COLUMBIA, S.C. -  Longtime South Carolina civil rights leader and former NAACP state president, Dr. Lonnie Randolph has died.

Raised in Columbia, Dr. Randolph was one of the first Black students to attend Dreher High School in the mid-1960s.

Dr. Randolph ran a private optometric practice in Columbia for over 40 years and provided care for individuals in the SC Department of Juvenile Justices and SC Department of Corrections.

He also founded the free eye clinic at Palmetto Health, which provides care for K-12 students. He served on many boards such as the board of the Columbia Free Medical Clinic, the Diabetes Task Force of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, and more.

The racial injustices Dr. Randolph witnessed and experienced throughout his life motivated him to speak out against the Confederate flags inside the State House and on top of the dome.

Dr. Randolph also has a long record of community service. He was a part of the Campaign for Dignity in South carolina which focused on removing the Confederate battle flag from the State House grounds.

Dr. Randolph’s contributions earned him the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, that recognizes efforts to improve the lives of others.