IS Leevy Johnson

A portrait of I.S. Leevy Johnson, ’68 law, was unveiled Monday at the School of Law in recognition of the trailblazing alumnus’ legal, business and political achievements.

A Gamecock great: Johnson, a founding partner with the Johnson, Toal & Battiste law firm, is the first African American to complete the entire law curriculum at the University of South Carolina. He was one of the first Black men elected to the South Carolina General Assembly since Reconstruction, serving from 1970 to 1980, and became the first Black president of the South Carolina Bar Association in 1985. His numerous accolades include the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian award. He also serves as owner and director of Leevy’s Funeral Home in Columbia…. read more