Black History Month

Today, I am quoting from the History Channel Club's January 25, 2011 newsletter introducing the origins of "Black History Month" to kick off our own Connections entries for February 2011.

"Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson was determined to raise awareness of African Americans' contributions to civilization by founding the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in 1915. Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History Week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming, and by Woodson's death in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and the celebration was expanded to a month in 1976. Today, Black History Month is celebrated in schools and communities every February and the significance of African Americans to U.S. history is integrated into our nation's story all year round."

The 2011 theme for Black History Month is "African Americans and the Civil War." Given the enduring legacy of the Civil War and the key role of African Americans in this place during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, I'll have plenty of information to share with you via Connections throughout February.

Last chance reminder: The BDC is sponsoring an African-American Genealogy Workshop at the Hilton Head Branch Library, Feb. 2nd, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. The hands-on class is free, but you must pre-register to attend. Basic computer skills a must (point, click, moving a mouse). Call 255-6525 or drop by the HH Reference desk to sign up.

Over the course of February, expect to read about digital collections, online exhibits, and local programs that share some aspect of black history with the community. Stay tuned!

"Against the Tide" - Jan. 31st

If you read the 300th Birthday supplement to the Beaufort Gazette on January 16th, you already know that Harriet Keyserling was the first woman elected to Beaufort County Council. But her influence didn't stop there. The Friends of the Beaufort County Library provide a chance for you to learn more about her political activism on Monday.

Jan. 31st -- Against the Tide: One Woman's Political Struggle by Harriet Keyserling.
Reviewer: Linda Tarr-Whelan
Location: USCB Performing Arts Theater, 801 Carteret Street
Time: Doors Open at 11:30am. Program: Noon to 1 pm.
Sponsor: Books Sandwiched In series

After the program, consider visiting one of our branch libraries and checking out the book from our local history sections.

We have other materials about her listed within the "Local Notables" page (a little something that we did in concert with Historic Beaufort Foundation a few years ago, but still maintained and updated by us). Some of the materials can be checked out. Those materials that must remain in the BDC can be seen during our customary hours of operation (i.e., Mondays through Fridays, 10 am until 5 pm).

Direct link to the list of materials about the life and legacy of Harriet Keyserling is http://knol.google.com/k/beaufort-district-collection-bdc/harriet-keyserling-1922-2010/3859k4scvdgpj/31#.

Enjoy!

New Website: Medical Students and Faculty Join Confederate Military

The Waring Historical Library and MUSC University Archives announce the opening of a new web exhibit: "Civil Practice to Civil War: The Medical College of the State of South Carolina, 1861-1865"

The Medical College of the State of South Carolina (MCSSC), as it was known from 1832 until 1952, suspended classes after the March 1861 graduation, in anticipation of war. Many of the College's faculty, students, and alumni joined the Confederate military upon the start of hostilities leaving the College dormant for five long years. Even while the College was on hiatus, its students, alumni, and faculty were getting an entirely new education in the field hospitals and on the battlefields. The exhibit tells the stories of but a few of the hundreds of MCSSC's alumni, faculty and students who took their medical bags to war.

The exhibit will be updated and content added during the next five years to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War.

For more information about the web exhibit, please contact Brooke Fox, University Archivist.

Thank You!

As most of you know, the mission of the Beaufort District Collection is to acquire, preserve, maintain and make accessible a research collection of permanent value which records the history, culture and environment of the area of lowcountry South Carolina once known as the old historic Beaufort District.

We are very grateful to all the generous individuals and organizations who helped us meet our mission in 2010.

Through the years, we have built a solid reference collection through a combination of purchases and donations. The Beaufort County Library and the Beaufort District Collection would like to thank the following people and organizations for their generous donations of local history reference books, videos, photographs, maps, posters, postcards and/or documents that were added to our holdings during 2010:

Dennis Adams
John Albert
Anonymous
Arts Council of Beaufort County
Barr & Associates
Bill Behan
Maria Benac
Amanda Brewer
Colin Brooker
Fredrick & Catherine Christensen
Ian deNeeve
Friends of the Beaufort County Library
Fran Hays
Historic Beaufort Foundation
Alice Connelly Moore
Vennie Deas Moore
Ted Morris
Gloria Singleton
Nelle Smith
Mary Socci
Town of Hilton Head Island
Norman Vincent Turner
Women of Daufuskie Island
Julie Zachowski

Although our primary charge is to be good stewards of the materials we hold in trust for our community and share them with researchers, a lot of people interested in local history do not necessarily enjoy the process of research. Accordingly, a special collections library needs to share its materials with the community in other ways such as programs. During 2010, we amped up opportunities for lifelong learning and leisure through 24 BDC sponsored programs on local history, oral history, genealogy, and archaeology.

We are grateful to the folks and organizations who donated their services in support of the BDC @ The Branches local history series during 2010:

Dr. Jodi Barnes
Colin Brooker
Dr. Nic Butler
Michael D. Coker
Sheila Harrell-Roye
Stephen Hoffius
Bill McIntosh
Laura Lee Rose
Gloria Singleton
Dr. Mary Socci
Greg Smith
Gerhard Spieler
Carl Steen
Dr. Kerry Taylor
Baynard Woods

And we cannot forget our most enduring supporters, the Beloved BDC Docents: Bill Culp, Harriet Rahm, Hugh Folk, Jan Johnson, Laura Lewis, Sherry Puccini, and Zakary Haigler. Each of them donated time and skill during 2010. They perform such tasks as map encapsulation, diary transcription, magazine article title indexing, maintenance of our obituary index, and filing "stuff" which helps us share our holdings with the community.

A heartfelt "Thank You" for your support of and donations to the unique Beaufort District Collection. The BDC serves our community much better because of you!

N. B. You, too, can be numbered in a similar list next year. Consider donating your local history materials, time or talents to the BDC. Contact me at 255-6446 or via e-mail at gracec@bcgov.net to discuss how.

FEMA Recognizes Libraries as Essential Community Organizations

A sea change for the treatment of public libraries in the aftermath of natural disasters: FEMA recognizes that libraries are essential community organizations that can be relocated using FEMA Public Assistance Program funds. Read the press release.

Happy 300th Anniversary Beaufort Town!

MLK, Jr. Holiday Schedule

All Beaufort County government offices are closed Monday, January 17th for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Thus, the BDC Research Room is closed. We will re-open to researchers on Tuesday morning, January 18th at 10 am.

To celebrate an holiday with a historic video, click here to view Dr. King's "I Have a Dream Speech." The National Archives has a wonderful online exhibit about Dr. King here.

Please note: The Friends of the Beaufort County Library session with Billy Keyserling about his father's book, Dr. K: A Personal Memoir, will be held on Monday, January 17th beginning at Noon in the USCB Performing Arts Center, 801 Carteret Street. Doors open at 11:30am! The program is free and open to the general public.

Taylor at Archaeology Society/ HHI Chapter Jan. 18th

The Archaeology Society of SC/Hilton Head Chapter will be holding the 1st meeting of the 2011 season Tuesday,Jan. 18th at 7:00 pm.

Sean Taylor of Department of Natural Resources will discuss the Heritage Trust Program has acquired nearly 80 properties across SC. The preserves primarily protect natural resources but 17 were obtained specifically for their cultural significance.
These properties protect archaeological sites as much as 12,000 years old and as new as the 19th century. These properties protect for the citizens of SC Native American habitation sites, shell rings and villages, colonial towns and forts, Civil War battle fields and 19th century industrial sites. Sean Taylor,SCDNR and Heritage Trust Archaeologist will discuss the where, what and why behind the acquisition of these preserves.

All ASSC/HHI chapter meetings are held at the Discovery House, Coastal Discovery Museum on Honey Horn Plantation.

Beaufort Cook Book: A Treasury of Carolina Recipes

Local food newspaper columnist, Ervena Faulkner, recently wrote that "Tradition [is] on menu for Beaufort's anniversary." She cited 4 recipes from the Beaufort Cook Book: A Treasury of Carolina Recipes. Each recipe sounds wonderful.

As Faulkner notes, the first recipe in the book is by Ann Head:

Take a woman of hearty appetite
(Gourmet's delight)
Of abandon tempered by restraint
(No saint)
Generous and warm of heart,
(Not sweet, not tart)
And in a kitchen place her,
Bring to a rapid boil
And with herbs and spices lace her,
Serve her with flattery,
Add a soupcon of humility,
Laud her,
Applaud her,
For hers is no happenstance ability.

If you want to try other recipes from this book edited by Dee Hryharrow and Isabel Hooggenboom, you can borrow it from our Beaufort, Bluffton, or Hilton Head Branch Libraries local history sections and cook up a storm. There are also copies in the BDC.

The Library has multiple copies of the novels by Ann Head, aka Anne Christensen Morse here in Beaufort: Always in August, Everybody Adored Cara, Fair with Rain, and Mr. & Mrs. Bo Jo Jones. In addition, the BDC has more information about her in our permanent "Authors-Beaufort" and "Christensen Family" vertical files.

In the spirit of full disclosure

Librarians like to make it clear that we don't make up what we share with our customers. So we cite our sources. In the spirit of full disclosure, among the many electronic sources that I cull looking for potential posts for this blog which is dedicated to the topics of our area's history, culture, and environment are:

Beaufort Tribune
Beaufort Gazette / Island Packet
Bluffton Today
Island News
Lowcountry Weekly
Sea Island Scene
Bluffton Breeze Magazine
Hilton Head Monthly
Beaufort Lifestyles
American Libraries Direct
News and Press Releases from the National Archives
WebJunction
South Carolina Archival Association ListServ
Library Journal
North East Document Conservation Center
Institute for Museum and Library Services
CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship
Charleston Magazine
The Telegraph
OCLC e-mail subscriptions
INFOcus
Digitization 101
History Classroom
History Channel Club, Living History
C2 Celebrate Hilton Head/Bluffton
Daufuskie Front Porch

Before ye pundits start thinking that all librarians sit around and read all day! let me state unequivocally that I do not consult all these potential sources each and every time I get a RSS feed, e-newsletter, or post from them. These are just the ones most easily accessible online for free. Although I am a skilled and quick reader, the sheer volume of all those words would not leave me any time to breathe much less help BDC customers! I also get notices from sister cultural heritage organizations that sometimes get put into Connections. Plus, there are other potential sources for blog posts. I am an information omnivore and just can't help sharing what I learn. Thus, every day is a new day to discover something that I didn't know before which I can share with you. Because Beaufort County Library is "For Learning. For Leisure. For Life."! I have to hold up my end of the rope by sharing information about the history, culture, and environment of this wonderful place through Connections posts.

Mayor Billy on his Dad, Dr. K - Postponed until Jan. 17th!

Because of inclement weather, the USC system is closed. Therefore, Doctor K: A Personal Memoir by Dr. Herbert Keyserling Books Sandwiched In is postponed until next Monday, Jan. 17th. Dr. K's son, our own Mayor Billy Keyserling (image on left), is the reviewer.

During 2011, Books Sandwiched In sessions are being held in the USCB Performing Arts Center, 801 Carteret Street, downtown Beaufort.

Doors open at 11:30 AM. Presentation begins at Noon. The program is free and open to anyone interested in the learning more about the book and about Beaufort's people.

New National Archives Website is now live!

Adapted from a NARA Press Release:

Washington, DC… The National Archives and Records Administration launched a redesigned Archives.gov web site on December 13, 2010, as part of its flagship Open Government Initiative.

"It's essential for the National Archives to have a user-friendly online presence,” said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero, (the first Archivist to blog, tweet, and launch a Facebook page). “We hope to reach new audiences while still engaging our long-time users, researchers and visitors. This redesign – part of the National Archives flagship Open Government Initiative – reflects the ongoing effort to engage the public and make records of the National Archives easier to find and use."

The new Archives.gov web site features:

* A brand new home page voted by the public in July 2010;
* A new interactive “Our Locations” map of NARA’s facilities nationwide;
* Historical documents and streamlined access to military service records (81 percent of Archives.gov visitors are looking for this information);
* Single topically organized sections focused on the needs of both casual browsers and professional researchers; and
* Easy links to National Archives’ social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and both the Archivist's AOTUS blog and other National Archives blogs.

Visit http://www.archives.gov/open/redesign/ for the explanation and examples of the key changes.

Display Case: Notable Natives and Residents of Beaufort, SC

In honor of Beaufort Town's 300th Birthday, we are highlighting "Notable Natives and Residents of Beaufort, SC" in our display cabinet during the month of January.

From the pantheon of notable Beaufortonians, Preservation Associate Charmaine Seabrook Concepcion chose to feature Joe Frazier, Harriet Keyserling, Thomas Ezekial Miller, Robert Smalls, and Ed McTeer in her design.

Of course, there is a host of others who could have been included but the case is small, and the number of items we hold so large, choices had to be made.

Demographically speaking, she selected 3 male African Americans, a Caucasian male, and a Jewess born in New York City who moved here as a bride. Beyond race, gender, and religion, look at the occupations and economic status of those she selected: a world-class athlete; several politicians; an attorney; a lawman; a patron of the arts and the environment; two former slaves; and a war hero.

Beaufort County has always been blessed by an interesting mix of people who love this place. Beaufort throughout its 300 years, has become far, far richer for its tendency to be inclusive rather than exclusive.

Several books take a broad approach to notable Beaufortonians. Charmaine chose two for the case: Beaufort, South Carolina: Pages from the Past by Gerhard Spieler, a German immigrant who chose Beaufort as his home more than 30 years ago (7 copies available through the Local History sections); and, Beaufort Through the Ages by Gloria Singleton, a native daughter who returned home after spending her career mostly in the Philadelphia area (11 copies available through the Local History sections).

I would also add Fran Marscher's three volumes of oral histories: Remembering the Way It Was for Hilton Head, Beaufort, Sheldon, and the Sea Islands. (Multiple copies available through the Local History sections). I remind everyone that Marscher will be reviewing her own books at the Books Sandwiched In on Valentine's Day.

Beaufort lost Keyserling just last month, at age 88. Harriet Keyserling's book, Against the Tide, is also a Books Sandwiched In title. That review occurs on Mon., Jan. 31st.

As per usual for librarians, we have prepared lists of materials about some of these notables in the "Local History Treasures Brought to You by the Beaufort District Collection" under the Recommended Reading link in the left column on our library's homepage. More information can also be found in the "Local History & Nature" web pages under the links for "Famous People of Beaufort County, SC."

For a list of materials about Harriet Keyserling, click here.

For a list of materials about Sheriff McTeer, click here.

For a list of materials about Robert Smalls, click here.

I've mentioned Joe Frazier in Connections before. Click here to read that entry and here to go directly to the video clip about the fight on Oct. 1, 1975.

So, click a few links above or drop by the Beaufort District Collection Research Room to explore materials in the "Forever" part of the Beaufort County Library about these and other Local Notables! Our customary hours are Mondays through Fridays, 10 am until 5 pm. The only upcoming scheduled exception is Monday, January 17th when all Beaufort County offices will be closed to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

African American Genealogy Workshop - Feb. 2nd

We're taking our African-American Genealogy Presentation to the Hilton Head Branch Computer lab on Wed., Feb. 2nd from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Registration is required.

Seating is very limited for this workshop so be sure to register in person at Hilton Head Branch Library Reference desk or by calling 843-255-6525 today!

Charmaine Concepcion, the BDC's Preservation Associate, will guide you on the right path to discovering your genealogical roots in this presentation/workshop featuring the Ancestry Library Edition database. You'll get to do some online searching so start limbering up your fingers and loosening your mind to explore the (almost) 7500 databases inside ALE!

*Attendees must possess basic computer skills (clicking, typing in a search box).

*If possible, please bring a list of 3 people within your family who were alive to be counted in the 1930 U.S. Federal census.

Please note: This session is designed only as an introduction to the basic process and to the ALE database, made available to you by subscription on our library's public access computers. We hope to whet your appetite to undertake your own research into the ever fascinating journey of learning more about your (mostly already dead) relatives.

Friends sponsor Book Review Programs

Beaufort County Library has three Friends of the Library groups. Two of those groups offer book review sessions during January and February. Programs are open to the public.

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. For eight Mondays beginning January 10th and running through February 28th, Noon to 1 pm, authors and reviewers will share novels, memoirs, oral, and social histories with participants. Books Sandwiched In sessions will be held at a new location, the USCB Performing Arts Center, 801 Carteret Street. Doors open at 11:30 AM! Free, although donations (and new Friends) are always appreciated.

Books Sandwiched In 2011 - Beaufort

Jan. 10th Doctor K: A Personal Memoir - 18 copies owned by SC LENDS

Jan. 17th Canaan's Gate - 31 copies owned by SC LENDS

Jan. 24th Black Yeomanry - 10 copies owned by SC LENDS

Jan. 31st Against the Tide: One Woman's Political Struggle - 28 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 7th Triangular Pegs - 2 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 14th Remembering The Way It Was in Beaufort, Sheldon and the Sea Islands - 10 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 21st The Water is Wide - 60 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 28th Strom: The Complicated Personal & Political Life of Strom Thurmond 22 copies owned by SC LENDS

Similarly, the Friends of the Hilton Head Library sponsor Book Breaks. Book Break talks are given in the Community Room of the Hilton Head Branch Library from noon until 1 PM the last two Wednesdays of January and all four Wednesdays of February. Free to current Friends; non-members are asked to make a $3.00 donation.

Book Breaks 2011 - Hilton Head

Jan. 19th The Nuclear Lion: What Every Citizen Should Know About Nuclear Power and Nuclear War

Jan. 26th Northern Money, Southern Land: The Low Country Plantation Sketches of Chlotilde R. Martin, edited by Robert B. Cuthbert and Stephen G. Hoffius - 17 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 2nd The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book about Living

Feb. 9th The Ponder Heart - 2 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 16th Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America - 15 copies owned by SC LENDS

Feb. 23rd A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League

Don't forget that the various branches of the Beaufort County Library often sponsor book clubs, too.

If you prefer a more solitary reading experience, check out the suggestions and links on the Library's "Recommended Reading" web page, including those under "Local History Treasures brought to you by the Beaufort District Collection."

And, as always, the Children's and Reference staff of the Beaufort County Library stand ready to advise you about books and recordings likely to meet your needs and taste from our SC LENDS libraries or even through Interlibrary Loan. Contact your favorite branch library for assistance.

I Resolve to ...

Happy New Year! Please resolve to spend more time exploring the vast array of services, materials, and programs that the Beaufort County Library offers.

I Resolve To...

Register for a Beaufort County Library card.

Visit a Branch Library and browse the shelves for books, DVDs, and recordings to interest me.

Attend a Library program.

Contact a Reference Librarian. I want to learn about library materials, services, and programs as well as other sources of reliable information about what interests me.

Access an online subscription library database from home to explore articles, podcasts, and vetted websites that interest me.

Borrow something that interests me from the SC LENDS consortium.

Tell others about the impact that Beaufort County Library has on my life.

For Learning. For Leisure. For Life. is more than just the Beaufort County Library tag line. It's our mantra. Come, let us show you. Check here for our Hours and Locations.

Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect, January 1, 1863

Folks throughout the lowcountry attend watch services to celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation 148 years ago today. (The digital image of page 1 of the original Emancipation Proclamation illustrating this entry is from the National Archives).

The 2010 Connections New Year's Day entry gives some background on the Emancipation Proclamation. You can read about the historical significance of Camp Saxton Site in relation to the Emancipation Proclamation here. (A few photographs are included with the National Register nomination form).

Living History, an electronic newsletter from the History Channel, has a "This Day in History" feature which includes an article on the "Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect" for January 1st.

For those who want to dig deeper, the Archivist at Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Mary-Jo Kline, recommends these books and articles about President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation:

Foner, Eric. The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. (Available through our Bluffton and St. Helena Branch Libraries)

Blair, William A., and Karen Fisher Younger, eds. Lincoln’s Proclamation: Emancipation Reconsidered. Chapel Hill: Univ. of N.C. Press, 2009. Edition of lectures by respected Civil War scholars, focusing on Lincoln’s views on slavery and his Emancipation Proclamation. (Available in the BDC only)

Gates, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and by Donald Yacovone, eds. Lincoln on Race & Slavery. Princeton: Princeton University Press, c2009. Collection of documents, definitive texts, rich historical notes. (Available through SC LENDS)

McPherson, James M. Abraham Lincoln. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Good short biography of Lincoln by one of the nation’s most eminent Civil War scholars. (Available through our Bluffton Branch Library)

In addition to the links found in the Connections entry about the document last year," I recommend Allen Guelzo’s “Emancipation Proclamation” article in History Now and Kline's additional resources page.

You can search the SC LENDS catalog here for the titles that most interest you from her suggestions.