Our Blog has Moved!

It seems fitting that as we have relocated, so has our blog. Please find us now on Wordpress:

New Wordpress Blog site

You can also access the new blog through the SCPC home page:

SCPC Home

Our New Digs

Take a gander at our new arena of activity! As you'll see, we're actually still moving in -- and the building is still getting its finishing touches. But to give you an idea, here are some shots from around the block:

The temporary chaos as you enter our processing space! Staff offices are arranged along the far wall...

Our new processing space with staff and students already hard at work!

A partial view of our new reading room...

Some of our 'knick-knacks'...

Our future exhibit space on the main floor is still a glorified storage closet...but with potential.

We added "art racks" in the stacks on which to store our framed items and other hanging things...


Our pristine stack level sports new electronic mobile shelving....

Joy of Joys!! WE CAN DRINK THE WATER!!

Memories of Politics Past

The current issue of Statehouse Report included this photo with the challenge:

Not only will you find a former governor in this photo after a South Carolina hunt, but if you look closely enough, you'll spy the guy who wrote today's "My Turn" commentary in the second row at the far right.

Here's our description:

South Carolina Governor Robert E. McNair (standing, third from left) takes a break from the challenges he encountered as the state's top executive in the tumultuous 1960s. His overarching interest was the advancement of South Carolina in all areas of his responsibility such as education, industrial development, promotion of tourism, and the improvement of the quality of life for all in the state. Many of his challenges were related to the civil rights movement, which he faced resolutely and with a moderate tone, in contrast to the more adamant states' rights views of most other southern governors. Here, though, he enjoys some down time with his hunting buddies at a cabin in Belmont in 1967.

To find out more about Robert E. McNair, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo and caption originally appeared in the June 4, 2010 issue of Statehouse Report.

Memories of Politics Past

This week,Statehouse Report pondered, "Boy, the guys liked their hats a few years back. Figure out yet who the guy in the middle was and what he was doing about the time this photo was taken (hit the rewind button for about 52 years)."

And the answer is...

Before Fritz Hollings was a U.S. Senator, he was Lt. Governor and Governor of South Carolina (1955-1963). In this classic shot taken Feb. 5, 1958, Lt. Governor Hollings stands with T.C. Bannister, Jr., and R. Sundberg at the Bowater Pulp Mill in Catawba, S.C., prior to the mill’s start up. Hollings successfully ran for governor later in 1958. As Lt. Governor, Hollings was known for pursuing industrial interests for the state — something he continued as governor.

To find out more about Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo and caption originally appeared in the May 28, 2010 issue of Statehouse Report.

Goodbye, College Street!

Well, looks like the move is complete...sort of. All our collections and office material have been transferred to the Hollings Library, but the certificate of occupancy is still caught up in some red tape. We should be able to do some unpacking in the interim, however.

The warehouse: Awaiting the movers...

As I type, the fantastic library moving guys are waiting for their last truck to arrive to pick up the last of their gear; then they'll be off and away, too.

The warehouse: Debbie through the shelving after the movers finished...

The old warehouse is looking a bit sad. We are leaving our buddies Tim and Don alone here as the microfilming department will be the only active office at the College Street location. There's still storage for the University's records management material and McKissick Museum, but SCPC's shelves are now empty.

We'll be posting pictures of our new digs as we unpack and do some settling in. We think you'll be amazed at the stark difference in the locations. And, oh, how we're looking forward to WINDOWS!

OUR NEW HOME

The Move Has Begun!

Off loading at the new library













There is excitement in the air at SCPC! The hustle and bustle of carts, boxes, and movers can be seen and heard throughout the Pearle warehouse today. As I type, the movers are loading up our filing cabinets right in front of me! Officially, SCPC's move to the Hollings Library commenced yesterday and continues throughout this week. With an expert team from National Library Relocations on site, SCPC and her collections are in good hands as they make their way up to their new home. Having weathered a few minor setbacks and a bit of rain yesterday, skies are clearing and SCPC is ready to move on up!

-Contributed by Debbie Davendonis Todd

Memories of Politics Past

This week,Statehouse Report asked, "First, who are the four leaders in this photo? Second, what's remarkable about two of the people in the photo?"

And the answer is...

Pictured here are four legendary figures in South Carolina politics: from left to right, James F. Byrnes, Strom Thurmond, John C. West, and Edgar Brown. Byrnes and Thurmond both served as governor and U.S. Senator; West as lieutenant governor and governor; and Brown as President Pro Tempore of the S.C. Senate for thirty years.

In 1997, Gov. West wrote of this photograph: “This picture was taken at the Carolina Cup race (1964). It is the first time Strom Thurmond and Edgar Brown had a picture together since Thurmond defeated Brown in the 1954 senatorial election as a write-in candidate. Of significance also is the appearance of former Gov. Byrnes, who supported Strom in 1954 despite his friendship with Edgar — including serving as best man in Edgar’s wedding.”

To find out more about John West, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo and caption originally appeared in the May 14, 2010 issue of Statehouse Report.

Movin' On Up!

We are pleased to report that the move to our new building will begin next week, ahead of schedule! The next couple of weeks will be a bit unpredictable for research queries and visits, but you can try to reach us at 803-777-0578, or email us at SCPC@mailbox.sc.edu.

We will continue to keep the blog updated as we know more about our schedule, and we hope you will visit us once we're settled in our new home.

Memories of Politics Past

This week, Statehouse Report asked, "Remember the name of the guy waving?"


And the answer is...


State Senator Donald Holland of Kershaw County served in the S.C. House (1951-54 and 1957-64), as a S.C. District Highway Commissioner (1964-68), and in the S.C. Senate (1968-2003). Holland, at different times, represented constituents in Kershaw, Chesterfield, Darlington, Lancaster, Lee, Marlboro, and York counties. On his death in 2003, John C. West said of his friend and colleague, "I have never seen a man as honest, with more integrity, with more dedication, than Donald Holland...he had that dedication to the people which characterized his life. He was just a model public servant."

To find out more about Don Holland, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo with caption originally appeared in the May 7, 2010 issue of Statehouse Report.

Friday hours altered by graduations!!

SCPC will close at 11am this Friday, May 7th. Staff will be off site attending graduation ceremonies. We will re-open at 1pm but beware, our parking lot likely will be inaccessible due to USC's 3pm graduation ceremony at Colonial Life Arena. Traffic will be extremely heavy (read: gridlocked) on surrounding streets from 1-6pm.

Memories of Politics Past

This week, Statehouse Report asked,"Remember this Pioneer?"


And the answer is...

Harriet Keyserling, a Democrat and self-proclaimed “New York Jewish liberal,” represented District 124, Beaufort County, in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1977 until her retirement in 1993. Mrs. Keyserling was a tireless advocate of the arts, of education, and of the protection of the environment from nuclear waste and other energy hazards. Highly respected by other legislators, she was once described by former Governor Richard W. Riley as “more given to quiet research, serious conversation, and careful organization - and less to the smoke-filled-room politics of much big talk and little listening.” Her memoir, Against the Tide, presents fascinating insights into how government works, and fails to work.

To find out more about Keyserling, check out her collection or contact us.

Photo with caption originally appeared in the April 30, 2010 issue of Statehouse Report.

Memories of Politics Past

This week, Statehouse Report asked,"Where in the world were these two?"



And the answer is...

Robert Ashmore, U.S. Representative for South Carolina’s 4th District, risks running afoul of the authorities as he steps out of the American Sector of Berlin in 1964. His devoted and amused wife, “Billy,” wishes him well in whatever detainment the future holds for him.

To find out more about Ashmore, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo with caption originally appeared in the April 23, 2010 issue of Statehouse Report.

Mixed Bag

As we prepare for our move to the Hollings Special Collections Library, our staff has been compiling a list of the things we will miss, and not miss, in leaving the “Pearle” building, our home since we were established in 1991. Pearle is located behind the Colonial Life Arena, 7 blocks below Thomas Cooper Library. Our warehouse started life as home to a Pearle Vision warehouse, and we share it with McKissick Museum storage, holdings of the South Caroliniana Library and its Microfilming operation, manned by Tim Bright and Don Turner.

We will miss:

· Our daily interaction with Tim and Don.
· We will miss the handy parking right outside our door.
· The delightful walks downhill from our visits up to Campus.
· The “endless wall space” which allows us to hang just about anything, including the Kate Salley Palmer car hood and really large Hollings and Spence campaign signs.
· A few special events held at the Arena – the Circus, which takes over our parking lot for a week and allows us to get up close and personal with the tigers, elephants, etc.; the monster trucks rumbling in our ears while we work; and the partying pre-Buffett-concert parrotheads.

We won’t miss many more things:

· Windowless environment. Everyone hates not having windows.

· Poor insulation. We often are either hot or cold.

· We can’t drink the water here; it is high in both lead and iron.

· Finding us is a challenge: no more waving down visitors in the street.

· The dreaded walk UP to Thomas Cooper Library.

· The plumbing-challenged bathrooms.

· Pulling boxes can be challenging with our awkward warehouse ladders and shelves that hold six 45-pound cartons each, two deep.
· The list goes on…

Memories of Politics Past

This week, Statehouse Report asked, "What are these guys doing?"


And the answer is...

In 1969, U.S. Senator “Fritz” Hollings embarked on a crusade to bring attention to the prevalence of hunger among South Carolina’s poor. With the help of I. DeQuincey Newman (pictured here in his trademark derby hat) and other local leaders, Hollings toured the poorest areas throughout the state. He focused national attention on “bleak, hunger and hovel-housing amidst disease and ignorance.” Journalist Lee Bandy praised Hollings’ courage in confronting this politically risky issue-- "If political awards for courage were available, Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, D-S.C., would certainly be in line for such an honor today" (The State, c. Feb. 1969). Hollings’ first book, The Case Against Hunger, was published in 1970 and details the cost of hunger.

To find out more about Hollings, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo with caption originally appeared in the April 16, 2010 issue of the Statehouse Report.

Memories of Politics Past

This week, Statehouse Report asked, "Who's on the stump?"

And the answer is...

William Jennings Bryan Dorn was a spell binding speaker. In 1938, at the young age of twenty-two, Dorn was elected to the South Carolina House. Two years later he won election to the state Senate. He represented Carolina’s Third District in the United States Congress for thirteen terms between 1948 and 1974. During an era known for stump speeches and political rallies built around barbeque and catfish stew, Dorn knew you had captured your audience if you could make the man stirring the pot put up his ladle.

To find out more about Dorn, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo with caption originally appeared in the April 9, 2010 issue of the Statehouse Report.

Another look at Olin D. Johnston

Have you ever seen one of these?

Do you know what they're called?

Maybe you played with one growing up while sniffing around your mom, dad, or grandparent's desk?

We like to call them "pop-up" directories or something similar.

Turns out, they are Bates List Finders. Olin D. Johnston had them on his desk as a U.S. Senator, and they are easy and surprisingly fun to use. You just move the arrow to a desired letter, press the tab at the bottom, and "whoosh!", up goes the cover to reveal the people you seek.

Of course, his collection here at SCPC has a whole lot more to offer. If you have a research topic focusing on the 1940s through early 1960s, you might find the Johnston finding aid worth a look. Johnston was a Senator from 1945 until his death in 1965. He was also Governor of SC from 1935-1939 and 1943-1945.

In the Senate, he was a member and chair of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee and a member of the Judiciary Committee, and his papers reflect his leadership in those areas. Johnston was also known as a friend to the farmer and laborer. From his finding aid: "In the Senate, Johnston was a staunch advocate of public power, parity programs for farmers, a broad strong social security program, and the provision of lunches to needy school children."

Most of the documents in his collection (like speeches, legislative files, and press releases) focus on his Senatorial service but we also have one box of Gubernatorial material, as well as campaign files and personal correspondence, such as several folders of sweet letters between Johnston and his wife Gladys in the early years of their marriage.

Memories of Politics Past

Statehouse Report included a new feature this week. Every Friday, they will highlight a photograph from our collections and challenge their readers to brush up on some history.

This week, Statehouse Report asked, "Guess who this guy was and why he made political history."

And the answer is...

Charlie Boineau – the first Republican elected to the General Assembly since Reconstruction, shown at his desk. When Boineau (1923-2005) won a special election to represent Richland County in 1961, conservative icon Barry Goldwater wrote him: "You will go down in history as the first Republican to crack the solid ranks of Democrats in South Carolina, and some day, whether you know it or not, your victory will mark the turning point in not only the political but the economic direction of your state." Boineau was unable to hold his seat in the 1962 general election, but his victory was a milestone in the growth of the Republican Party in South Carolina.


To find out more about Boineau, check out his collection or contact us.

Photo with caption originally appeared in the April 2, 2010 issue of the Statehouse Report.

Hollings Library Update

Herb and I visited SCPC's new home, the Hollings Library, on Wednesday for a little photo shoot. Here's one of the shots from our new stacks. We're standing between rows 52 and 53. We have 75 rows total--we're looking forward to the compact shelving!

Check out SCPC's processing space. This is our main room where staff and students will arrange and describe collections and prepare exhibits and be generally happy at the state of things. Look at the beautiful afternoon light streaming through the windows. (Our current home lacks windows. )

And look...here I am standing in front of my office -- an actual office with a closet and a window and a door and walls.


And finally, this is the south view of the Hollings Library. Under the overhang is the large events room on the main level.

We're all looking forward to May!

SCPC Welcomes Dr. Browder and 'Stealth Reconstruction'

"We chose the title -‘Stealth Reconstruction’-because it seems an intriguing and logical approach for studying overlooked leaders and their service in Southern and national history. Also our main concept-‘stealth politics’- is simply apt, evocative of the ‘quiet, bi-racial politics’ that challenged and changed the traditional Southern political life during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.”

-Authors Glen Browder and Artemesia Stanberry in Stealth Reconstruction: An Untold Story of Racial Politics in Recent Southern History

Dr.Glen Browder, a former Alabama congressman and a native South Carolinian, returned to South Carolina for a talk and book signing for his latest book, Stealth Reconstruction. SCPC co-sponsored the event with the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the Statehouse Report on Tuesday, March 9th at the State House Auditorium in Columbia. Myself, Gabby Dudley, and our Director, Herb Hartsook, attended the event.

Dr. Browder was introduced by his friend and former colleague, Liz Patterson. Ms. Patterson, no stranger to politics herself, served in both the South Carolina Senate, 1979-1986, and the US House of Representatives, 1987-1993, alongside Dr. Browder. He spoke to an intimate crowd including members of the South Carolina Legislature. Browder talked candidly about his research and his life as he himself practiced ‘stealth politics’ in his career as Alabama’s Secretary of State, a member of the Alabama Legislature and a US Congressman.

It was a pleasure listening to Dr. Browder’s presentation and meeting his lovely wife, Becky. His book, Stealth Reconstruction is available from NewSouth books. Dr. Browder is also the author of The South's New Racial Politics: Inside the Race Game of Southern History. We hear Dr. Browder has another book in the works and we would love to have him back in South Carolina to present again!

- By Debbie Davendonis Todd and Gabby Dudley