Local History Programs in May 2025

I don't know what I was thinking -- but we have four local history programs for you during May - 3 of which are in the same week. It's hard to coordinate personal schedules and meeting room schedules and holidays and anniversaries, etc. - and hosting 3 local history related programs in the same week was just how we could make it work.  The week of May 12 - May 16 will be a killer of social interaction for introspective librarian-type people like me but a boon for local history nerds in Beaufort County. We'll touch on aspects of the Civil War era, the Dinosaur ages, the most important of our local military bases, and host a local author. Please note: 3 of the 4 programs during May will be held in the Beaufort Branch Library's Meeting Room. (Dr. Dirt will be out on St. Helena Branch Library). 

Chris Barr of the National Park Service, Chris Allen of the Beaufort County Historical Society, and I decided that we'd really like to offer "Beyond Robert Smalls: The Untold Stories of the Freedom Seekers on the Planter" at Beaufort Branch - on the anniversary of that brave dash to freedom on May 12, 1862. Thus, it worked out that

• Monday, May 12, 2025 - Last Chance (this fiscal year at least) for "Beyond Robert Smalls: The Untold Stories of the Freedom Seekers on the Planter" with Chris Barr, NPS. "Historically Speaking" 6.4C. Co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Historical Society. Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, 11 AM. 

On board the Planter that fateful night of May 12, 1862 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. 

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.

• Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - "Why Look up When You Can Look Down?: The Fascinating Soils of Beaufort District" with Dr. Randy James. BHM/BCL series 8.5. Co-sponsored by the Beaufort History Museum. St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, 2 PM.

Dr. Randy James will share many interesting secrets of our soils, from the top all the way down to the phosphate bedrock. He will also discuss the fascinating, multiyear project, full of various pieces and parts, that finally allowed him to determine just how old our local soils are. Surprising stuff! As Dr. Dirt often says, “Why look up, when you can look down?” Space is limited. First come, first seated; Doors open at 1:30 PM for seating. 

About Dr. Dirt: 

Dr. Randy James has a PhD in soils, and is a Professor Emeritus with the Ohio State University, College of Food, Agriculture & Environmental Sciences. He has lived in Beaufort for over 15 years, does a lot of volunteer work in the community, and is endlessly fascinated with our dirt.

• Thursday, May 15, 2025 - "Beaufort's 110 Years of Parris Island Marines" with Stephen Price, Parris Island Museum. "Historically Speaking" 6.6. Co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Historical Society. Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, 11 AM. 

Parris Island's rich history started long before the Lords Proprietors deeded the property to Alexander Parris in 1710.  Shell middens reflect human presence over 4000 years ago.  Europeans attempted colonization from 1562.  At its southern tip, the colony of Santa Elena was the capital of Spanish Florida 1566-1576. During our Civil War, Parris Island plantations produced both white Confederate leaders and black Union soldiers. On May 15, Stephen Price will focus upon the 110 year-old story of  Parris Island's most current residents: The Parris Island History of the United States Marine Corps 1915-2025.

About Stephen Price: 

Stephen Price joined the Marine Corps from Oklahoma in 1982. He served in the infantry for four years and was a weapons instructor from 1986 to 1990 at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. While stationed at Parris Island he started working and volunteering at museums in Savannah Georgia. He began volunteering at the Parris Island Museum in 2004 and in 2012 he was hired as a museum technician. Price has been a student of history for many years. His focus of study is the U.S. Marine Corps and its legacy of valor. Since volunteering and working at the Parris Island Museum he has given numerous talks on and off the Depot for military and civilian organizations. In addition to his duties at the museum he currently serves as an instructor at Drill Instructors school on Parris Island.

The following Wednesday, I am going to interview newspaper columnist Annelore Harrell about her book, life and career. Come with questions of your own to ask her. 

• Wednesday, May 21, 2025 - "Et Cetera Y'all: A Collection of Newspaper Columns, volume 1 Author Book Talk" with Annelore Harrell. BDC@ Beaufort Branch, 311 Scott Street, 1 PM.

As of this writing, I have no plans for offering any local history programs during June 2025. The BDC has vastly exceeded performance evaluation rubrics for programs and outreach this fiscal year - and honestly, we're a little tired popping around and about the Library system. We need a little down time to catch up with some necessary tasks and projects inside the Research Room that don't get done when we're on the road so much. 

Never fear! We'll start all over offering you our more customary number of ~ 15 - 20  local history program opportunities beginning in July as stand-alone BDC@ the Branches programs, or with our partners of long standing - the Beaufort History Museum and  the Beaufort County Historical Society; or our more recent partners - the Beaufort County 250th Committee and the Hilton Head Chapter, Archaeological Society of South Carolina; or with our occasional co-sponsoring partners - the National Park Service and Historic Beaufort Foundation or perhaps even with some new partners. We remain open to consider additional collaborations when our respective missions overlap as well. Give us a call 843-255-6468 to start the conversation about how we can help better share the long and storied history of Beaufort District with your group or organization. A heads up: If we do a program or activity inside a BCL building, it's a "program;" if we do a program or activity elsewhere, it's an "outreach." Traditionally there's only 1 -5 outreaches per fiscal year, July to June - depending on what else is on our calendar and how well our mission overlaps with what the outreach site and organization's request.