Slogan on new South Carolina license plates sparks public debate
By Caitlin Ashbaugh
Click here for updates on this story
COWPENS, South Carolina (WYFF) — South Carolinians will start to see new sights on the roads as the state begins issuing a new, specialized license plate.
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles announced it would be replacing the “While I Breathe, I hope,” blue palmetto logo with a new plate, which pays homage to the state’s pivotal role during the Revolutionary War. The move is just months ahead of the official commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The selected slogan will read “Where the Revolutionary War Was Won,” and the plate will be decorated with a soldier holding up the infamous Moultrie flag.
Historians widely attribute the Battle of Cowpens and the Battle of Kings Mountain as a pivotal turning point in the war. South Carolina Historical Society CEO Elizabeth Chew said this is what led to the British surrender in Yorktown.
“The Upcountry was actually a very intense place during the revolution because there were a good number of folks who remained loyal to the British crown. That divided families, it divided siblings or even divided spouses,” Chew said. “There were no British soldiers on the field. It was only Americans who were loyalist and Americans who were patriots.”
Chew said this interpersonal conflict made larger impacts on the turnover and eventual ending of the war.
The wording of the plate is creating an online discourse, with some users being concerned over potential misinterpretation.
WYFF News 4 spoke to visitors at Cowpens Battlefield to see what they thought about the license plate change.
Linda Hager, native to a Northern state but local since the 1980s, believes the sentiment made sense for the state, considering these battles.
“People can have their opinions. They’re entitled to their opinion. This is where the war was won. This is where it ended. I’d put one on my car. Definitely. And if I could get one for my bike. Yes!” Hager said.
There are others who believe the attribution would make more sense for Virginians, as the war technically ended in Yorktown.
Lynn Elliott was visiting Cowpens for the first time as a person with ancestors who were in the battle. Her distant relative, Elizabeth Countryman, previously lived on the property as a farmer.
Elliott loved the idea of the plate, but she did describe the theory as more logistical.
“I love that, this is the first time I’ve seen it. It’s very patriotic. I would get one if I lived here in South Carolina,” Elliott said. “I think it was more of a continuum. I certainly think that the end of it started here. South Carolina played a big part in it.”
Chew said that although people choose to interpret the quote as they will, the heated discussion could open a vital educational door, where she believes South Carolina was overlooked.
“In the 20th century, I think the role of South Carolina in the revolution was kind of diminished. This has gotten so widespread that it’s on the license plates of everyone’s car. Getting history in the people’s minds just in their average everyday activities. That to me is incredibly exciting and important,” Chew said.
Any South Carolina resident who renews their vehicle registration, typically within the 10-year service cycle, will receive the default replacement plate, unless they have selected a different choice. The agency will offer another standard plate option for those who wish to opt out of the new design, which is the emblem reading “In God We Trust.”
Every office location in the state will have these available. Customers can also receive the plates by mail.
The DMV said the new design will help with visual cues for law enforcement and fellow motorists on the roads.
When asked about the discourse over the writing, the DMV responded:
“The SC250 Commission designed the plate at the direction of the SC General Assembly, who authorized the plate in law. As a state agency, the SCDMV will leave such debates to others.”
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.