Photo| Patricia Moore Henegan
BENNETTSVILLE—State Representative Patricia Moore Henegan has been a strong advocate for Marlboro County throughout her career. While representing District 54 in the S.C. House of Representatives, Henegan has sat on the judiciary, rules, SC Department of Employment and workforce review, oversight and review of government operations and accountability, labor, commerce and industry, medical, military public, and municipal affairs committees.
Henegan is the first Black woman to serve District 54, which includes Marlboro, Darlington, and Chesterfield counties. Aside from raising Marlboro County’s profile in the state, Henegan has been instrumental in putting the national spotlight on the rural county.
In 2020, when Vice President Kamala Harris was running for president, Henegan brought her to Marlboro County.
“That night when I found out that she was going to run, I couldn’t sleep. I was so excited. You’re really excited because you have a Black female running for this office. It was like heaven had opened up and finally we’re getting someone who will care about women,” she said. “And I sincerely think that this came about because of the abortion issue, too. She wanted to address women’s issues. What they’re doing is going back to the old ages of taking away women’s rights. That’s not going to happen. You won’t find us in the kitchen or cleaning the house and doing those things. We deserve to be able to serve our community,” she said. “We have to fight for our rights, because it appears that no one else will do it.”
Henegan said this upcoming election is important to women because conversations that she’s had with women voters has shown her that they will vote for who cares about them.
“We’re not going back, we’re never going to go back,” she said, and that’s why many women are supporting Harris. Henegan and Harris are both members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the oldest Black sorority with a mission to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women.
Henegan said meeting Harris was just like meeting a sister. But when she introduced Harris at an event in Hartsville, she realized that Harris cared about rural areas and communities like Marlboro County. And she visited the area, having dinner at Genesis Family Restaurant and speaking at several churches.
“The thing that I loved about her, when she came to Marlboro County, she greeted ever person with a smile, a handshake and if they wanted a picture with her, she took the time to take it,” she said.
During the 2020 Democratic National Convention, footage of Henegan and Harris at a local church was shown before Harris accepted her nomination to be vice president.
“No one else is working for our benefit that’s running,” Henegan said. “And if people take the time to look at that Project 2025, they will realize why it is absolutely necessary to get somebody who cares about our concerns and our bodies. And I’m not just talking about women, but the color of our skin and everything. It’s really important that people realize that everyone, everyone is important because God created us all.”
Henegan said Harris’s care for children is another reason she’s supporting her. And she knows about caring for children. Henegan began her career as an educator, first as a secretary in the Marlboro County school system, working in the district office and school offices. Then she became a teacher’s assistant at the primary school. Henegan taught sixth grade in Marlboro and Scotland counties, then she became a gifted and talented teacher.
Before becoming the assistant superintendent of instruction, Henegan served as assistant principal at the primary school.
While working in the school district, Henegan became a staunch advocate for children and she took that mindset to Columbia, working to strengthen laws that protect children. And here at home, Henegan collects toys and clothes to give to children who may not have a Christmas gift.
It’s something she credits her mother for instilling in her as a child. Henegan recalled how growing up if someone needed help, her mother would do what she could to assist, if that meant cooking a meal, giving someone a place to sleep for the night or helping someone who may be in an abusive situation. If that meant, she had to give up her bed for an adult to have somewhere to sleep then she would.
The need for Henegan to help people will be immortalized in Marlboro County next month with the opening of the Representative Patricia Moore Henegan Recovery Center. The Trinity Behavioral Board of Directors made the announcement last year that the center would be named after Henegan. She helped to secure $3 million in state funding for the center because Henegan knew the importance of having a behavioral health care center in Marlboro County.
The ribbon cutting for the center will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, October 18. There will be drop ins and tours between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Henegan won’t be seeking another term in the state house.