Projects

In addition to the grants program, SC Humanities sponsors a variety of projects, from large initiatives like the South Carolina Encyclopedia to long-running programs such as Speakers Bureau: Humanities Out Loud. Each of our projects fulfills our vision of inspiring, engaging, and enriching South Carolinians.

The Governor’s Awards in the Humanities

Established in 1991, the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities recognize outstanding achievement in humanities research, teaching, and scholarship; institutional and individual participation in helping communities in South Carolina better understand our cultural heritage or ideas and issues related to the humanities; excellence defining South Carolina’s cultural life to the nation or world; and exemplary support for public humanities programs. SC Humanities introduced the Akers Prize, formerly the Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award, in 2018 to recognize humanists whose efforts may have gone relatively unnoticed beyond their own community.

Resilience and Revolution: Native Peoples in 18th Century South Carolina

Developed by the South Carolina State Museum and South Carolina Humanities, “Resilience and Revolution: Native Peoples in the 18th Century South Carolina” is a traveling exhibition that explores the struggles experienced by Indigenous peoples in South Carolina to retain their independence through the upheavals, unrest, and uncertainty following the establishment of the Carolina colony by the British. 

South Carolina Encyclopedia

A joint initiative of South Carolina Humanities, the USC Univeristy Libraries, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the South Carolina State Library, the USC Press, the USC Center for Digital Humanities, and Southern Studies, the Digital South Carolina Encyclopedia builds on the 2006 print version edited by Walter Edgar. With more than 1800 entries, the digital encyclopedia will serve as a one-stop resource for school children, teachers, members of the general public, and academic researchers.

South Carolina: The Food We Celebrate

Developed by the South Carolina State Museum and South Carolina Humanities, “South Carolina: The Food We Celebrate” is a traveling exhibition that celebrates iconic foods from communities around South Carolina. The State Museum and South Carolina Humanities collaborated with 22 organizations across the Palmetto State to develop the content for the exhibit, highlighting 20 different iconic foodways such as BBQ, chicken bog, peaches and more.

Speakers Bureau: Humanities Out Loud

One of SC Humanities’ longstanding program priorities is the Speakers Bureau. Through this program, some of South Carolina’s finest scholars travel throughout the state to share their interests and knowledge of the humanities and to spark discussions about human values, traditions, and cultures. SC Humanities makes these programs available to non-profit groups and public agencies at a reasonable cost. All programs must be free and open to the general public.