Community Members Pay Respects to Late Chief Justice at Supreme Court

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)-  Citizens, colleagues and family members came out to honor former Chief Justice Ernest Finney who passed away Sunday, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneer.

“He stood for the things this country was built on. Justice, freedom, and peace for all people. Especially African-American people who had such a hard time achieving those goals and he stood up and stood out for those things,” said retired Richland educator Linda P. Jones.

Finney was the state’s first Black Supreme Court Justice since the Reconstruction Era. Before his days as a justice, he worked as attorney, serving as a trailblazer for Civil Rights.

“He went through the struggle. He was a lawyer waiting tables in myrtle beach. He could not even attend the bar association meeting. But he took it because he was looking down the road,” said civil rights activist James Felder.

Finney represented a group of Black junior college students who were arrested for holding a sit in at an all-White lunch counter. The group known as the Friendship 9 got their convictions overturned in 2015 as Finney watched on. That was many of his achievements but visitors say he will be remembered for so much more.

“To me he left behind the idea the idea to never give up. If the cause is worth it and if your heart knows it’s the right thing to do persevere,” said family friend Donna Rone.

“His strong stance and leadership in the area of public education is untouched, even today. We’re very much appreciative of all he did to help our public schools,” said executive director of the S.C. School Boards Association Scott Price.

“He’ll be remembered in South Carolina for years to come. He’ll go down in our history books,” friend Abbot Land Harnes said.

Justice Finney will be laid to rest Saturday at one of his alma maters, Claflin University at the James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel. Other opportunities to pay your respects include an Alpha Phi Alpha Omega Rites ritual at 4 p.m. and public visitation and viewing at 5 p.m. on Friday in the Neal Jones Auditorium at Morris College in Sumter. As well as a lie state service at 9 a.m. at Claflin on Saturday.