Selective BDC Facebook Posts in November and December 2024

Because I never got around to re-capping the Facebook posts of November in early December, I'm combining November and December posts and culling the re-cap to exclude most references to local history programs that have already occurred. Some wording has changed here and there as well for clarification.

Monthly Overview Posts: 

1 November 2024 - November Overview: This month is rather busy. Expect to see posts highlighting Native American Heritage Month, our 5 "specials;" changes to our schedule; and (fingers crossed) the onboarding of a new staff member before the month ends. I'm also taking some time off for family so there will be fewer than usual Materials Monday posts. This afternoon we have a local history program at Beaufort Branch. Cassi will be at the Civil War Encampment at the Arsenal 10 - 2 on Saturday. While you're downtown (for any reason) drop by the Friends of the Beaufort Library Book Sale in Waterfront Park, Nov. 1 - 3. Please don't forget to vote for the candidates of your choice on Tuesday, Nov. 5. On November 14, you can learn about an important former Sheriff, Matthew O'D. White AKA "Matty", also at Beaufort Branch. We're giving some members of the Friends of the Beaufort Library Board a Behind-the Scenes tour on November 18th. On Friday, November 22, we are hosting researcher Nick Linville at Hilton Head Branch. The Library will be closed on Monday, November 11, 28 and 29 for County holidays.

1 December 2024 - December 2024 overview, a partial look-see at January and February 2025, and a "This Week in the BDC" post: As the year winds down, the BDC and Beaufort County Historical Society will debut 2 new Civil War related programs this month - an Author Book Talk which happens this Thursday and the following Thursday, what research has uncovered about the other people on the "Planter" when Robert Smalls piloted it into Union lines on May 12, 1863. So, this means that the Research Room will be closed part of Dec. 5th and Dec. 12th to hold these opportunities for the general public to learn more about the long and storied history of Beaufort District from professional historians who generously donate their time and talent to share a bit of what they know with us.

JSYK: Then we take a month long local history program break. Which will be followed by another "Katie bar the door" for the 8 weeks after that: 4 local history programs and one outreach January 16 -28 and 4 more local history programs in February.

Cassi and Sydney are scheduled to be in the office to assist BDC customers. But life happens, so this reminder: For assured service, please make an appointment to visit our Research Room: 843-255-6468; bdc@bcgov.net.

The Library will be closed Dec. 23, Dec. 24, Dec. 25th, Jan. 1st and Jan. 20th for County holidays.

"This Week in the BDC" Posts

10 November 2024 - "This Week in the BDC:" Tomorrow the Library is closed for Veterans Day. Regular hours resume on Tuesday, Nov. 12th. We have an "Historically Speaking" lecture with the Beaufort County Historical Society on Thursday. The new BDC circulation assistant is scheduled to arrive later this week (Hip! Hip! Hooray!!). I hope to pick up some good programming ideas at the Annual American Revolution Symposium sponsored by the Friends of the SCDAH on Saturday. (Alas, I did not get to attend the Symposium after all on account of a death in the family. However, it is my understanding that factors are in play that may result in one of the presentations done at the Symposium being done here in Beaufort County in 2025.)

17 November 2024 - "This Week in the BDC" we have 2 "specials." Some of the Friends of the Beaufort Library Board are taking a Behind the Scenes tour on Monday and on Friday, we head to Hilton Head Branch to explore the history at your doorstep with Nick Linville and the Hilton Head Chapter, Archaeological Society of South Carolina. In between "specials," we'll be training our new staff member, helping customers, preserving and arranging materials, writing social media, and other tasks as assigned and/or needed.

As a heads up about next week: The Library will be closed Thursday, November 28-29 for the holidays.

24 November 2024 - This Week in the BDC: We will be open our regular hours Monday - Wednesday. As per usual, we strongly encourage that you make an appointment in advance: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468 so that we can give you our best service. The Library system - and its special local history collection and archives unit, the BDC - will be closed for the Thanksgiving holidays on Thurs., Nov. 28 and Fri., Nov. 29th.

8 December 2024 - "This Week in the BDC:" We have the final BDC local history of the year on Thursday. Chris Barr, Chief of Interpretation at Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. will share his research about the people aboard the Planter when Robert Smalls piloted it into Union lines on May 12, 1863. So, this means that the Research Room will be closed part of Dec. 12th for staff to lead the program at St. Helena Branch Library. We'll likely open the Reading Room around 1:30-ish on Dec. 12th.

Otherwise, Cassi is doing her archives work, wrangling the Beloved BDC Docents, and helping train Sydney; I'm doing my bit integrating Sydney into the BDC team, playing catch-up with long neglected statistical analysis and paperwork at the same time as I'm trying to get some things done in advance of my vacation; and Sydney is learning on the job - and doing a fine job at it! In between, we'll take care of our customers, both in person and remotely as appropriate.

BTW: Evidence for Sydney's progress is in her write-up for the "History for the Holidays" display she created - and her photographs of our programs - which I do hope to post here on Facebook before I vamoose for a bit.

"Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday" Posts

18 November 2024 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" The BDC is the only unit of the SCLENDS consortium to have a copy of The Search for Altamaha : The Archaeology and Ethnohistory of an Early 18th Century Yamasee Indian Town by archaeologist William Green (1992). We're lucky to have historian Nick Linville come talk about Altamaha Towne, the Ford's Shell Enclosure, and Coosaw Island's South Bluff Heritage Preserve on Friday at Hilton Head Branch Library. This is the third joint venture of the BDC and the HHI, ASSC this fiscal year.

25 November 2024 - “Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday”: Given that Thanksgiving and thoughts of good food are nigh, today’s featured item is a Humanities CouncilSC booklet that put a South Carolina spin on the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit “Key Ingredients: America by Food” that toured 5 communities in the state in 2008. The booklet explores the Palmetto State’s food story from the time of the Native Americans into the 21st century. Will Moreau Goins wrote about “South Carolina Cherokee Foodways” while Gale McKinley honored the role of “Corn and Maize” in Native American culture. Beaufort Gazette columnist Ervena Faulkner shared recipes in “A Labor Day Celebration” including Navy Beans and Pig Tails. Beaufort’s own Laura Von Harten wrote the section “A South Carolina Shrimp Story.” BTW: The cover is a lot prettier than the archival 4 flap folder in which it is stored on the shelves.

2 December 2024 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" is a Civil War related title in honor of our upcoming local history programs. Marching with Sherman by Mark H. Dunkelman (2012) follows the 154th New York regiment across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina in 1864-1865 and how their postwar memories affected their lives. This book is his 5th about the regiment in which his great-grandfather served. The unit crossed into South Carolina at Sister's Ferry on Saturday, February 4, 1865, I like that his book is an annotated timeline summarizing personal accounts, regimental orders, notes about casualties and patient outcomes, along with memories of Confederate women about what happened on a particular day. Needless to say, the memories often conflict regarding what happened. The BDC is the only SCLENDS library to hold this title.

9 December 2024 - "Uniquely BDC Materials Monday:" The BDC has a fine collection of 19th century illustrated newspaper prints. One of those, Print #96, consists of a brief narrative and 6 drawings by Theodore R. Davis related to Sherman's March through the Carolinas - the subject of our most recent "Historically Speaking" lecture. The image on the top left shows Gen. Jefferson C. Davis' 14th Corps and Gen. Williams' 20th Corps crossing into Beaufort District on January 20, 1865.

16 December 2024 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" Today's entry is about the contents of the PLANTER (SHIP) vertical file in honor of Chris Barr's discussion of the enslaved people on it when Robert Smalls piloted the steamer into Union lines on May 13, 1862. In and among the newspaper and magazine clippings is a photocopy of a few pages of 'Him on the One Side and Me on the Other' - the letters between the Campbell Brothers who were discussed in our local history program of November 1, 2024 with the Beaufort History Museum. Alexander Campbell wrote his civilian brother, Peter, on May 22, 1862 using phonetic spelling:

"... You have heard by this time of a party of negroes running out of charleston with a steamer and 6 guns and surrendering to our blocade. It came down this way and Lay in beuafort here for a few days. I was aboard and had a talk with the hands and one of them said he recollects of seeing me in charleston. He told me the boat belonged to a scotch man named ferguson. I Know him verry well. The state had hire i from him for taking amonition and such from the city to the battries along the creeks. The negroes says that things such as provisions is verry dear and that a great manny of the wemen had Left and went up the country and they expect we will attack charleston soon." (pp. 86-87).

Planter saw additional Civil War service with Smalls at the helm. A gale in March of 1876 damaged the Planter beyond repair. Its component parts were salvaged and sold off by mid-July. There was a great buzz in 2014 that the Planter had been re-discovered and the hull may indeed be buried under sand. This file also contains a copy of the NOAA report, Maritime Heritage Program Series #1 (May 2014) "The Search for 'Planter:' The Ship that Escaped Charleston and Carried Robert Smalls to Destiny" about that investigation and its findings.

The contents of all the BDC's extensive vertical files (2500+ and counting) are varied and sometime provide just the clue needed to help a researcher dig deeper and explore local history topics more broadly. I love, love, love the BDC's vertical files.

"Black History Note" Posts

6 November 2024 - "Black History Note:" Given that elections and voter registrations are in the forefront of most political discussions of late, I have an historic Voter Registrations list to share from 1868. This was the first election cycle in which freed Black Men could submit a ballot for political candidates to represent them.

This abstract was created by order of the commander of the Second Military District in accord with 14 U.S. Stats. 429, 15 U.S. Stats.2, and 15 U.S. Stats. 14, which gave him ultimate responsibility for the registration of voters and the conduct of elections. The series was abstracted prior to 12 September 1868 from the series Voter Registrations Reported to the Military Government and was deposited with the Secretary of State in October 1868.

These volumes record the name and race of each voter, arranged first by county, second by precinct, and thereunder by polling place. The names appear alphabetically by the first letter of the surname, with African Americans and whites grouped separately. Local history librarians throughout SC transcribed the records about I helped transcribe the Beaufort County voters. Search the records to see if one of your male ancestor's is listed.

If you're interested in a brief history of how voting rights have been extended and/or retracked over the course of American history, see this timeline.

13 November 2024 - "Black History Note:" WeGOJA soft launched their "SC Preservation Toolkit" which aims to provide resources to individuals and organizations across SC as they begin their preservation journey. They include entries for churches, cemeteries, genealogy, artifacts, oral history, and more. If you're interested in preserving sites connected to Black History in the Palmetto State, you should check out the website.

20 November 2024 - Penn Center has been included on the UNESCO's Network of Places of History and Memory linked to Enslavement and the Slave Trade. UNESCO Director-General Azoulay states "Preserving and visiting these places will help us honor the memory of its millions of victims, advance scientific knowledge and educate new generations." Read more about the Network.

27 November 2024 - Given that the Penn Center was recently added to the UNESCO's Network of Places of History and Memory, I suggest that learning a bit about its history is in order. I recommend Penn Center: A History Preserved by Orville Vernon Burton with Wilbur Cross; Foreword by Emory S. Campbell (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2014) as the ideal book with which to start. Copies are available in the BDC as well as in the local history sections at the BCL Branch Libraries.

4 December 2024 - "Black History Note Wednesday:" Because of the BDC's geographical imperative, a difficult task - finding written records of Black perspectives on the Civil War - is made even harder. Luckily, we do have one such account in the Research Room.

Corp. James Henry Gooding, a 26 year old member of Company C, 54th Massachusetts Volunteers, United States Colored Troops, was in the Port Royal area beginning on June 3, 1863 up to the Battle of Olustee (FL) in which he was wounded and captured. He died in Andersonville Prison on July 19, 1864.

From his enlistment to February 1864, he wrote about 50 weekly letters to his local newspaper, becoming "a truthful and intelligent correspondent" (in the words of its Editors) for the staunchly abolitionist New Bedford (MA) Mercury newspaper. Eminent Civil War historian, James McPherson, describes Gooding as "observant, well informed, a fluent writer, passionately committed to the cause of Union, liberty, and black rights. He also possessed a sense of humor that makes these letters a delight as well as an education to read."

Gooding's letters are one of the few known collections of materials written by a United States Colored Troops soldier about USCT military actions and conditions. Our copy is the only copy of this title within the SCLENDS consortium. We'd be happy to share it with you in the BDC Reading Room. For assured service (that is, to make someone is is here to assist you), please contact us ahead of your visit: bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6468).

I'm looking forward to hearing about the primary source documentation for the African-American perspectives of Sherman's March tomorrow. I do wonder whether Dr. Parten had to rely on more records of Black Georgians during Sherman's March to the Sea or on more records of Black South Carolinians during Sherman's March through the Carolinas for his book. Perhaps I shall report back here on that topic next Wednesday.

Better yet, I do so hope that you can join us for the "Historically Speaking" lecture 6.3.

18 December 2024 - "Black History Note:" One of my very favorite items in the BDC is a comic book: The Life of Robert Smalls (1970).

Bertram A. Fitzgerald, Jr. read Classics Illustrated comic books as a child, but was saddened to find that none existed relating to Black History. He decided to change that with the Golden Legacy Illustrated History series.

The comic book about Smalls is volume 9 of a 16 part series of educational Black history comic books published by Fitzgerald Publishing Co. from 1966 to 1976. Each one features 32 colorful illustrated pages about the life of a notable Black people in history. The illustrations in the Robert Smalls volume were drawn by Don Perlman, better known for his work at Marvel Comics and Valiant Comics.

His childhood, escape on the Planter, and his post-War political life in Congress and fighting for civil rights are covered well. Volume 9 is the only one of the series that meets the BDC's geographical imperative. BTW: This could also be an "Uniquely BDC" item.

A heads up: Chris Barr will update and reprise his talk about the people on the Planter with Robert Smalls at Bluffton Branch Library on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

Native American Heritage Month (November) Posts:

9 November 2024 - The BDC has a lot of good books about the Native Americans who once roamed South Carolina.

19 November 2024 - The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670-1717 by Alan Gallay (2002) outlines how Native Americans got trapped by and reacted to the European Slave Trade. Native Americans would sell members from other groups to Europeans while the Spanish, French and English would capture and sell Native Americans allied to other Europeans. This book helps explain a complex economic system of racism, subjugation and resistance. I highly recommend it to you.

21 November 2024 - The BDC has a geographical imperative. Accordingly, the BDC concentrates on Native Americans who once lived in our immediate area as the "Resources about Native Americans of the South Carolina Coastal Plain" indicates.

26 November 2024 - If I had to choose only one book as my favorite book about the local Native Americans to you, I would have to say that it is Indians of the South Carolina Lowcountry, 1562-1751 by Gene Waddell (1980). The book consists of 2 parts: 1) a general discussion of 19 Lowcountry tribes; and 2) documentary evidence from eye-witness accounts and other primary sources and annotations about those made by the author. Arrangement of section 2 is alphabetical by indigenous tribe and placename. Footnotes are endnotes on pp. 359-396. The Bibliography is quite extensive covering pages 397 through 462. It has an index. The end-papers has a modern map indicating some settlements of the Native Americans.

An important note: Waddell does not consider the Yemasee an indigenous tribe though he does state "They deserve a book-length treatment that would include their earlier and later history in other states." (p. xiii)

30 November 2024 - I think that The Yamasee Indians : from Florida to South Carolina edited by Denise Bossy and Allan Gallay (2018) answers Waddell's desire for a book-length treatment of the Yamasee. This anthology includes the latest research from archaeologists of South Carolina and Florida and historians of the Native South, Spanish Florida, and British Carolina who address elusive questions about Yamasee identity, political and social networks, and the fate of the group.

BDC Display Posts: 

3 December 2024 - Look at and read about Sydney's first display case: "History for the Holidays" on Connections.

"Just Because" Posts

5 November 2024 - If you are eligible to vote and registered to vote, today's your last chance to cast your ballot in the General Election of 2024. Polls are open 7 AM - 7 PM in South Carolina.

Not sure that you're registered or where your polling place is? The Beaufort County Board of Elections can help. Visit their website or call 843-255-6900 for additional information. JSYK: A number of Beaufort County precincts moved earlier this year, including mine - so you may want to make sure that you go to the right voting place. It'd be a trifle inconvenient to stand in line for awhile and then discover that you're in the wrong place.

Please remember to be patient with and respectful of our fellow citizens who are doing their best to administer a fair and safe election process for us all.

8 November 2024 - Okay, I will admit that this is a "just because I think that it's fun" post. The only local history connection - and I'll readily admit that it's a very, very tenuous one - is that the Alcoa company developed Dataw Island. "Lemon Pig" recipe is among the 401 Party and Holiday Ideas from Alcoa promotional cookbook that's easy enough for even my limited culinary and kitchen skills.

12 November 2024 - The most recent issue of the South Carolina Historical Magazine has arrived. The BDC has all 121 volumes in the public area of the Research Room. Of the 8 books reviewed in volume 121, number 4, the BDC has copies of The Shell Builders by Colin Brooker; Patriots in Exile by McCrady and Bragg; and Slave Law and the Politics of Resistance in the Early Atlantic World by Edward Rugemer.

15 November 2024 - Another year done - thanks to Beloved BDC docent Kathy Mitchell. She indexed 1333 published obituaries from the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette newspapers of 1997. Check to see if your loved one's name appears.

7 December 2024 - "A date that will live in infamy" had direct impact on the people of Beaufort County. Learn about the Beaufort servicemen who were at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 in Connections.

20 December 2024 - We wish you a joyous holiday season. The Library will be closed Mon., Dec. 23, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day and again on Wed., Jan. 1, 2025. Otherwise, BDC staff is scheduled to be in the office but for assured service, please make an appointment with BDC staff: 843-255-6468; bdc@bcgov.net. Stuff can happen that affects our usual schedule. 

BDC Local History Programs Coming to a Branch Near You in January 2025 ...

My goal for the July 2024-June 2025 local history programs cycle was to adopt a "Make new friends but keep the old" attitude by offering a mix of traditional programs - viz. author book talks and lectures about fan favorites (biographical topics, Civil War topics, military topics, etc.) while introducing new topics and/or formats. As per usual, we step back from programming from mid-December through mid-January to regroup but we re-start at a fast and furious speed beginning January 16th. 

January 16, 2025 - A Special Place and Time Author Book Talk - Hilton Head Branch Library

We start with a traditional Author Book Talk on January 16. Beaufort District's history is full of colorful personalities. Judy Hutson recounts tales of some of its more interesting 20th century inhabitants at an Author Book Talk about A Special Place and Time: Life and Love at Palmetto Bluff during the Golden Age. She will explain why she decided to write the book and give an overview of the wealthy Wilson family and members of the local Beach and Hutson families who worked on Palmetto Bluff Plantation. We take the BDC to Hilton Head Branch Library for this particular local history program. 

About Judy Hutson: 

A native of Savannah, Hutson married into "a family of incredible storytellers" in 1975. She taught reading, language arts, and social studies at McCracken Middle School for 31 years.   

January 22, 2025 - A Song for Betty: Archives and Music - St. Helena Branch Library

We venture out on to some new territory 6 days later. I am so excited to bring you a program that connects archives, genealogy, and the musical arts. Local history collections are meant to document local community life in its joys, mundanity, and sorrows. Unfortunately, Tendaji's art is based in a local tragedy that the materials in the Research Room allowed him to expand upon stories told within his family. Below is what Tendaji wrote about his presentation.

A Song for Betty: Ancestors, Archives, & Art by Tendaji Bailey

Sankofa encourages us to look into the past in order to imagine the future. This presentation focuses on the story of Betty Gardner, a Gullah Geechee woman whose story was uncovered in the archives of the Beaufort County library. A Song for Betty highlights the power of art to inspire and heal trauma. 
 
Emerging artist, Tendaji Bailey will share how he turned his research into art through a lecture and musical performance. 
 
About Tendaji Bailey: 
Tendaji Bailey is a Gullah Geechee native of Port Royal & St Helena Island, SC in Beaufort County. He is a 2015 graduate of Morehouse College and former middle school math teacher and community organizer.
 
He is an Artist and the founder of the Gullah Geechee Futures Project. He helps to develop programs and events to educate the public about the rich history and culture of Gullah Geechee communities throughout the coastal south east and beyond through the Mellon Morehouse Movement, Memory, & Justice Project. He is also the Gullah Geechee educator at the Coastal Discovery Museum providing tours and workshops. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpreters.
 
As an emerging artist he transforms into a Griot, a traditional Stroyteller, by singing, song writing, and curating immersive experiences through his most recent work, “SEEKING|SOARING: Gullah Resilience Songs”.

January 23, 2025 - "Beyond Robert Smalls" - Bluffton Branch Library  

The very next day we head to Bluffton Branch Library with a reprise about the people who were on the Planter with Robert Smalls on May 13, 1862 again presented by the National Park Service's Chris Barr. On board the ship that night were more than a dozen enslaved people [the actual count and names of the freedom seekers change depending on the source used] who risked their lives at the chance for liberty in the Charleston Harbor. Their stories have long been lost in the shadow of Robert Smalls. This presentation by Park Ranger Chris Barr from Reconstruction Era National Historical Park will draw on newspaper and pension records to share the experiences of these little-known freedom-seekers. 

This program is part of the joint BDC and Beaufort County Historical Society "Historically Speaking" series. 

About Chris Barr: 

Chris Barr is the Chief of Interpretation at Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. His career with the National Park Service has included work at Andersonville National Historic Site, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. He has been here in Beaufort County since 2019.

January 28, 2025 - "Ferguson's Branch" - Bluffton Branch Library

We end the month with the premiere of Neil Baxley's "Ferguson's Branch" about a military action that tried to stymie Sherman's March through Beaufort District and the rest of the Carolinas. (Spoiler alert: It didn't - but you should come to Bluffton Branch anyway to learn more about a relatively unknown military action from one of the County's resident military historians. Neil always educates and entertains with his talks.) 

This program is a joint venture of the BDC and the Beaufort History Museum. 

About Neil Baxley:

A native of North Carolina, Neil Baxley spent 4 years in the Marine Corps before joining the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office more than 40 years ago.  In 2013, Col. Baxley was put in charge of Beaufort County's Emergency Management Division.  In his spare time, he studies and writes history. He's given presentations at the South Carolina Archives and at area museums and libraries. He's authored two Confederate regimental history books, Walk in the Light: The Journey of the 10th and 19th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry (2013) and No Prouder Fate: The Story of the 11th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry (2009) and the foreword to Confederate General Stephen Elliott: Beaufort Legend, Charleston Hero by D. Michael Thomas (2020). 

BTW: Having Cassandra aboard to bounce ideas off and collaborate with me has expanded our programming scope this fiscal year. Stay tuned. There's more to come before June 30th.

"History for the Holidays" Display by Sydney Whiteside

As has become my habit, I assign the circulation assistant primary responsibility for decorating the BDC Reading Room and creating most of the display case installations as a way of teaching the collection, recurrent theme in local history and library services, and as a means to integrate the new person into the BDC team. Below is what Sydney assembled as her first venture. I trust that you will agree that she's done a good job. Edits in brackets and italics are mine. -- Grace Cordial  

The December edition of the BDC display case features numerous items that connect different parts of historical South Carolina, Gullah culture, and so much more to the holidays. So, I am titling this display “History for the Holidays” (like home for the holidays... You get it!). Since this is my very first project with the BDC, the process of developing this display provided me with some much-needed time to familiarize myself with the materials located in our collection. Prior to gathering said materials, I spent some time on our Connections Blog reading some previous display case posts so I could create some sort of plan to move forward with. A major shoutout to Cassi, Jalen, and Olivia! All of your displays were wonderfully done and supplied me with so many helpful ideas of what to incorporate in my display as well as in this post.

Now, for the fun part: venturing into the protected stacks. I was specifically looking for materials centered around how the Beaufort population has celebrated the holidays throughout history but would often be distracted by all of the other interesting materials we have within our collection (shameless promotion). The variety surprised me a bit: novels, scrapbooks, posters, prints, and even cassette tapes. The range of dates surprised me too: items from last year all the way back to 1862.  

I wanted to be able to showcase all of the holidays that are celebrated here in Beaufort within the month of December. However, my findings came out to be a tad disproportionate. The BDC has more book materials related to Christmas and New Year's than the other December holidays. Fortunately, I was able to find newspaper clippings and other bits of information relating to Chanukah and Kwanzaa within our vertical file collection to share in the display. [If you happen to own and are willing to donate materials relating to the celebration of Kwanzaa and/or Chanukah within Beaufort County to the BDC, please contact us at bdc@bcgov.net or call us at 843-255-6468. First dibs is the best gift of all!] 

The theme of Shelf One is Chanukah and Kwanzaa. Pinned to the back of the display case you will see a fun, bright yellow clipping from Beaufort Magazine (Fall 1994). It goes into detail about how Chanukah came to be and how it has been celebrated over time. Many people do not know that Chanukah translates to “The Feast of Dedication” and commemorates the victory of the Maccabees (the Jewish royal family) over the Syrians. This victory led directly to the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem. When Judas Maccabeus entered the Temple, he found an oil cruse with a wick that had stayed lit for eight days straight. To celebrate this, one candle is lit for eight consecutive days on a Menorah.

In addition to this Beaufort Magazine clipping, I also found an "Answer Man" column written by BCL's own Dennis Adams from the Beaufort Gazette of 16 December 2001. He was asked the question: “What is the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah all about?”. He quoted many different people of Jewish faith who offered their insight into how they view the holiday. Many state that it is the “happiest” of Jewish days, while others recall the endless fighting that occurred in order to celebrate this event in the first place. Adams also includes a recipe for latkes, Jewish potato pancakes (very delicious if I do say so myself).  

I also found a column by him about Kwanzaa! Someone asked the question: “Kwanzaa begins Dec. 26. What is the story of this holiday?”. Great question! Adams does an amazing job at digging into the history and meaning of the holiday. In 1966, Dr. Maulana Karenga, the chairman of the Department of Black Studies at California State University founded Kwanzaa. It is often misconstrued that Kwanzaa is celebrated in place of Christmas, as the two holidays are celebrated one day apart. However, this is not true. Kwanzaa was not created with any sort of political or religious meaning behind it. Kwanzaa was created in order to celebrate the seven guiding principles of African American unity. These principles are: 1) Umoja: unity 2) Kujichagulia: self-determination 3) Ujima: collective work and responsibility 4) Ujamaa: cooperative economics 5) Nia: purpose 6) Kuumba: creativity and 7) Imani: faith.  

There is always something to celebrate when you’re here in Beaufort, and I believe Shelf Two perfectly showcases "Winter in Beaufort." While sifting through our vertical files and posters, I was able to find a plethora of material that shows how Beaufort has celebrated the winter months throughout history for which I made surrogates to place on the back wall in the BDC's display case. On the left are two articles from the Island Packet about the "Festival of Trees" fundraiser for Hilton Head Preparatory School (2000). To the right is an advertisement for “John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party” that served as a tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper at USCB held in 2018. Standing up in the flyer holder is an advertisement printed by the Beaufort Gazette for “A Night on the Town,” an annual event still held. This is a night for everyone to gather in downtown Beaufort to celebrate the holiday season by mingling, shopping at local stores, and occasionally there will be live music.

It is a little difficult to see, but flat on the shelf is a clipping from the Beaufort Gazette that goes into detail about each of the major holidays. I thought it would fit nicely on this shelf since it represents multiple communities within our overall community.  

In a small clear display to the left, you will see two surrogates of letters written to Santa published in the Beaufort Gazette. We include photos of the clippings here for you to enjoy.

Behind the letters to Santa is Island and Sea, Christmas and Me: A collection of Hilton Head Poems by Chris Wagner (2018). Wagner puts a hilarious twist on all of the classic Christmas poems and songs; Relating each one back to the Lowcountry and all of the affection and anxiety the holidays always bring. I was actually laughing to myself while reading this and ended it with a good cry as Wagner dedicates the book to the "Greatest Dog Ever”, Yogi Bear (his gorgeous golden retriever). 

Shelf Three is dedicated to Christmas related materials of which the BDC has so many options. I narrowed my selections down to a few favorite pieces.

In my opinion, the most interesting piece that I discovered was The Chinese Christmas Box by Gerald Chan Sieg with calligraphy done by Han Sun Woo. The booklet was published by the local Peacock Press in 1970.

It consists of a short story that is narrated by a young child. The child gushes about a large box that would arrive from China every Christmas. The box always contained a multitude of treasures such as hand-embroidered handkerchiefs, tea bowls with spoons, fans, chopsticks, and so much more. With a family of eight, one would assume that these treasures would be for the whole family. However, this box and its contents represent tokens of appreciation that the family would gift to Americans in their life as a thank you to those who have been kind to them. To complement this wonderful story, there are beautiful calligraphy drawings scattered throughout the booklet that really bring the story together. I chose this piece to showcase in my display because I was touched by the message that it emphasizes. We tend to get to caught up in the gifts and food of it all, but at its core, the holidays are about acknowledging and appreciating those around us.  

You can see just the edge of a BDC flyer entitled "Winter Holiday Memories, Recipes & Stories in the BDC" that promote other local history materials.

I am ecstatic to report that I have found two different Gullah Christmas stories to show in my display. The first, Christmas Story in Gullah (1987), is actually a cassette tape recording of multiple Christmas stories narrated in Gullah dialect. [It has a boring cover so it's standing upright on the right side of the exhibit case. The BDC has an old cassette player that we can use for you to listen to the audiotape.] Of these notable stories is everyone's favorite: The Twelve Days of Christmas. Which leads me to my next displayed item, Dem Twelb Day by Mary Pinckney Jones (1992), a Gullah rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Larry Sturdivant.

This version follows a woman who is showered with gifts over the span of twelve days. We all know the story, so I won’t bore you with the details. The important aspect is that the story is written in both Gullah and English. Jones explains how prominent Gullah was at one time in the Coastal Carolinas and Georgia, and how it has now [in 1992] “all but disappeared”. The dialect will never vanish though, as it lives on through pieces like this for future generations to love and enjoy. [Please note: The Gullah language has indeed seen something of a resurgence in more recent times due to local persons who encourage use of the language that has led to recognition of the beauty and history of the language and culture throughout the nation.]  

I wanted to shout out two other pieces that would be in the case if it weren’t so small. A South Carolina Christmas by Jan Kiefer (1997) is a wonderful collection of everything that makes South Carolinians the most joyous of them all. Packed with endless recipes, songs, photos, and traditions, you are bound to be feeling festive by the end of it. I Walked in Santa’s Boots: Lowcountry Christmas Memories by Jack Gannon (2016) is a heart-warming compilation of photos with Santa as well as drawings and letters written by children of the Lowcountry over the years. It is really beautiful to see how a community can come together every single year to spread so much joy.  

Finally, the bottom shelf is dedicated to New Years.

New Year Be Coming!: A Gullah Year by Katharine Boling (2002) is a beautiful collection of Gullah poems that correspond with each month of the year. Boling gifts readers amazing insight into the Gullah culture as well as the language itself. There is a two-page introduction to Gullah culture followed by thirteen poems written in Gullah language as well as a recipe for Hopping John, a southern New Years classic! [Want the BDC's recipe for traditional New Year's Day fare?] Here is Boling’s final poem: 

 

New Year 

Now the sky the color of first dark. 

“Bittle poor that day, 

rest of the year be rich.” 

So us stir up the hopping John. 

New Year be coming! 

 

My other New Years finding happens to be quite chaotic opposed to joyful and retrospective. However, it marks a "Red Letter Day" in Beaufort District's long and storied history. Attached to the back of the case are surrogates of illustrated newspaper prints depicting New Years Day in Port Royal in the year 1862, which included the Battle of Port Royal Ferry. On this day, a detachment of the National forces under Brigadier General Stevens, supported by four gunboats of the fleet on the rebel fortifications, was successfully attacked. The attack occurred on January 1, 1862, and marked the landing of the Federal troops onto the mainland [though they didn't stay long on account of Confederate defenses.] The smaller sketch I have attached to the board was created by a special unidentified artist that accompanied the troops on their expedition. [The BDC has a good collection of mid-19th century prints from Harper's Weekly and Frank Leslie's Illustrated newspapers. You can see the titles of the images in the SCLENDS catalog.]

Propped open in the display case, you will see the Life of General Issac I. Stevens, Volume II. This is a biography written by Stevens’ son, Hazard Stevens. With two whole volumes, there is a lot to read about General Stevens’ life. However, what I wanted to highlight was his involvement in the Battle of Port Royal Ferry. As you can see, I have opened the book up to a map captioned: “Action at Port Royal Ferry, January 1, 1862”.  

[Sydney's Reflections:] This was a lovely first project for me here at the BDC. I was able to combine my love for history and design with the opportunity to explore all that our collection has to offer. Although I still have so much to learn, I do feel more confident with navigating through our collection and gathering any necessary materials. It was so fun to be able to see firsthand how our community has celebrated the holidays over the many (and I mean many) years of subject matter that we have within our collection here at the BDC.

[I thought about leaving out this paragraph but Cassi has done a good job with Sydney's on-boarding so I left it in.] A huge thank you to Cassi and Grace for guiding me throughout this project. They have been the most amazing teachers and have dealt with all of my countless (and sometimes stupid) questions throughout these last few weeks (as they will continue to do for the next few months 😊).  

I hope you enjoyed learning about how Beaufortonians have celebrated the holidays throughout history. I also hope this post has given you a glimpse into the wide variety of materials we have within our collection. I cannot wait to explore more of it for myself. If you are interested in any of the materials I have shared today, or wish to explore our collection as well, you can find a local history section in any Beaufort County Library branch or make an appointment to come visit us in the BDC: bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6468. I'll be the person who answers the phone!