A’ja Wilson’s Grandmother Overcame Segregation Barriers at South Carolina — Now Her Legacy Stands in Bronze
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Long before A’ja Wilson became a household name in women’s basketball, her family carried the weight of challenges that defined South Carolina’s history. In a 2021 interview with WLTX 19, Wilson shared the story of her grandmother, Hattie Rakes, whose life reflected the painful realities of segregation in Columbia.
Rakes grew up near the University of South Carolina but was not allowed to walk across campus due to segregation laws of the time. Instead, she was forced to walk around the grounds — a stark reminder of the barriers faced by African Americans in her community.
That very campus, once closed to her, would later become the stage for her granddaughter’s greatest triumphs. A’ja Wilson committed to the University of South Carolina, starred under head coach Dawn Staley, and led the Gamecocks to the 2017 NCAA women’s basketball national championship. Her dominance on the court earned her multiple National Player of the Year honors, and she quickly rose to become one of the most influential athletes in the sport.
In a moment heavy with symbolism, South Carolina unveiled a statue of A’ja Wilson outside Colonial Life Arena in January 2021. For her family, and especially for her grandmother, it was a full-circle moment — one that transformed a place that once excluded them into a permanent home for their legacy.
“It means so much more than just basketball,” Wilson said at the unveiling. “For my grandmother, who couldn’t even walk on this campus, to now have her granddaughter’s statue here — it’s history.”
Hattie Rakes’ journey underscores how much progress has been made, but it also highlights the sacrifices endured by earlier generations. For Wilson, her success is not only about athletic greatness but also about honoring the resilience of those who came before her.
From being barred from stepping foot on campus to now being immortalized in bronze, the Wilson family’s story is a testament to perseverance, progress, and pride.
