Mayor Jerome Rice has proclaimed April 2026 as Cambodian Heritage Month in the City of Spartanburg, recognizing the contributions of the Cambodian-American community to the cultural, economic, and civic fabric of the Upstate.
The proclamation, announced via the City of Spartanburg’s official social media channels, marks the growing visibility of Spartanburg’s Southeast Asian community — one of the most significant demographic shifts in the city’s recent history. (City of Spartanburg Facebook)
A Community With Deep Spartanburg Roots
Spartanburg’s Cambodian community traces much of its presence in the Upstate to refugee resettlement programs that began in the 1980s, as survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide and the broader upheaval of the Cambodian Civil War were placed with sponsoring families and churches throughout South Carolina. Many settled in Spartanburg and built lives that now span three and four generations.
Today, Cambodian-Americans in Spartanburg are represented across a broad range of occupations — manufacturing, healthcare, small business ownership, education, and public service. Several Cambodian-owned businesses operate along the city’s commercial corridors, and the community maintains cultural and religious traditions through local Buddhist temples and community organizations.
Heritage Month Activities
Cambodian Heritage Month in April coincides with the traditional Khmer New Year celebration, known as Chaul Chnam Thmey, which typically falls in mid-April according to the Khmer solar calendar. This year’s new year fell on April 13-15, a period of reflection, family gathering, water festival traditions, and prayers for prosperity in the year ahead.
Local Cambodian community organizations have hosted cultural events during the month, including traditional dance performances, food celebrations, and historical education sessions open to the broader public. The Hub City’s multicultural identity — shaped by immigrants and refugees from dozens of nations who came to Spartanburg to work in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries — has become a recognized asset in the region’s community development conversations.
Spartanburg’s Diversity as Strength
The proclamation is the latest in a series of mayoral recognitions of the city’s diverse cultural communities. Mayor Rice has made inclusive civic engagement a visible component of his administration, with proclamations recognizing communities from across Spartanburg’s immigrant and refugee population throughout his tenure.
The city’s demographics have shifted substantially over the past three decades. What was once a predominantly Black and white Southern city now includes significant populations of Hispanic, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Congolese, and other immigrant and refugee communities — a transformation largely driven by the region’s manufacturing economy, which drew workers from around the world to Spartanburg’s factories and plants.
City Hall’s calendar of cultural recognitions serves both symbolic and practical purposes: signaling to diverse residents that their presence and contributions are valued, and reinforcing to employers and site selectors that Spartanburg’s workforce is globally connected.
What’s Happening: Q&A
Q: Who proclaimed Cambodian Heritage Month in Spartanburg?
Mayor Jerome Rice proclaimed April 2026 as Cambodian Heritage Month in the City of Spartanburg, recognizing the community’s contributions to the city’s cultural and civic life.
Q: When did Cambodian-Americans first come to Spartanburg?
Much of the community traces its Spartanburg roots to refugee resettlement programs beginning in the 1980s, following the Khmer Rouge genocide and Cambodian Civil War. Many families are now in their third or fourth generation in the Upstate.
Q: What is Khmer New Year and when does it fall?
Chaul Chnam Thmey, the traditional Khmer New Year, falls in mid-April. This year it was observed April 13-15, during a period of family gatherings, water festival traditions, and prayers for the new year.
Q: What events took place for Cambodian Heritage Month in Spartanburg?
Local community organizations hosted cultural events including traditional dance performances, food celebrations, and historical education sessions open to the public throughout April.
Q: How diverse is Spartanburg’s population today?
The city now includes significant populations of Hispanic, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Congolese, and other immigrant and refugee communities, largely shaped by the region’s manufacturing economy drawing workers from around the world.
