Rev. Joseph Armstrong De Laine was described as courageous, fearless, confident, faithful, committed, humble, and a man of integrity. A pastor, principal, and community leader, he was the primary impetus behind the Clarendon County desegregation cases. A 1931 Allen University graduate, he worked in various areas of the state before returning to Clarendon County, where he quickly became a community leader by organizing the county’s first branch of the NAACP in 1943 and securing educational opportunities for black veterans. He organized parents in Clarendon County to stand up for equal education and was instrumental in Levi Pearson vs. Clarendon School, the catalyst that led to Briggs vs. Elliott. That case, combined with four others, led to the 1954 landmark case Brown vs. Board of Education. Because of his involvement in civil rights, he was fired from his job as principal and forced to leave South Carolina for the safety of his life and his family.