A general reading and discussion of Sojourn’s in Charleston, followed by Q&A Presented by Jennie Holton Fant. This presentation is a journey to Charleston after the Civil War and into the twentieth century, as portrayed by its visitors, including such luminaries as William Dean Howells, May Sarton, and Norman Rockwell. Just as the Civil War … Read more
A general reading and discussion of The Traveler’s Charleston, followed by Q&A Presented by Jennie Holton Fant. Charleston has always held a fascination for its visitors. Today there remains a nacreous patina that overlays this old city, a pentimento suggestive not only of artifacts beneath the surface but also gradations of history. It suggests an … Read more
Clemson: Significa and Trivia: Q and A Presented by Sterling (Skip) Eisiminger. According to the Sikes Hall cornerstone, the old library was built 5,904 years after what?John C. Calhoun’s sideboard was made from mahogany taken from what?The 2012 addition to the architecture complex has a green roof made of what?If you love Clemson University, I … Read more
Stories Untold: Slave Life in South Carolina Presented by L. M. Drucker. From the late 1600s to 1865, the Palmetto State was built on the backs of it most numerous inhabitants. African slaves and their descendants shaped, and were shaped by, the physical and social landscapes of early South Carolina. Their diverse cultural systems have … Read more
Women in Reconstruction: The Lives of Susie King Taylor, Charlotte Forten, and Laura Towne Presented by Suzie Parker Devoe. Susie King Taylor escapes bondage at the age of fourteen; Charlotte Forten, an educated teacher from Philadelphia, boards a steamship, as does Laura Towne, a Boston medical school graduate. All three end up in Beaufort and … Read more
History, Climate, Politics, Scandal Presented by C. Hope Clark. Yes, this topic makes for an active open discussion, with more audience participation than most. Not only learn how authors utilize setting almost as character, but also learn from others what stories, especially SC stories, might be worth adding to your nightstand for future reading. Click … Read more
Collecting and Telling Your and Others’ Stories Presented by Claudia Smith Brinson. For Stories of Struggle I interviewed at least 150 Black activists while I worked as a journalist at The State and as director of a writing program at Columbia College. I wanted to preserve Black elders’ stories, and, through their stories, to reveal … Read more
Education and the Vote: Then and Now Presented by Claudia Smith Brinson. South Carolina’s 1895 constitution disenfranchised Black citizens. The constitution, which was not submitted to a popular vote, also said, “Separate schools shall be provided for children of the white and colored races, and no child of either race shall ever be permitted to … Read more
400 Black Women and a Union: The 1969 Charleston Hospital Strike Presented by Claudia Smith Brinson. In December 1967, five Black women left work at Medical College Hospital in Charleston when ordered to violate their LPN licensing limits. Despite the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the hospital segregated patients, restrooms, and cafeterias, and did not provide … Read more
PO Box 5287
Columbia SC 29250
2711 Middleburg Drive
Suite 203
Columbia SC 29204
803-771-2477
