Beaufort District Collection Connections Blog

March, 2011

March is National Women's History Month
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March is celebrated as National Women’s History Month. According to the National Women's History Project:

Reminder: Schedule Adjustments Start Tuesday
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As you are likely aware the BDC Research Room is usually open Mondays through Fridays 10 am until 5 pm. But sometimes we have to make adjustments to comply with federal labor laws for hourly employees. Well, sometimes is almost upon us!

BDC@ The Branches Program Series Returns
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"Photos for Future Generations"
Sandy Dimke
Wed., Mar. 23rd
6:00pm - 7:00 pm
Old BDC Room, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street

Dimke successfully documented what Beaufort is like today, by photographing the “hands” of over 100 people in town. Her exhibit was sponsored by the Beaufort Three-Century Project. In fact, you may have seen it in the Upstairs Gallery (just outside the new BDC Research Room back in December) at the Beaufort County Library or more recently in the Beaufort City Town Hall.

How the BDC Celebrated Black History Month
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The Library system emphasizes our holdings about African American history annually in February. However, the BDC makes it a practice to always collect and share our holdings on the role of African Americans in the history, culture, and environment of this wonderful place in which we live. What makes Beaufort District unique is the integral contribution that African Americans have made in and to this place over the past 300 years.

Here's a recap of what the Beaufort District Collection did to celebrate African American History during February:

February, 2011

Teachers and the "Port Royal Experiment"
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Well meaning missionary teachers, white and black, male and female, journeyed to Port Royal (what the Union called all the area surrounding Port Royal Sound) to help the newly freed slaves learn to read and write.

The image above from our holdings shows a group of ten teachers (among them: Miner, Mrs. Harris, Armstrong, Cahoun, Colburn, H.C. Bullard, Mitchell, Jenners, King and Foote).

William Reed who donated these images to the Beaufort Township Library (our predecessor institution) wrote:

BDC @ The Branches Spring Programs
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Wed., Mar. 23rd, 6 pm - BDC @ Beaufort Branch – Photographer Sandy Dimke will explain how to make your family photographs more reflective of your life and times – so that 100 years from now they’ll still be interesting!

Library Open House is Sat., Apr. 16th. (Don’t know what precisely what the BDC staff will be doing or where we might be yet, but as soon as I know, I’ll share with you).

Beaufort County Black Confederate Pensioners
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In 1877 the State of South Carolina began to offer pensions to destitute former Confederate soldiers and their widows. Terms were restrictive and the process was completely revamped in 1919. Unfortunately, few applications for Confederate pensions under any of the pre-1919 acts survive either at the state or local level.

Schedule Adjustments in March
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As you are likely aware the BDC Research Room is usually open Mondays through Fridays 10 am until 5 pm. But sometimes we have to make adjustments to comply with federal labor laws for hourly employees. Well, sometimes is coming soon!

African Americans in Civil War Military Service
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Black History Month 2011 is themed "African Americans in the Civil War."

History Detectives Offer Tips for Genealogy Research
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While it is often difficult to uncover written documentation about slave ancestors, it is not always impossible. Having a plan, being logical and systematic, learning what resources might be available and locating those that are extant, in short - following the process, and paying attention to clues in written records or oral histories - can illuminate your family history.

Water is Wide Book Review -- Feb. 21st
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In honor of the 300th Anniversary of the founding of Beaufort, the Friends of the Beaufort County Library is highlighting books on local history and people in the Books Sandwiched In series.

ASSC - Hilton Head: Poplin on Combahee River Ferry
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The Archaeology Society of SC/Hilton Head Chapter will host Dr. Eric Poplin of Brockington and Associates Mt. Pleasant office on Wed., Feb. 16th at the Discovery House of the Coastal Discovery Museum. His topic is the recent data recovery excavations at the 1710s-1920s Combahee ferry site. The ferry on the Combahee was a crucial component of the I-95 of its day.

Penn School Pathfinder Now Available on the Web
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An aspect of the "Virtual BDC" that gets overlooked too often is the "Local History Treasures Brought to You by the Beaufort District Collection" section found on the Library's Recommended Reading Page.

Talk on "Kate Gleason," A Most Influential Woman
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Recently I was honored to serve on the Beaufort Gazette panel selecting the "Nine Most Influential Beaufortonians" to celebrate Beaufort's 300th birthday on January 17th. It was very difficult to pare down 27 original nominees to 9 finalists. One of the original 27, Kate Gleason, is the topic of the next Beaufort County Historical Society meeting on Feb. 10th.

Books Sandwiched In Continues Feb. 7th
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The Friends of the Beaufort County Library continues highlighting local authors and local history in its 2011 "Books Sandwiched In" series.

Triangular Pegs, penned by St. Helena resident, Heyward Inabinett, is a novel about interracial marriage and race relations based on true events. Mary Inabinett Mack is the reviewer.

Date: Monday, Feb. 7th
Location: USCB Performing Arts Theater, 801 Carteret Street
Time: Doors Open at 11:30am. Program: Noon to 1 pm.

Display Case: African Americans in the Civil War
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The Association for the Study of African-American Life and History selects the theme for Black History Month. This year, the theme is "African Americans in the Civil War." Correspondingly, the BDC Research Room display case during the month of February highlights some of our holdings illuminating the history of African-Americans during the period 1861 - 1865.

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