned to once again serve as a cornerstone for youth development, athletics, and community programming—honoring the life and legacy of the man whose name it proudly bears.

For more information about the Harold White Human Development Center or to inquire about renting the space, please contact Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton at [email protected] or 803-747-3519.