The State of South Carolina recognizes several Pee Dee Tribal entities in Eastern South Carolina. Since Colonial times, the name Pee Dee has appeared in numerous historical records, but we know so little about them. This lecture illustrates what is known historically and archaeologically regarding the Pee Dee Indians.
Named for a Native American group who appear in colonial records for the first time in 1691, generations of historians, ethnohistorians, and archaeologists have lamented the meager data that exist regarding the Congaree Indians. This lecture provides an overview of the Congaree, addressing the possibility they are descendants of the Chiefdom of Cofitachequi, visited by … Read more
The Cheraw Indians of the Carolinas were an important entity in the Colonial era. In this lecture, Judge will discuss an ethnohistoric process to identify the cultural affiliation of two individuals interred at the Johannes Kolb Site, in Darlington County, South Carolina. He traces the movement of the Cheraw across the Piedmont of North Carolina … Read more
This lecture presents archaeological data on Native American cultures since the last Ice Age. From the coast to the mountains, archaeological evidence abounds in our state. This lecture looks at the sites and artifacts that tell the history of the state’s Indigenous peoples prior to the arrival of Europeans. The lecture can be tailored to … Read more
This presentation will tell of the important roles that women played during the American Revolutionary War in South Carolina. They were quite helpful, and this presentation will help you understand how. Women weren’t allowed to vote—much less write the history books. This is why we know so little about their significance. Here you will learn … Read more
Queer history is part of South Carolina’s history. What 7 events have shaped LGBTQ lives in South Carolina and the history of South Carolina, from the 1958 Candlestick Murders in Charleston, through the interracial marriage of groundbreaking trans author Dawn Langley Simmons and the first Pride, from the first ACT-Up demonstrations in South Carolina to … Read more
Erected between 1952 and 1961, these architecturally austere additions to the Palmetto State’s landscape remain as a tangible legacy of resistance to Brown v. Board and the march toward civil rights equity.
While most may attribute moonshine to places like Kentucky and Tennessee, western South Carolina become a dominant producer of moonshine after the Civil War up through the 20th century. This presentation not only explains how homemade legal whiskey became illegal moonshine, but also tells the history of the notorious figures involved in its production and … Read more
How did South Carolina become the number one producer of textiles in the world by the 20th century? This presentation highlights textiles’ earliest beginnings in the Palmetto State and Henry Hammett’s contributions that transformed small textile operations that led to South Carolina becoming the textile center of the world in 1962.
This presentation examines the origins of the Vietnam War and how the US became so involved. It will highlight some of the South Carolinians who served in the conflict and the eight medals of honor recipients from South Carolina. The presentation will use some of the oral histories collected from veterans since 2016. In addition … Read more
This presentation gives an overview of aviation in the state before the war, how the nation slowly developed its air service for the war, and the key pilots who gained distinction, including Elliott White Springs, John O. Donaldson and Ervin Shaw.
This presentation will review South Carolina’s economic and social conditions on the eve of the United States entering the war in 1917 and then review the economic and social changes that the war brought the state, from three new military training bases, political opposition by its former governor in going to war, and changes to … Read more
This presentation will review the origins of South Carolina’s break with England, its key leaders on both the Patriot and Loyalist sides, and how the events transpired to the fall of Charleston in May 1780. This topic can be refocused on single campaign and battles in the state, such as the Battle of Camden and … Read more
This presentation looks at how the rivalry began and how the early decades of the annual game was marred by illegal players, reluctant administrators and the general dominance of the Tigers through the 1930s. During the presentation, key players and coaches in this rivalry will be highlighted.
This presentations focuses on the early decades of the game with its evolving rules along with the origins of the first college game in the state, Furman vs. Wofford. It will then review the founding of football at Clemson and Carolina to Erskine and the College of Charleston, highlighting some of the early stars and … Read more
This presentation begins with how the first German POWs were brought to the US, what they experienced when they first arrived and how the US Army housed and fed them and gave them jobs that provided crucial labor for the nation’s crops and timber in a labor-starved war economy.
This presentation reviews the conditions of South Carolina prior to Pearl Harbor and how the war brought change to society. Topics that will be discussed include rationing, population increase, housing problems, volunteers, and enemy prisoners of war. It will conclude by considering how the war changed society for the future, politically, racially, and economically.
This lecture shows how the story of South Carolina deeply impacted the story of the United States. Using numerous examples from the 16th century onwards, this lecture demonstrates how the actions of South Carolinians and events in South Carolina contributed to the success of the British colonies in North America, the colonial rebellion and the … Read more
Myra Davis-Branic discusses how slavery was taught in Public Schools based on region. Myra Davis-Branic, a native New Yorker and a product of the Great Migration, was taught in NYC Public Schools that slavery was a “Down South Phenomenon”. When she migrated south and started teaching Black History to at-risk youth to increase self-esteem and … Read more
Myra Davis-Branic discusses how writing a book about her family’s history led to a chance meeting which grew into a friendship with Frye Gaillard, 6th X Great-grandson of the man who enslaved her family on a South Carolina plantation. The discussion includes a video presentation of our conversations in Mobile Alabama at the University of … Read more
Myra Davis-Branic discusses the steps she took in writing a book that traced her family back to the 1700s to a South Carolina Plantation and finding a connection to Sierra Leone through the name of an ancestor, Teneba, which is a name from Sierra Leone’s Mende or Temne tribe. The writing of the book was … Read more
In this presentation SC Historian Elizabeth Laney will discuss strategies for combining genealogical and historical research to recover local histories and restore knowledge of South Carolina communities. The presentation will explore local and state records accessible by the public (digital and analog), how to read local histories for clues to marginalized communities and surprising sources … Read more
Discover the history of two of the Lowcountry’s most beautiful and historic cemeteries. The tales of tragic deaths – murders, suicides, freak accidents – form a compelling tale of the challenges and triumphs of a Lowcountry community moving from the Reconstruction era into the 20th century.
Just a few days before Christmas on Wednesday, December 22, 1880 in the town of Walterboro, South Carolina, a local newspaper published a unique 14-stanza holiday poem about the town, its local businesses and personalities. Aptly entitled “A Christmas Carol,” the poem is a fascinating glimpse into a southern town on the brink of change, … Read more
Dive into the history of the 35th US Colored Troops as they overcome the deprivations of slavery, the challenges of freedom and the struggles of Reconstruction. The presentation looks at the regiment’s service in South Carolina during the Civil War, as well as the Reconstruction history of communities throughout Colleton, Dorchester, Beaufort and Charleston counties … Read more
How did South Carolina look to northern tourists flooding the state on their way to all points south in the mid-20th century? This presentation, based on local postcards mailed by sun-seeking tourists, focuses on travel along SC’s coastal highways & can be tailored to feature postcards from your region.
Discover the extraordinary story of the 500+ Tuskegee Airman who trained at South Carolina’s Walterboro Army Air Field during WWII and the determined battle they fought against racial prejudice on home soil! This presentation focuses on the history of Tuskegee training in South Carolina and its connection to the larger struggle for Civil Rights in … Read more
Explore the Gullah Geechee people’s deep connection to water through the evocative art collection of Victoria A. Smalls. Learn how the waterways that once carried their ancestors into bondage now serve as symbols of resilience, heritage, and cultural continuity. This presentation speaks to the history, art and culture of the Gullah Geechee people. Each piece … Read more
Join Victoria A. Smalls as she shares her personal journey of uncovering her Gullah Geechee heritage. This talk takes you through the emotional process of reconnecting with family history, cultural identity, and ancestral ties. Learn how understanding her roots deepened her sense of self and mission to preserve the Gullah Geechee culture. Her story is … Read more
Experience the spiritual heart of Gullah Geechee culture through the sacred traditions of Praise Houses. This discussion explores the deep-rooted practices of communal worship, singing, and prayer that have sustained these communities for centuries. Learn how these traditions, steeped in African, Christian and Muslim customs, have fostered unity and resilience. The Praise House is not … Read more
