Louis L. Waring, Jr.
“Through his belief in putting God first, integrity, family values and teamwork, Waring’s service to his country and dedication to improving the lives of others through education, peaceful protest and participation in city government has yielded huge dividends.”
A US Navy World War II veteran who volunteered at the age of 14, Louis L. Waring, Jr. became the first African American general foreman of the Rigger Shop in the Charleston Naval Shipyard’s history. As a life member of the NAACP, Waring participated in numerous protests during the heat of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He and his wife, Seloris, were actively involved in the education of their children and protested the inequities in the school system and in the workplace. Waring was elected to serve as the President of the First Congressional District of the SC Colored Parent Teacher’s Association (PTA). He later served a brief term as President of the SC Congress of the Colored PTA just prior to the integration of schools in South Carolina. At this period in our country’s history Waring filed a lawsuit against the Shipyard for discrimination in promotion practices and against local bowling alleys that would not admit blacks. He won both lawsuits. After retirement from the Shipyard in 1982 he pursued a business career as a real estate developer before establishing a political career in the early 1990s. He won a seat on the St. Andrew’s Public Service District Commission in 1990 and later served as chairman.
Motivated by his concern for all the citizens of Charleston, and particularly those in St. Andrews District 7, west of the Ashley River where he was born and raised, Waring ran for City Council in 1993. He is currently serving his third full term as councilman for District 7. Louis Waring, Jr. was re-elected to a fourth term as Charleston City Councilman of District 7 on November 6, 2007. He won 56% of the vote in a three-way race. He also served twice as Mayor Pro Tempore for the City of Charleston in 1995 and 2006. During his tenure Waring spearheaded efforts to improve city infrastructure and to improve the safety of neighborhoods in his district. He has served on and chaired numerous council committees and is currently chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and is the City’s representative on the Public Works Commission. As Ways and Means chair, he supported fiscal policies that led to Charleston having the best credit rating of any city in South Carolina. He also helped to win approval in 2003 of the largest affordable housing development for senior citizens west of the Ashley—a $7 million investment.
His community service includes the Board of Directors for the Charleston NAACP, Salvation Army, Gibbes Museum of Art, Joint Highway 61 Commission, the St. Andrews Park & Playground Commission and the Citizens Committee Credit Union. He became the first African American chairman of the board of the Charleston County Department of Social Services. He served as president of the St. Andrews Improvement and Awareness Organization, and chairman of the St. Andrews Park & Playground Commission.
Waring and his wife, the late Seloris Evelyn Collins, have five children, 13 grand children and 15 great-grand children.