WASHINGTON ― On his last day in office, President Joe Biden visited South Carolina, a state instrumental in his presidential campaign success. Speaking to churchgoers at Royal Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, he urged them to “hold on to hope” and “stay engaged.”

“We must always believe that better days are ahead,” Biden said during the morning service at the historically Black church. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m serious.”

“People of South Carolina, thank you for maintaining your faith. It’s been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president.”

Biden is expected to leave the White House on Monday, right before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States. Although Biden has not disclosed his future plans after leaving office, he confirmed he intends to write a book, as communicated by the White House last week.

“As I wrap up this journey with you, I’m just as passionate about our mission as I was when I was a 29-year-old,” Biden remarked, recalling one of the favorite hymns of The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the eve of the holiday honoring the civil rights leader.

“Nobody said the path would be smooth,” he continued. “I trust that the good Lord didn’t bring me this far just to abandon me. My fellow Americans, I don’t think the good Lord has brought us this far only to leave us behind.”

Biden’s 2020 Democratic primary victory in South Carolina, largely due to strong support from Black voters, was crucial in reviving his campaign, which had faltered after disappointing showings in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada.

“I prayed with you here back in February 2020 when I was running for president,” Biden said. “On my final full day as president, of all places, I wanted to return here to be with you.”

Biden expressed gratitude, saying, “I owe you so much. As we say in my hometown, you’re the ones who brought me to the dance.”

A major factor in Biden’s success in South Carolina was the endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn, a key ally, who sat beside Biden on the front pew during the service.

“I wouldn’t be standing here today without Jim Clyburn,” Biden acknowledged.

‘Joe Biden was what this country needed,’ Clyburn remarks

As Biden departs from office, his legacy seems mixed, with a favorability rating of just 34%, based on a recent YSL News/Suffolk University poll. Meanwhile, Americans currently view Trump’s first-term performance with a 52%-45% approval rating, a significantly better perspective than he had while in office.

After the November election, some Democrats have criticized Biden, suggesting that his late decision to exit the race, 107 days before the election, hindered Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign preparation time, potentially contributing to Trump’s return.

Former state Sen. Marlon Kimpson of South Carolina, who introduced Biden, praised the president for securing historic funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, appointing a record number of Black judges, and nominating Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.

“History will remember you, President Biden, as a remarkable United States president,” Kimpson stated.

During his remarks, Clyburn expressed gratitude, saying, “I’m here today, alongside my long-time friend, thanking him for being vocal and active.”

“Joe Biden has been exactly what this nation needed. While not everyone recognizes it now, history will show appreciation,” Clyburn added. “So I want to tell you, my good friend, that lately, there has been little acknowledgment of your efforts. But don’t lose heart.”

Contact Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.