Please note: The Library is closed on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 for Staff Work Day. Regular hours resume Thursday, October 7.
September 8: "Black History Note: " The Great Sea Island Hurricane devastated the coastal islands of South Carolina, killing thousands in 1893, and destroying the economic base of the area for years to come. Given the population of Beaufort County at the time, the vast majority of the dead were African-Americans. We know the names of about 300 of the deceased only because of surviving records from the Beaufort County Coroner's Office.
September 15: "Black History Note:" Author Damon Fordham offers True Stories of Black South Carolina. Described as "a collection of historical articles and anecdotes regarding African-Americans in the Palmetto State," he purposefully omits the stories of Robert Smalls and of the Jenkins Orphanage as already being too well known. He does cover Samuel Smalls, the man who was DuBose Heyward's inspiration for Porgy; Denmark Vesey, and Dr. King's visit in 1967 to Charleston. You can check out this small book from one of the SCLENDS libraries with your valid BCL library card.
September 22: "Black History Note:" The Black Freedom Struggle in the U.S. website curates 2,000 primary sources from six crucial eras – from slavery to contemporary times. There's a host of information available at your fingertips. The website is open on the web for anyone with an interest in American history to explore.
September 29: "Black History Note:" The National Archives posted the entire "Confederate Slave Payrolls" series into its catalog earlier this year. It is a new online source for genealogical research.
During the U.S. Civil War, the Confederate Army required enslavers to loan their enslaved people to the military. Throughout the Confederacy from Florida to Virginia, these enslaved people served as cooks and laundresses, labored in deadly conditions to mine potassium nitrate to create gunpowder, worked in ordnance factories, and dug the extensive defensive trench networks.
This series, comprising nearly 6,000 payrolls for enslaved labor, sheds light on the lives of enslaved people loaned to the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and may provide a wealth of genealogical information relating to the names and home counties of African Americans.
The payrolls show the time period covered, the Confederate officer under whom the enslaved people were employed, the place of service, names of the enslaver, names and occupations of the hired enslaved person, number of days employed, daily rate of wages, amount paid, and the signature of the person receiving the payment.
Even though only 52 of the 5791 records relate to South Carolina - mostly for CSA nitre works - which employed enslaved women and children as well as enslaved men - and defense works in the Charleston area - and only a few of the "Confederate Slave Payrolls" relate to Beaufort District locations, slave owners and enslaved people, I think that you should take a look if you have any interest in Civil War Era South Carolina ancestors.
The "Materials Monday: Letters" series continued with these posts:
September 13: "Materials Monday : Letters" 21 Black male residents of St. Helena Island wrote Clara Barton about the lack of clothes coming through the sewing circles working during the Hurricane of 1893 Relief efforts. She published the letter in The Red Cross: A History of this Remarkable Movement in the Interest of Humanity (1898) on page 267.
Learn more about the devastating effects of this historic hurricane on the Library's YouTube Channel.
September 20: "Materials Monday: Letters" As the hurricane recovery efforts dragged on, larders grew ever more bare. By April 1894, some farmers were begging for help as starvation loomed for about 500 people in Bluffton. Chairman of the village's Relief Committee, Thomas Martin, describes the dire situation in this letter to the editor published in the May 3, 1894 issue of the Palmetto Post.
It must be remembered that the Hurricane of 1893 struck at a particularly bad time of year - harvest time -- and that the spring of 1894 was particularly wet which delayed planting that year. In 1894 if you didn't plant and harvest, butcher farm animals, or catch it in the rivers or oceans, odds were you and yours would go hungry.
"Tide of Death" will be taken down soon. Be sure to watch it before it goes away.
September 27: "Materials Monday: Letters" The occasional snide missive printed in the Palmetto Post's "A Card" section leaves one hungry to know more. This one penned by "Forlorn Hope" is from the May 24, 1894 issue of the newspaper. (There are only a few days left to see "Tide of Death" about the Hurricane of 1893 )
September is always National Library Card Sign-up Month so, of course, I had to make a few posts about that topic which is very close to my heart!
September 2: I'm stealing the base of today's post from EveryLibrary, an advocacy group for proper funding of public libraries.
Since it's now Library Card Sign-Up Month, expect to see at least a few posts about the value of libraries and holding a card that allows you to access library resources.
Did you know the oldest library on record dates back to the 7th century BC and contained 4,000-year-old artifacts? Read about 8 very impressive ancient libraries.
I hope that this my spur you to get your own Beaufort County Library card to continue an ancient tradition.
September 7: September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Join the festivities by getting your own library card today. Visit the Beaufort County Library’s website for more information if you're one of our local followers. If not, then please contact your local public library for details on how to secure the best piece of plastic in the world: a Library card!
September 10: Here's what I have done with my personal Beaufort County Library card recently:
1) I checked out printed books, regular type and Large print (my eyesight isn't as good as it once was) from libraries inside the SCLENDS consortium to take home;
2) I listened to audio books on Hoopla on my commute to work;
3) I've streamed television shows and movies that aren't on Netflix or Amazon Prime on Hoopla from my Roku;
4) I've accessed DISCUS health related resources from home;
5) I've done research on Ancestry Library Edition for myself from home;
6) I consulted Consumer Reports online at home for reviews of household goods I needed to buy;
7) I accessed Morningstar's Retirement Cost Calculator from home to help me plan for what is sure to come in the next 15 - 44 months - if I am still alive; and
8) Every month I download and read the Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Real Simple, and a few other mass market magazines on Flipster at home.
I think that this level of use qualifies me as a Library power user. But here's the best thing about having and using a library card: Anyone over age 4 can get one for free if that person lives in our library service area and wants to explore all that the Library offers.
It's easy to become a Library power user by just taking the first baby step: applying for a card!
September 23: With a library card you can discover new and exciting worlds - in a variety of formats! Pursue your passions and dreams through the library’s resources and programs - regardless of your chronological age. In fact, one can get a library card from age 4 until ... Details are on the Beaufort County Library's website. All it takes is a few minutes of your time to sign up online.
September 26: 
Banned Books Week 2021 ran from September 26 - October 2.
September 27: It's Banned Books Week. Check out the list of 2020's most frequently challenged books. How many have you actually read?
September 29: On Monday, I shared the short list. Here's the long list of books challenged during 2020. It never ceases to amaze me how others want to censor what I read or want to tell me that I can't read certain titles to my grandchildren.
Some of the titles have literally been on the list for years now. Examples: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl; Captain Underpants and Lord of the Flies.
I'm actually surprised that the multivolume Harry Potter series is no longer on the top 100 list. Maybe the fact that more than 500 million copies have been sold so far makes the challenge too futile to undertake.
And speaking of books, September 6 was "National Read a Book Day" as well as Labor Day.
September 6: I do so hope that you are celebrating "National Read a Book Day" at home or at the beach or somewhere else in the great outdoors because the Library is closed today for "Labor Day." Regular hours - and appointment arrangements - return on Tuesday, September 7th.
Other special days of note during September were:
September 11: Today is a solemn day of remembrance for much of the world. Do you remember where and what you were doing when the world understood that the hijacked airplanes that struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon, and that the passengers forced down over Shanksville, Pennsylvania were an orchestrated attack on the United States?
On this 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, pause and reflect on the consequences of that historic event, not only on the individuals and their families who died or were injured that fateful day, but all the changes in our personal lives and upon world history that have been evolving since.
We have a small archival collection about 9/11 in the Research Room for those who would like to make an appointment to see it. The Finding Aid is online in the BDC's WordPress blog.
September 17: Today is Constitution Day - and some delegates from Beaufort District had larger roles in its creation and adoption than you might realize.
September 18: Plans for celebrating the semiquincentennial birthday of the signing of the Declaration of Independence continue. I do not plan to still be on the job in 2026 planning local history programs on that theme ... but one never knows. I'm studying up - thinking of potential topics - and making notes - just in case I am still responsible for taking care of the BDC's business then.
September 19: ARRRGGGHHHH! It's Talk Like a Pirate Day. Watch Dr. Larry Rowland as he tells us about some of the real pirates who plowed along our coast.
September 21: At least some of you like to dig deeper into certain topics. We have a short article and suggested supplemental materials about "Pirates of the Lowcountry" on the BDC's WordPress blog Enjoy!
Library programs are again underway. I posted about "The Tide of Death" video and upcoming programs that we're sponsoring, co-sponsoring or that another organization has that might interest you.
September 2: As of this writing: Local History Programs series are planned to return in October. A new season of the “Historically Speaking” series co-sponsored with the Beaufort County Historical Society begins on October 14, 2021. Season 5 of our local history series with the Beaufort History Museum kicks off on October 19, 2021. Details regarding format, capacity limits, etc. will be forthcoming. Just be aware: The latest surge in the local incidence of COVID spread may impact how and where we deliver components of the local history program series we hold with our partners.
September 9: The biggest, baddest, most destructive storm in Beaufort District’s long and storied history hit in the overnight hours of August 27 – 28, 1893. Learn more about that storm and its aftermath in “Tide of Death” (version 2021) on the Library’s YouTube Channel.
September 14: Seen the video? Still got questions about the Great Sea Island Hurricane? Send them in an email to gracec@bcgov.net if you want our interaction to be private. Ask here if you don't care if everyone knows your business. Either way, I'll respond as I am able during usual business hours.
September 21: When the BDC turns into a studio, there's a strong possibility that a new local history program is on its way.... Just saying that it might be time for you to make sure that you've signed up to receive the BDC's e-newsletter!
September 16: In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, (September 15 - October 15), I share a link to South Carolina Historical Society's Winter 2020 Lecture series talk about Santa Elena delivered by Bill Davies. The video runs about 45 minutes. I appreciate that SCHS has allowed me to share it with you.
September 30: I'm sorry that we can't host a "What the Heck Is It?" session this year - but if you have "stuff" that has you wondering -- our friends at the Hilton Head Chapter, Archaeological Society of South Carolina are hosting two of my favorite archaeologists at COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM soon. Here's the announcement that George Stubbs of the Hilton Head Chapter, ASSC sent me last week:
WHAT THE HECK IS IT?The HHI Archaeology Chapter will hold its annual “What the Heck is It?” program Saturday October 2nd at 1:00 PM in the Coastal Discovery Museum. Drs Jonathan Leader, SC State Archaeologist, and Eric Poplin, Vice President Brockington, will comprise our expert panel analyzing, identifying and dating the artifacts.Over the years folks have presented a full range of artifacts – prehistoric, historic, projectile points, ceramic sherds, Civil War swords, Civil War crypto devices, African dolls – to name a few. Look around the house and bring in that thing you wonder what the heck is it.The public is invited, admission is free. Invite your family, friends and neighbors. Snacks and drinks will be available while waiting to see the panel. Archaeology magazines are available – free - if you see one that interests you.Just to be clear: This "What the Heck Is it?" session will be held at the Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island. Please make sure that you get to Coastal Discovery Museum to get Dr. John and Dr. Eric to examine and explain what the heck it is.
Behind-the-scenes activities and BDC management were the topics of several posts.
September 12: The COVID situation and loss of staff caused a re-evaluation of service delivery and access to the Research Room. Since the first re-opening in June 2020 and the second re-opening on October 5, 2020, we have provided limited in-person access to the Research Room.
This model is the most common form of special collections and archival service delivery.
As those of you who have been inside the Research Room are aware, the public area is physically quite small. We cannot accommodate multiple researchers and staff while at the same time following CDC guidelines for keeping everyone safe.
Be sure to make the necessary arrangements no less than a couple of work days in advance to have the best chance to secure your preferred future weekday date and time.
Please note: No walk-ins allowed. No same day appointments. No monitoring of appointment requests on weekends, holidays, or when the BDC staff is otherwise unavailable. No exceptions – since the access provided for one customer must be provided to all under terms of the Library Code of Ethics.
September 24: Here's another opportunity to nerd out and peer behind-the-scenes into delivery of special collections and archival services. Our neighbors to the north, the Canadian Conservation Institute recently released Version 3 of their “Caring for Heritage Collections During the COVID-19 Pandemic” resource. (I always find it enlightening to learn how others do "stuff" - for they just might have an idea that works better than what we are doing.)
There were also the obligatory notices about schedule changes for Labor Day and Library Staff Work Day. And a few posts that I wrote just because...
September 25: Among the e-newsletters I receive is the Genealogical Insider from Family Tree Magazine. The August 24, 2021 issue asks a short but profound question: "Are You a Digital Hoarder?"
Which brings another question into my mind: "When's the last time that I cleaned out my cellphone photos and videos?" I try to do it at least once a month but I may be at the two month level by now. Your cellphone might benefit from a little tidying of images and videos too. Just saying.
We have a vertical file about the current and past Movie Theaters in Beaufort County in the Research Room too. Make an appointment to come review that material: bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6446.
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