I recently attended the Third Annual Legacy Gala of the Harriet Hancock Center at the Columbia Museum of Art. That evening I stood in line at the bar behind a handsome young man who turned around and gave me a friendly quizzical smile. I’m sorry, he asked, but are you the lady this party is named for? I returned his smile and answered, no, I’m not, but I’m honored to be mistaken for her.
The LGBTQ community has lost an amazing ally, a courageous warrior in the battle for equality, a stalwart soldier who refused to surrender to ignorance and inequality, a woman whose recognition reached the national level that led to a personal meeting with President Barack Obama plus countless awards and recognitions during her lifetime. Harriet Hancock died September 23rd., two days before her 90th. birthday, following a lengthy illness.
Harriet’s children – Karen, Greg, and Jennifer – and the generations of family members who follow have lost their beloved matriarch. I have lost a dear friend.
“My coconspirator and inspiration for this book (Southern Perspectives on the Queer Movement: Committed to Home) is Harriet Hancock. I first approached Harriet about writing her personal story at a South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Business Guild Christmas party at Tom Brown’s house in December, 2013. She had an enthusiastic response, and in our subsequent conversations in 2014, the project morphed to include the personal observations of other leaders in LGBTQ organizations in South Carolina over the past thirty years. Her Interest in the project has been ongoing and always encouraging. She was helpful in the selection of the contributors.” — Acknowledgments, Southern Perspectives
We had such fun together when we met to talk about her life, which became one of my favorite interviews for the book; but we had even more fun when she went with me to promote the book around the state following publication in 2018 by the University of South Carolina Press. We made our own itinerary and were ready to answer any questions the audiences asked. The events provided really great opportunities to meet young people on college campuses across the state.
“Having a gay son has enriched my life in so many ways… People often ask me how I have managed to be such a staunch active advocate for so long. I tell them there are two basic reasons: First, I want to change hearts and minds through education so that this world will be a better place for LGBTQ people. No one can enjoy full civil and human rights when a large segment of our society is denied rights and treated like second-class citizens. And second, it is a labor of love for me. I love it when they call me Momma Harriet.”
Harriet was early in the battle for equality in South Carolina and remained an iconic figure throughout her lifetime. For a full discussion of her work, I encourage you to visit the Harriet Hancock Center website: harriethancockcenter.org/our-namesake.
Harriet Hancock ended many of her presentations with a blessing that challenged everyone who knew her because hers was a life well lived.
“May you be blessed with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep in your heart. May you be blessed with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people and the earth so that you will work for justice, equality, and peace. May you be blessed with tears to shed for those who suffer so that you will reach out to comfort them and change their pain to joy. And may you be blessed with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so you will do the things others say cannot be done.”
Rest in peace, Harriet, you blessed my life and helped to change my world. I will miss you, my friend of many moons.
