Curricula created by Anderson University Distinguished Professor of History and Political Science Dr. Matt Daniels has now been expanded to 75 school districts across South Carolina, providing a new generation of students a foundation for empathetic civic engagement and the ability to disagree without resorting to vitriol—or violence. Several major statewide charter school networks have also embraced the educational vision of these curricula rooted in the unifying ideas of our nation’s founding and validated by history and social science research
The move comes as the second Ambassador Andrew Young Fellowship kicks off at Anderson University on May 10; the Fellowship once again is bringing nearly 50 students and administrators from around the country to the AU campus to learn from the Gospel-based principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ambassador Andrew Young and other civil rights pioneers in an attempt to help heal dangerous political, social and racial divisions continue to threaten the future of our nation.
“At a time when student proficiency in U.S. history and civics remains a pressing concern, Professor Daniels’ work directly addresses these challenges,” said Chris Neeley, superintendent of the South Carolina Charter Public School District. “His curriculum, grounded in the enduring words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizes themes of hope, civic responsibility and non-violent progress. It equips students not only with historical knowledge but also with the perspective and character necessary to engage as informed and thoughtful citizens.”
“The real story here is the statewide distribution that we’re seeing for our K-12 curricula. This speaks to the positive impact AU has an educational institution in our home state—particularly since we’re living in an era when violence is so much of the domestic and international news,” Dr. Daniels said. “But it does help to have some of the state’s leading school networks in our own backyard so enthusiastically embracing our educational vision.”
South Carolina played an outsized role in our nation’s founding sin of slavery but has also been the scene of some of our nation’s greatest acts of forgiveness and racial reconciliation. By presenting this full historical picture, we respond to Dr. King’s belief that “with this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”
Dr. Daniels in June is participating in a panel discussion at the 2026 Palmetto Educational Summit, which convenes educators, administrators, community and business leaders, policy makers and partners around five priority areas: literacy, career readiness, civics and character and resilience education. Each keynote is intentionally themed around one of these areas and followed by a panel discussion that extends the conversation and considers practical implications.
“Matt has developed what can best be described as a comprehensive educational ecosystem—spanning K–12, higher education, churches, corporate leadership, and national scholarship pipelines,” said South Carolina State Superintendent of Education. “His human dignity curricula for K–12 students, published by McGraw Hill and endorsed by Ambassador Andrew Young, are already in use statewide in multiple states and districtwide in major urban systems. That work has grown into the Andrew Young HBCU Scholarship Program, launched in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and supported by respected civic leaders, including the Mayor of Atlanta.”