President Biden visits downtown Charleston on Monday
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The President of the United States has plans to pay Charleston a visit on Monday, less than one month before South Carolina kicks off the Democratic Primary season.
“It is a good way, I think, to tie freedom and democracy to South Carolina and to local communities,” said U.S Congressman James Clyburn who represents South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District.
Congressman Clyburn took questions about the visit after an unrelated press conference on Wednesday morning. He said President Biden will give a speech at the Emanuel AME Church, where nine people were shot and killed during a bible study on June 17, 2015.
The massacre brought then President Barack Obama and then Vice President Biden to Charleston for the victims’ funeral.
From the church, Congressman Clyburn said the president will make a few more stops.
“We haven’t really decided exactly where but he has some options to visit local places before going to the African American Museum,” Congressman Clyburn said.
The presidential visit would be the first for the International African American Museum which opened in Downtown Charleston back in June.
Charleston is not only welcoming a president to town, but also a new mayor. The city is preparing for Mayor-elect William Cogswell’s inauguration in front of City Hall Monday afternoon.
“So, it is open to the public. We do have about 400 seats that will be put out in front of City Hall,” said Deja Knight McMillan, the incoming Director of Communications for the City of Charleston.
The incoming mayor extended an invite to President Biden and asked him to speak at the ceremony. McMillan said the hope is to alleviate the workload on first responders.
“Instead of them having to be at so many different locations at once, you know, for security with the president and also the inauguration, why not consolidate and have them both at the same place?” she asked.
McMillan said there will be a public reception following the inauguration at Washington Square Park.
