Upcoming Local History Programs in November

The BDC survived the October crunch and are now looking towards a calmer November. We hope you fellow History Nerds are looking forward to these upcoming BDC Local History programs!

Did this summer's America 250th festivities spark your interest in the Revolution in Beaufort District? Are you feeling a little low now that the fanfare has died down? Never fear, the BDC is here to quench your thirst for local Revolutionary history!

Mark your calendar for Dik Daso's program on Colonel William Harden, a Lowcountry commander of Patriot forces. Join the BDC and BCHS at the Beaufort Branch Library on Thursday, November 5th at 11:00 AM for this intriguing program. 

Dik Daso serves as the Executive Director of the Air Force Historical Foundation. Daso was adjunct faculty in the department of history at the University of South Carolina where he taught a variety of courses that focus on the history of technology and science. He retired from the USAF in 2001 and then served at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum as the curator of modern military aircraft until retiring from that post in 2012. He earned his B.S. from the USAF Academy in 1981 and his doctorate in history from the University of South Carolina in 1996.

Daso flew T-38, RF-4C, and F-15 aircraft during his service. He was assigned to the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board during the visionary New World Vistas S&T study in 1995. He also held the position of Chief, Air Force Doctrine, as a member of the Air Staff in the Pentagon. Lt. Col. Daso retired after 20 years of active service in 2001.

Daso has authored several books and contributed chapters to several more. The books include U.S. Air Force: A Complete History (Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, Inc., 2006), Doolittle: Aerospace Visionary (Brassey’s US, 2003), Hap Arnold and the Evolution of American Airpower (Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001; Special AFHF Edition, 2012; USAF 75th Anniversary Edition, 2022), Architects of American Air Supremacy: General Hap Arnold and Dr. Theodore von Kármán (Air University Press, 1997).

His latest work, Colonel William Harden: South Carolina’s Unheralded Partisan Commander, is the subject of our upcoming event.

We rescheduled Historic Black Businesses of Beaufort with NPS Ranger Dr. Chanda Powell! 

Please join us on Monday, November 16th, 2:00 PM, at Beaufort Branch Library, as Dr. Chanda Powell of the National Park Service will discuss the historic Black Businesses that once were along Scott, West and other downtown Beaufort streets. Some of the businesses started by African Americans were blacksmiths, carpenters, restaurants, and more. Come learn with us!

Chanda Powell is a native of North Carolina and attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC where she received her BA and MA in History and received her PhD at Howard University and majored in the African Diaspora and a minor in Public History. She has been a National Park Service ranger for nine years. She currently works at the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park located in Beaufort, South Carolina where she has an interest in Black history and culture and showing diasporic connections and learning from communities. 

Please note: The BDC and BCL will be closed on Wed., November 11 for Veterans Day. The BDC and BCL will be closed again on Thurs., Nov. 26 and Fri., Nov. 27 for Thanksgiving.

Don't be a stranger - We hope to see y'all soon!