September 2026 Facebook Recap

In case you don't follow us, here is a recap of our Facebook posts from the month of September:

September 2: Black History Note: Anyone who has watched The Devil Wears Prada and heard Miranda Priestly's "Cerulean" monologue knows that the fashion industry affects all of us, even when we think it doesn't! The clothing we wear has an impact on our sense of self and can indicate our culture, values, and the era we lived in. The BDC is certainly not a fashion archive, but we do have a very interesting book, "New Raiments of Self:" African American Clothing in the Antebellum South, by Helen Bradley Foster (1997), that I'd like to highlight today.

True to its title, New Raiments of Self details the styles of both enslaved and free Black people throughout the South, including South Carolina. Foster draws heavily from the Federal Writers' Project's Slave Narratives to source descriptions of clothing, jewelry, and hairstyles worn by Black men and women during that time.

One woman quoted in the book is Rebecca Jane Grant, a 92-year-old woman living in Lena (Hampton County) at the time of her interview, who remembered the style of both Black and white women in Beaufort before the Civil War. I found Grant’s full interview transcribed on the Library of Congress’s website and wanted to share some fashion-related snippets for you, too!

“... There was a lady, Miss Mary Ann Baker, whose husband had been an organist in the church. ... She'd take any old coat, or anything, and make it over to fit her children, and look good, too. She was a great seamstress. You'd see her children when they turn out on de street and they looked the same as some rich white people's children. ...

Dey used to make de clothes for de slaves in de house. Had a seamstress to stay there in de house so de mistress could supervise the work. De cloth de clothes was made out of was hand woven. It was dyed in pretty colors - some green, some blue, and pretty colors. And it was strong cloth, too. ...”

Source: Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 14, South Carolina, Part 2, Eddington-Hunter. 1936. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

September 4: Fun Friday: For the month of September, BCL is highlighting humor. We will admit that this was a bit of a tough prompt for us... Alas, this is the perfect time to highlight Animals in My Mailbox: (And A Bunch of Other Silly, Satiric & Testy Commentaries on the Quirky, Heroic or Dumb Behavior of Human Beings) by Joseph Golden, 2003.

Joseph Golden and his wife, Lucy, moved to Beaufort in 1996 from the Northeast. Golden embedded himself into Beaufort’s community by becoming a columnist for the Beaufort Gazette in 1999. His sardonic articles quickly caught the attention of Beaufortonians and became a staple in their weekly readings.
Animals in My Mailbox is a conglomeration of various articles that Golden has written over the years. It contains satirical narrations of the appealing and alarming things that humans do in their day to day lives. From navigating the chaos that is the supermarket to being stuck on hold with a dreaded automated phone service, Golden provides his own humorous take on how he copes with this funny little thing we call life. If you would like to read Joseph Golden’s witty work for yourself, his book is only available to view within the Beaufort District Collection’s research room.

September 9: Black History Note: This month, BCL is highlighting books that make you laugh out loud. What a perfect time to highlight Step it Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage by Bessie Jones (1987.)

Jones was raised in the South and would spend many hours working in the field to then have to care for the young children around her. She would play games with them, sing songs, propose riddles; anything to make them laugh and take their minds off the hardships of the day. She would even let them stay up past their bedtime to frolic and dance while most people were sound asleep in their beds.

With more than seventy total activities including plays, riddles, and songs, readers are bound to chuckle while also finding awe in Jones’ ability to reveal the joy that shines through all the pain. If you would like to take a look at Step it Down for yourself, it is available to view within the Beaufort District Collection’s Research Room.

September 11: Finding Aid Friday: 25 years ago, the United States suffered an immense tragedy. In subsequent years, citizens have come together to mourn the lives lost, to recognize heroes, and to recall their experiences of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. As a child in the early 2000s, "Where were you on 9/11?" was a question I asked my parents for school assignments nearly every year. I myself was not yet three years old when the tragedy occurred, too young to have any real memories of the event we were taught about in history class.

9/11, their recollections of the events, and its aftermath haunt many Americans. Three years following the attacks, Beaufortonians participated in the nationwide September Project. Thirteen residents of Beaufort County were recorded answering the question, "Where were you on September 11th, 2001?" These oral histories are first-hand reflections on the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, and the consequences of the terrorist attacks on American freedoms, with a lapse of three years to process one’s grief, emotions, and reactions.

The Reflections on 9-11 and Our Freedoms archival collection can be found in the Beaufort District Collection. You can learn more about it on our WordPress Blog.

September 14: Independence (Mon)Day: Have you read The Carolina Lowcountry, April 1775-June 1776 and the Battle of Fort Moultrie by Terry W. Lipscomb (1994)? It's a short read but packed full of Revolutionary history!

This book details the beginnings of the Revolution in South Carolina, highlighting key events from the first year of the War. These events include the capture of British ships and their cargo off of Daufuskie Island by Patriots (some being from Beaufort, too). If you want to check it out, the BDC has a physical copy to view, while a digital version of the book can be freely downloaded from the SC State Library’s Digital Collection.

September 15: Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! If you are wondering why the month long celebration begins mid-month and/or wish to learn more about Beaufort District's Spanish Legacy, check out our new Research Room display and Connection's Blog post.

September 16: Black History Note Wednesday: After the Civil War, formerly enslaved people of Beaufort and the Sea Islands found themselves in the position to become landowners. Tax sales of confiscated property allowed Black men and women to purchase land, and their families often held on to that land and passed it down through the generations! The BDC has copies of Civil War-era tax sale land certificates on microfilm for researchers to explore if they are curious about the history of their property.

However, "Heirs' property" along with the increase in tax prices created vulnerabilities in their ownership. The BDC's vertical file "African Americans - Land Issues" has collected articles related to these struggles and documents both the loss and the resilience of local Gullah-Geechee landowners.

More recently, effort has been made to assist landowners and to help prevent the creation of new heirs' property through the writing of wills. If you are interested, visit the BDC to learn more about the history of these issues, and perhaps attend BCL's next Law Talk: Wills, Trusts, and Estates program, scheduled at the Beaufort Branch for Sept. 22, 5:30 PM.

September 18: Fun Friday: A title that had library staff laughing out loud recently was Toads on the Porch & Lizards in the House by Katie Callahan, 1983. Callahan and her husband retired to Hilton Head Island and lived there for more than 25 years together. She was an editor, feature writer, and journalist, even becoming a columnist for the Hilton Head Island Packet in her retirement. Many of the essays in this book come from her publications in the Island Packet from 1976 to 1983.

Though any article of Callahan’s is sure to make you chuckle, we wanted to share some small snippets of “Cry a Bucket, Vidal.”

Let me set the scene: It’s the 1970’s, Katie and John have just retired to Hilton Head and Katie is worried about the rapidly approaching recession. To save some money, Katie is attempting to make her own hair conditioning mask of Hellmann’s mayonnaise and a squirt of lemon juice. In enters John -

“My God in heaven, what is that thing they’ve dug up from the Sea Pines sewer system and planted here in the heart of my home.”

“It’s I, it’s Katie,” the thing replied meekly. “I’m conditioning my hair while I wait for the recession.”

...

“You look like you should be spread between two pieces of bread with thick slices of onion,” he growled as he settled down with coffee and the newspaper.

For the full story, you can view Toads on the Porch & Lizards in the House by Katie Callahan inside the Beaufort District Collection or check it out from a Beaufort County Library branch.

September 21: Independence (Mon)Day: September 23rd will be the 281st birthday of Isaac Hayne. Hayne, born in 1745, was a wealthy South Carolina planter and horse breeder. Hayne held property throughout the state, including 5 lots in Beaufort.

Hayne enlisted in the Colleton militia at the start of the Revolution but was subsequently captured and paroled by British forces. Part of the terms of his parole were that he could not "take up arms" against the British in the future. However, when he was called up to serve in the British army, Hayne broke the terms of his parole and re-enlisted as a Patriot. He was captured again by the British in 1781, and soon after was executed for treason. As a result, Isaac Hayne has been remembered as a martyr of American Independence.

You can learn more about Isaac Hayne's life and death in The Execution of Isaac Hayne by David K. Bowden (1977) in the BDC.

September 22: Come see our newest display! The BDC put up a display in the lobby of the Beaufort Branch Library to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15). It features a copy of the SC Archaeology Month poster from 2016, which details the archeological discoveries made at the Santa Elena site on Parris Island. We also have some other related resource flyers on the table. Be sure to check it out on your next trip to the library!

September 23: In today's "Black History Note," we're highlighting an educator from Beaufort's past - W. Kent Alston.

Alston was principal of Robert Smalls High School, retiring in 1962 after 24 years of service. Alston was a dedicated principal, most known for setting high expectations for his students well outside of the norm for that time. Alston wanted his students to achieve greatness, and brought in many famous Black performers, athletes, and other educators to inspire Robert Smalls students.

In this photograph from the Lucille Hasell Culp Collection, Alston stands alongside a few of his students at an event in 1962. W. Kent Alston died in 1962 from cancer, but his legacy lives on!

September 25: Fun Friday: Another (fun)ny title within our collection is Big Scare, Little Scare, and Humorous Epitaphs with stories and illustrations by Mary L. Collum, 1969. Not only is it full of silly stories, but it also contains some terrifying tales to get you in the spooky spirit!

This title contains amusing stories such as “Godfrey Died but Came Back to School” and “Voices in the Graveyard,” but the story we want to share today is titled “They Left Their Shovels.”

“Victor and Jacob each bought a new shovel and went to an old haunted house to dig for money. When they saw what they presumed to be a pot of money they heard a frightful noise. They looked toward the house and on the porch they saw a man, a woman, a girl, a boy, a cat, and a dog with no heads. This scared them out of their wits. They dropped their shovels and ran for home. So instead of getting a pot of money, they lost two new shovels on their venture.”

If you would like to read more of Collum’s funny, but eerie stories, Big Scare, Little Scare, and Humorous Epitaphs is available to view inside of the Beaufort District Collection.

September 28: Independence (Mon)Day: One of my favorite Revolutionary War resources in the BDC is Figures of the Revolution in South Carolina: An Anthology by the University of Southern Studies Program. These volumes were created as part of the Bicentennial Celebration of 1976 and include reprinted passages of biographical sketches for South Carolinians who participated in the American Revolution. Sourcebooks were created for multiple counties/cities in SC, including Beaufort.

The BDC has sourcebooks for: Beaufort County, along with ones for Aiken, Anderson, Florence, Georgetown, and Spartanburg. Come on down to the BDC to see one of these sourcebooks for yourself!

September 29: Thank you to everyone who attended Raul Galvan's program, "The Gonzalez-Elliott Family of Beaufort District," at the Beaufort Branch. We learned about the unlikely love match between a Cuban revolutionary and a young girl from a prominent Beaufort family. Though Ambrosio and Harriet faced many trials, their legacy lived on through their children and their many triumphs.

September 30: Black History Note: Tomorrow is the start of Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Awareness Month! So, for the month of October, the BDC's Wednesday posts will highlight the rich culture of the Gullah, along with a few local Gullah people.

To start us off, we recommend you watch this Beaufort History Moment about the Gullah Language with Emory Campbell, former director of Penn Center and author of Gullah Cultural Legacies and Gullah Days (copies available in the BDC and Branch libraries).

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Be sure to follow the Beaufort District Collection on Facebook for updates on local history programs and weekly local history posts!

August 2026 Facebook Recap

In case you don't follow us, here is a recap of our Facebook posts for the month of August:

August 2: The history books and popular media lead most people to believe that the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4 and immediately the delegates signed the document. The real timeline was a bit different as the National Park Service shows. The four signers from South Carolina - Beaufort's own Thomas Heyward, Jr., Edward Rutledge, Thomas Lynch, Jr. and Arthur Middleton - do so on August 2, 1776 alongside the vast majority of the other representatives from Britain's colonies along the Atlantic seaboard.

August 3: Independence (Mon)Day: Now that the BDC's involvement with the Revealing the Revolution Marker Challenge has ended, there are plenty more of American Revolution related historic sites to explore further afield. We recommend "Touring South Carolina’s Revolutionary War Sites" by Daniel W. Barefoot (1999) for an overview of South Carolina’s Revolutionary War battlefields and historic sites, including Cowpens, Ninety-Six, Camden, Eutaw Spring, and Kings Mountain. Brief biographies of key figures such as the "Swamp Fox" Francis Marion, "Gamecock" Thomas Sumter, Andrew Jackson, Henry Drayton, Charles Pinckney, and Henry Middleton are included. The BDC has a copy in our Research Room but other SCLENDS libraries have plenty of copies that you can borrow.

August 4: In 1526, Captain Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon brought a company of 550 men to what is now Beaufort County. Embark on a journey of discovery of 500 years of Spanish influence in Beaufort District! First, fuel your curiosity with our comprehensive resource guide, "The Spanish Legacy in Beaufort District History." Then, join our vibrant community at one of our upcoming local history programs!

August 5: "Black History Note Wednesday:" Work on updating the Resource Guides posted to the BDCBCL blog continues. We revised the list of materials about Rachel C. Mather's School recently. Follow the link to see the list of materials we have about this important Civil War and Reconstruction Era educator and humanitarian.

August 6: Congratulations to the "Revealing the Revolution" Challenge winner, Angela Baldree who is accepting the framed Beaufort District map from Beaufort County Historical Society President Phil Toomer. Representing the RtR team in the photo are Mary Lou Brewton, Leah Roche and me. We thank all of you who participated.

August 7: It's Finding Aid Friday! My staff tease me about my focus on disaster and death so I think that it's highly fitting that my final two "Finding Aid Friday" FB posts are about primary sources for a deeper understanding of the Hurricane of 1893. First up : George Waterhouse (1838-1894) was a local businessman who operated a storefront, warehouses, and a wharf on Bay Street. The George Waterhouse Collection contains documents, letters, and photographs related to his life and the impact of the Hurricane of 1893 on his business. Some even say that the stress caused in the aftermath of the storm led to his death the following summer.

August 7: Happy National Lighthouse Day! Go shine a light on our updated Connections post 'Celebrating Beaufort District's Lighthouses and Range Lights'.

August 10: Independence (Mon)Day: "A Historical Account of the 1780-1781 Campaigns in Southern North America" is a seminal work, penned by the controversial British officer Banastre Tarleton. The two volumes provide a meticulous chronicle of the final major battles of the American Revolutionary War. Universally reviled by the Continental Army for his brutal tactics, Tarleton's 1787 publication offers a comprehensive, extensively documented history of the war's shift from New England and New York to the southern provinces. The book features an array of primary sources, including letters, statistics, and unique maps, detailing the campaigns of Lord Cornwallis, the state of the royal armies, and pivotal battles in the southern theater. Follow Tarleton's encounters with American leaders Nathanael Greene, Francis Marion, and George Washington in this classic of military history.

August 12: "Black History Note" Wednesday - You may know Joseph William Frazier as "Joe" or "Smokin' Joe" but we know him as a native son. Like many southern Blacks of the mid-20th century he relocated to the North to improve his lot in life. He settled in Philadelphia, PA which recently relocated a statue of him to the base of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Read more about his life and boxing career in our WordPress Blog.

August 14: "Finding Aid Friday:" John J. Dale (1844-1896) was a Beaufort businessman at the time of the Sea Island Hurricane in 1893. Following the devastating hurricane, he advocated for relief efforts for affected Sea Islanders and was appointed to the Sea Island Relief Committee by Governor Benjamin Tillman. This collection of correspondence from the fall of 1893 is believed to have been written by Dale.

August 17: Independence (Mon)Day: Today, the BDC is belatedly honoring William Henry DeSaussure's 263rd Birthday. DeSaussure was born on August 16, 1763, to a local Huguenot merchant family. Before becoming a prominent SC politician and Director of the US Mint (his most famous achievements), DeSaussure was a young Patriot soldier. While fighting to defend Charleston from British forces, DeSaussure was captured in May of 1780 and imprisoned on one of the infamous prison ships. He was not yet 17 years old. DeSaussure was exchanged and released after a few months and made his way to Philadelphia where he studied law. The rest, as we say, is history! You can learn more about William Henry DeSaussure's life after the Revolutionary War, as well as the story of his family, in the DeSaussure Family Vertical File in the BDC.

August 19: "Black History Note" Wednesday - In honor of National Aviation Day, we wanted to share a snippet of a poem written by Elijah Heyward, Jr. in his book, Stories and Poems of a Gullah Native (2012). Heyward was inspired to write a series of poems on historic Black Americans while working as a teacher. One such poem is entitled "Tuskegee Airmen," where Heyward reflects on the triumph of the first Black Army aviators despite the doubt of many that Black men were capable of such pursuits. Heyward closes the poem thusly:

"The news from Tuskegee is great,
God intervened; call it fate.
Not only did the Negro fly,
They excelled with only one try."

P.S. Local history nerds are likely to know that the Lowcountry has yet another a connection to the famed Tuskegee Airmen (though not a Beaufort one)! The Airmen's advanced training took place at Walterboro Army Airfield, now the Lowcountry Regional Airport. A monument stands in Walterboro in their honor.

August 21: Fun Friday: Cassandra and Sydney have decided that on non-Finding Aid Fridays, the BDC will post something related to the Library's marketing theme for that month. This month, BCL is highlighting cookbooks, so we want to share a couple of fun ones that can be found in our collection. Today, it's the Recipe Book of Eliza Lucas Pinckney, 1756.

This delicate booklet is a host to a wide array of recipes for more than just food. You will also find remedies for illnesses, salves for rubbing furniture, oil to help your hair grow, and so much more. When it comes to curing ailments, there was nothing Eliza could not handle. She provides treatments for watery eyes, gout, sore throat, tooth aches, jaundice, and scald head, the last of which includes a salve made from mutton fat and tar drippings. Of course, inside her book there are recipes for edible items such as mince “pyes”, mushroom “catchup”, oyster “soop,” and so much more!

August 24: Independence (Mon)Day: On your next trip to Charleston, watch for the Colleton County Historic Marker about "John Laurens" within a mile or so as you cross the Harriet Tubman Bridge over the Combahee River. This local Patriot, and dear friend of Alexander Hamilton, was killed on August 27, 1782, near this site in the Battle of Combahee Ferry (also known as the Battle of Tar Bluff). The battlefield was rediscovered in 2020 by The South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust.

Interested in learning more about John Laurens? Check out John Laurens and the American Revolution by Gregory D. Massey (2000) from an SCLends library or come take a look at the copy we have in the BDC!

August 26: "Black History Note" Wednesday - Earlier this month, the BDC put up a National Archives and Rightfully Hers display in the Beaufort Branch lobby which details the ratification of the 19th Amendment in August of 1920. Today, I wanted to share with you the story of the Rollin sisters, the Lowcountry's own suffragettes! Born into a Free Black family in Charleston, the sisters (Frances, Lottie, Kate, Louise, and Florence) were advocates for equity, enfranchisement, and education in Reconstruction era SC.

According to their profile in 101 Women Who Shaped South Carolina (2020), Lottie and Louise were the most active sisters in the suffragette movement. In 1869, Louise gave an address to the SC House of Representatives on the matter of women's suffrage. Lottie became secretary of the SC Women's Rights Association in 1870 and led a suffragette rally the following year.
The most famous of the sisters (especially in Beaufort) was Frances Rollin Whipper, the author of the first full length biography written by an African-American, "The Life and Public Services of Martin R. Delany." She is also the author of one of the earliest known diaries written by a Southern Black woman. Frances was married to William J. Whipper, a local politician, and they lived at 606 North Street until the marriage dissolved in 1880. Rollin then moved to Washington, DC where she worked in the District's Deeds Office with Frederick Douglass. She later returned to Beaufort where she died of tuberculosis in 1901. It is believed that Frances and William are buried in unmarked graves in the Wesley United Methodist Church yard.

August 27: I would venture to guess that the BDC's most consistently requested materials are school annuals and yearbooks. From student portraits, game highlights, and sponsor ads, yearbooks can yield a treasure trove of information!

If you are curious about what yearbooks the BDC has in our collection, please take a look at our new bdcbcl: Links, Lists, and Finding Aids blog post. We published our most up-to-date inventory of all the yearbooks and school annuals we have on our shelves and will continue to update it as more are donated. You can take a look for yourself here.

August 28: Fun Friday: This Friday, we're sharing the Recipe Book that can be found in the Dale Friedman Collection of Johnson Family Materials. This circa 1880s recipe book is signed “Eliza M. [?] Johnson” on the title page and “Florence E. Johnson” on the back cover, with the date "188[4 or 6?]." It is possible that both women collected the approximately 86 recipes (mostly handwritten) for foods and household materials that make up this book. Some recipes have sources and dates ranging from the 1840s to the 1870s, and some are even credited to fellow Beaufortonians.

One of the most common ingredients in these recipes was rice. When Cassandra was processing the collection, she counted 3 recipes for rice pudding and at least 7 different rice bread recipes. One section went thusly: "Rice Bread ~ Rice Bread ~ Rice Bread Again ~ Rice Bread Again ~ Rice Bread once more...." Cassandra's favorite was the recipe for "Rice Bread !!!!," transcribed here:

"Rice Bread !!!!
2 spoonfuls of wheat[?] flour
2" of Hominy
1" level of good brown sugar
From[?] 1 1/2 pints to a quart of rice flour
" 1 to 2 spoonfuls of yeast according to the temperature of the weather
3 [?] spoonfuls of table salt"

August 31: Independence (Mon)Day: On September 3rd, 1783, the Revolutionary War officially ended.

Many consider the Surrender at Yorktown in October of 1781 to be the end of the Revolution, but skirmishes and occupations continued into 1782. That same year, treaty negotiations began in Paris between the US and Great Britain (and other European powers), which resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Paris in the first week of September 1783.

The Treaty of Paris is one of the most important documents in US history and is called a "milestone document" by the Library of Congress. If you are interested in reading the Treaty of Paris or other documents important to our nation, consider checking out the book, Our Documents: 100 Milestone Documents from the National Archives (2003), from an SCLends library near you!

Re-cap of the BDC Posts to Facebook during July 2026

As is my established practice, events that have taken place are generally omitted. Some of the entries have been edited for this format. - gmc

July 1 - Overview of July 2026

July 2 - Final Day to enter for the Grand Prize drawing!!! ...

July 4 - Thank you, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Beaufort District's Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Happy 250th Anniversary, America!

July 6 - Independence (Mon)Day: The Declaration of Independence included a long list of grievances against King George III and one of them arises from a political dispute in South Carolina. In 1772 Royal Governor Montagu had a hissy fit because the Commons House had sent 1500 pounds to John Wilkes' freedom of speech defense fund in England. He decided to move the Commons House of Assembly from Charles Town to the brand-new Beaufort District Courthouse. (He also hoped that the Beaufort folks would let him have one of the new mansions in town for his residence but that's a story for another day).

Montagu failed to listen to native South Carolinian Lieutenant Governor William Bull, II's advice: "Don't do it!" But Governor Montagu set the session for October 10, 1772 in Beaufort. Much to his dismay, almost every member showed up in Beaufort that day - and they were even less willing to pass that money bill he wanted during the less than one hour session.

It did not work out well for the Royal Governor. Historian Robert Weir wrote: “Ultimately his [Montagu's] clumsy handling of the affair would contribute not only to his own replacement but also to a clause in the Declaration of Independence, viz. "He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures." This is grievance clause 4 and it's sometimes referred to as the "Beaufort Clause."

Bottom line: Little old backwater Beaufort, SC had a beef with George III that was put into writing in the foundational document of the Declaration of Independence. As Dr. Rowland says "All American history begins in Beaufort South Carolina."

If you want to learn more about Beaufort's role during the lead up to the Declaration of Independence and afterwards, I heartily recommend "Beaufort and the British during the era of the American Revolution" by Robert M. Weir, 1976, an unpublished Beaufort County Historical Society Paper (#54). It's only available inside our Research Room. Contact us at 843-255-6468 or bdc@bcgov.net to set up an appointment.

July 7 - SC250 recently posted its "Discover Revolutionary South Carolina" YouTube Series… a new way to plan your next Revolutionary Road Trip! Whether you're ready to hit the road or simply want to learn more about the places that played a role in America's fight for independence, visit the SC250 YouTube Channel. Of course, we hope that you start with the Lowcountry one.

July 8 - Black History Note: Yesterday, we heard Malik Raymond discuss historic traveler's views of the local Gullah-Geechee people they met during their trips. One of the most longstanding Gullah traditions, which later became a famous souvenir from the Lowcountry, is sweetgrass baskets. Sweetgrass Baskets and the Gullah Tradition by Joyce V. Coakley (2005) estimated the start of sweetgrass basket roadside stalls (and the transition of these baskets from tools to commodities) as being sometime in the early 20th century. However, Dale Rosengarten's Row Upon Row: Sweetgrass Baskets of the South Carolina Lowcountry (1987) documented Gullah street venders of both produce and sweet grass baskets in Charleston and Savannah as beginning in the late 19th century. The sale of the baskets was a way for Gullah households to supplement their usual income from farmwork and/or to become entrepreneurs using their traditional art in the Reconstruction Era. Famous Hilton Head "sewers," as basket makers are called, were Ceasar Johnson and Beaulah Grant Kellerson. Their work is described briefly in Barnwell, Grant, and Campbell's Gullah Days (2020). Basketmaking was also taught at the Penn School as a way to keep the traditional craft alive and to generate income for both local sewers (who would sell baskets to Penn) and the institution.

If you'd like to hear more about Black Beaufortonian's entrepreneurship in other industries during the Reconstruction era, be sure to attend our next local history program: "Historic Black Businesses of Beaufort" with Dr. Chanda Powell, co-sponsored by Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, on August 24th. More details can be found on the BCL calendar.

July 9 - The 250th anniversary of the American Revolution continues all the way through the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1783) on 3 September 2033. That should be enough time for you to read all the non-fiction books listed in OCLC's "America's 250-Year Bookshelf" that identifies the most widely held nonfiction book about America from every year since 1776—chosen not by critics or algorithms, but by libraries. IMNSHO - It's highly appropriate that you get to start with Common Sense by Thomas Paine, America's first bestseller that helped steer the colonies to shed monarchy, too. The Library has plenty of copies in a variety formats.

July 13 - Independence (Mon)Day: Report of Findings : The Search for Fort Balfour and Coosawhatchie Battlefield by Steven D. Smith (2005) was done at the Lowcountry Council of Government's request in preparation of the 22.5 mile scenic and historic trail through Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties, highlighting events and sites associated with the American Revolution.

The combined historical, map, and archaeological evidence strongly points to a wooded area in Pocotaligo at the intersection of Highways 21 and 17. The team believed that it is "most likely" located under the Church property or modern four-lane highway at that intersection.

We have other materials in the Research Room about Fort Balfour to share with you. Contact us to learn more: 843-255-6468 or bdc@bcgov.net.

Heads up: The BDC is hosting author Dik Dasso in November. The subject of his book, Col. William Harden, captures Fort Balfour and destroys it before British reinforcements could arrive in the Spring of 1781.

July 14 - One month - or 23 working days - left to tame my chaotic desk of legendary status among my colleagues, scribble down that long-promised mythical operations manual, and bid adieu to the responsibilities for the BDC with a light heart. Can I adult for that long? Now that remains to be seen .

July 15 - "Black History Note" Wednesday : We recently updated the article and bibliography about sweetgrass baskets on our BDCBCL: Links, Lists and Finding Aids blog.

July 16 - In honor of National Snake Day, I'd like to highlight how the timber rattlesnake became a symbol of the American Revolution.

Perhaps you've seen this flag with the coiled rattlesnake and the words "Dont Tread on Me." Christopher Gadsden, leader of South Carolina's Patriot movement, designed the flag in 1775 to emphasize the defiance of the colonists against the British government. Some say Gadsden modeled his flag after Benjamin Franklin's "Join or Die" illustration published in the Pennsylvania Gazette issue of 9 May 1754 that is acknowledged as one of the first political cartoons published in an American newspaper. Using a timber rattlesnake made perfect sense as it was found in all the original thirteen colonies and is (still) known as a creature best left alone to do its own snake-y stuff without interference.

Like the "Join or Die" cartoon, this flag has been used by a range of political and cultural groups, from libertarians to anti-government activists, with interpretations that vary widely depending upon who is using it at the time and what message the group is trying to advance.

July 17 - Now that the 70th Annual Water Festival is officially open for business, we want to share this gem of an image with you. Meet Benjamin Bookworm, the Beaufort County Library's entry in the 1974 Water Festival Novelty Boat Race. This cool pic is just one of hundreds hidden in the library's own archives. The back of the photo says it's an official US Marine Corps snap taken by Photographer Berryman on July 17, 1974 (#1738). But, um, who are the Marines rowing Benjamin along the Beaufort River? And, more importantly, what's the deal with "Ret SL?"

July 18 - The Summer Reading Program continues - and as Sydney notes, the BDC has considerable archaeological reports and surveys of Beaufort County properties to share in our Research Room. Perhaps we have one that covers your planned development area.

July 20 - AM Independence (Mon)Day: Francis Marion, a pivotal figure in the American Revolution, is meticulously examined by author and archaeologist Steven D. Smith. Through a multidisciplinary approach, combining documentary, material, and cultural evidence with folk and oral history traditions, Smith delves into Marion's leadership of a guerrilla band of rebels and their impact on a South Carolina community that resisted British rule and ultimately achieved independence. Francis Marion and the Snow's Island Community is available in the BDC and other SCLENDS libraries.

July 20 - PM One month to the BDC's next local history program. With the 500th anniversary of European exploration of what became the southeastern coast of North America upon us, Chris Allen will reprise his talk about how our area got notice on the world's map 500 and more years ago. He's got some great visuals - and his talks are always lively. Please pencil "Beaufort Before Britain" into your calendars for Thursday, August 20 at Hilton Head Branch. The program will begin at 2 PM.

July 21 - The National Trust Weekly asked this Question of the Month in its latest newsletter: What is your favorite historic lighthouse? We think that all our BDC FB page followers should answer "Hunting Island Lighthouse" and send that answer to email@savingplaces.org. The image is from our Lucille Hasell Culp Digital Collection.

July 22 - AM Happy National Hot Dog Day! Sydney dug up a retro ad from the June 30, 1960 Beaufort Gazette and we're dying over the olives on hot dogs - no thanks! I prefer a mustard and slaw, Sydney's all about horseradish and raw onions, and Cassi's a fan of mustard, sauerkraut, and French's crunchy onions. What about you? What's your hot dog style?

July 22 - PM "Black History Note": Laura Towne, a Pioneering Educator of Freed People at Penn School (1825-1901). Read a brief essay and explore online resources and materials from the BDC and BCL Branches to learn more about this influential local figure during Reconstruction and beyond. PS: It has been our practice to update the content we post on the BDCBCL blog at least once every three years.

July 23 -  AM You have until 31 July to earn the Revealing the Revolution car sticker and challenge coin as part of the Library's America250 program that the BDC and our friends of the Beaufort County Historical Society have devised - and to complete your Summer Reading Program game sheet that the Library system put together. Don't delay. Get cracking on these fun tasks today!

July 23 - PM Optimizing storage is a deliberate process, as our staff carefully consider shelving materials, placement, and collection storage to mitigate risks and facilitate care. We are grateful to the Public Library Foundation for providing a new storage shelf, which will enable us to expand our collection within our spatial constraints. As funds become available, we will add more shelves to accommodate our growing poster and map case collections. It is worth noting that our relocation to the 2nd floor, which took 9 years and 16 days to materialize, has enabled us to optimize our space utilization. Looking ahead, our future leadership will need to reassess our space allocation to ensure continued growth and efficiency.

BTW: We are very happy for Deputy Director Chuck Atkinson's handyman skills in getting it put together and in place for us.

July 24 - AM In celebration of National Dance Day on Tuesday, we are highlighting the remarkable contributions of Byrne Miller, who brought her passion for modern dance to Beaufort, South Carolina in 1969. The Byrne Miller Collection showcases her dedication to teaching and the arts, with the majority of the collection focused on her dance-related activities. To learn more about the contents of the collection, please contact us at bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6468.

July 24 -PM Pencil this local history program into your calendars for August 24th. 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 at Beaufort Branch beginning at 2 PM. We are very pleased to have the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce as a co-sponsor of this session.

July 25 - Before the Water Festival wraps up tomorrow, I've got a poem to share that'll get you in the mood for some water-filled fun! Edith Bannister Dowling's 'Water Festival' poem from her 1970 book A Patchwork of Poems about South Carolina is a real treat. Back then, the festival was just a chill weekend in mid-July (if that's even possible in our climate) but now it's a whole 10-day extravaganza from July 17-26!

Water Festival

The Angels are Blue,

Beaufort heavens are, too,

And our Bay, this big Water weekend.

Swift skiers -- Greek gods;

Speed boats -- hottest rods;

All these, with the proud Parade, blend

To make magic marine;

And then each lovely Queen,

Is divine, at that ball of a Ball:

So from water, and air,

Comes a show rich and rare:

Have fun, guests and townsfolk and all!

Check out copies of A Patchwork of Poems from the Local History sections - or come to the Research Room to explore our many poetry related materials. Looking for a place to start, Sydney offers guidance in Connections.

July 26 - Just a gentle reminder: The BDC's involvement with the "Revealing the Revolution" Historic Marker Challenge ends on Friday. Please get your game sheets into one of our ballot boxes at the Branch Libraries by 5 pm on July 31. The car stickers and challenge coins earned by successful completion of the game sheets will be mailed to you from the Beaufort County Historical Society in August.

BTW: Summer Reading happens to end that date and time as well. The dinosaur game sheets need to be returned to the circulation desks at the Branch Libraries. Please "No dinosaurs in our star-spangled ballot boxes."

July 27 - Independence (Mon)Day: Author John Jakes moved to Hilton Head Island in 1978. This was shortly after the publication of volume 6 The Warriors of the Kent Family Chronicles (8 volumes in all) that he wrote in honor of the nation's Bicentennial.

The Kent Family Chronicles sold a whopping 50 million copies in the 1970s - and it cemented my love of reading historical novels and then fact-checking them (which I still do for historical novels I read and movies I watch sometimes to the amusement of my family members, friends and work colleagues). Volume 1 The Bastard and Volume 2 The Rebels focus on Phillip Kent's life as he crosses paths with historical figures of the Revolution.

You can borrow the individual titles of the Kent Family Chronicles from other SCLENDS libraries or from Hoopla. Because these books had absolutely nothing to do with Beaufort, SC, the BDC does not have any copies to share ... but we can share information about the author through our holdings.

We have a vertical file about him - Jakes, John William (1932-2023) - with lots of clippings about his illustrious and productive career and lifelong support for libraries and a DVD of his 1993 interview with the PBS series Writer's Circle that runs about 30 minutes in the Research Room. You can borrow a copy of the Writer's Circle DVD from the local history sections at Beaufort and Hilton Head branches.

The Lowcountry Room at Hilton Head Branch Library was renamed in May 2026 in honor of Jakes and Jonathan Daniels, founder of the Island Packet newspaper.

July 28 - Today, we commemorate the 280th birthday of Thomas Heyward, Jr., Beaufort District's esteemed patriot who signed the Declaration of Independence. Notably, he was also a plantation owner, attorney, and judge, with a complex legacy that included owning enslaved individuals. Learn more about his life and legacy on our BDCBCL blog.

July 29 - "Black History Note" Wednesday: We just updated the Mitchelville bibliography on the BDCBCL: Resource Guides and Archival Collections Finding Aids blog.

July 30 - Another check off my retirement to-do list: I got all the bibliographical blog posts on BDCBCL: Links, Lists, and Finding Aids last checked in 2023, updated last week. Besides the posts about Sweetgrass Baskets, Laura Towne, and Mitchelville already mentioned this month, I edited the bibliographies about John Barnwell, Clara Barton, and that High Sheriff Lowcountry Witch Doctor, J.E. McTeer. I changed the list of Family Surnames vertical files post to be ADA compliant. I edited the "About the Beaufort District Collection" page as well. I'm still behind with the BDCBCL posts last updated in the first half of 2024 - and I'll try to get current with the 2024 updates before I leave but I make no promises. Updating those may well be delayed until the BDC has a new crew of 3.

July 31 - AM Today is the final call for "Revealing the Revolution." Get those game sheets returned by 5 PM this afternoon!

July 31 - PM It's another Beaufort District Red Letter Local History Day. Robert Barnwell Rhett famously stated, "If you value your rights, you must resist," launching the 1844 Bluffton Movement that catalyzed South Carolina's path to secession. Learn about this fire-eater and the political movement he spurred in our Connections blog.