SC Rep. William and Beverly Clyburn

SC Rep. William and Beverly Clyburn are long time educators and public servants in Aiken County. Beverly is a native of Georgetown, SC and William is from Camden, SC. They met at Allen University where they both attended for undergraduate studies. Both received graduate degrees from USC. Bill and Beverly are the proud parents of three children, William, Jr., Wilson, and Courtney and served as foster parents to one daughter, Carmen. They are members of Cumberland AME Church.

Beverly has served 19 years on the Aiken City Council and has served as Mayor Pro Tem. She was instrumental in putting forth a plan for the redevelopment of North Aiken and she has been honored for her work in chairing the first four NLC Diversity Breakfasts.

In 2001, she was honored by the SC General Assembly for her work in Aiken and Allendale Counties and the State of South Carolina. She has also been named a local Teacher of the Year and Woman of Distinction by her church. Beverly has a 42-year career in education, serving in both Aiken and Allendale Counties. She retired from South Aiken High School as Guidance Director in 1999 and now works part time at the Aiken Performing Arts Academy in Aiken County as assistant director and guidance counselor.

Bill started his career as a football and track coach for nine years and served as the principal of Aiken Elementary and Aiken High School for eleven years. In 1986, Bill was appointed to the SC Workers Compensation Commission where he served for eight years. In 1973, as a coach, and with the help of his athletes, he became the first African American elected to the Aiken City Council. In 1980, he became the first African American elected to the Aiken County Council, and in 1994, Bill ran successfully for House District 82, (Aiken, Edgefield and Saluda Counties). In 2001, Bill was named National Policy Maker of the Year by the National State Boards of Education.

Bill has chaired the Aiken County Human Relations Commission, First Step Board, and also the CSRA Classic as The Trailblazer of the Year, Aiken Moses Temple #4 as Man of the Year and received the Alpha Phi Alpha Drum Major Award. He has earned Citizen of the Year six times. One award from the SCDOT, for his idea of placing reflectors in the middle of rural streets and roads, is one of his most cherished. This has saved the DOT over 4 million dollars yearly and has saved an untold number of lives on dark rural roads since 2005.