South Carolina Political Collections

Our Blog has Moved!

2010-06-09T09:57:00.011-04:00

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

2010-06-08T16:46:00.022-04:00

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

2010-06-04T10:50:00.012-04:00

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

2010-05-28T12:55:00.024-04:00

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!

2010-05-21T11:21:00.011-04:00

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!

2010-05-18T09:25:00.010-04:00

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

2010-05-14T16:56:00.003-04:00

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!

2010-05-13T10:27:00.004-04:00

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

2010-05-07T14:19:00.009-04:00

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!!

2010-05-05T14:41:00.003-04:00

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

2010-04-30T14:56:00.006-04:00

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

2010-04-23T14:06:00.005-04:00

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

2010-04-21T10:08:00.045-04:00

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

2010-04-16T14:00:00.017-04:00

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

2010-04-09T14:15:00.005-04:00

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

2010-04-08T16:25:00.003-04:00

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

2010-04-02T15:30:00.015-04:00

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

2010-03-26T13:41:00.018-04:00

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'

2010-03-18T09:09:00.033-04:00

"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

The Final Countdown!

2010-03-02T13:25:00.027-05:00

March is here (cold and rainy though it may be) and with its arrival comes the realization that we are moving next month! Goodbye sweet Pearle Warehouse; hello brand new, clean, safe Hollings Library.

At the end of April, SCPC will shut down for a few days (specific dates TBA just as soon as we know for sure) and emerge ready for business in the new Hollings Library attached to Thomas Cooper. Check out up-to-date pics of the construction.

Here is our countdown chain (of sorts) to the day we hope the move starts. Rare Books, with whom we'll share the Hollings Library, will go first; we follow them.

In the meantime, we are busily prepping all that we've collected over the years so that the move is as easy as possible. We're labeling, ordering, gathering, inventorying, assessing, and many other "ings."

Here, we've brought together objects that might go on display in the new building...

This means emptier shelves elsewhere like in our reading room...trust me, there used to be a whole lot more on these shelves.

Our paper and AV material is all safely stored away in ordered, labeled, and inventoried boxes, ready to be moved. But, we have a lot of other items that defy placement in mere boxes and tend to spread themselves around the warehouse without telling us! To combat this, we have created "Scrapbookville," "Oversizedfolderland," "Knick-Knack Alley" and "Art Rack Lane" (here, a wall slowly empties, as items move to Art Rack Lane).

Other items resist this level of organization, understandably. A car hood. Massive political signs. Banners. It's a lot to move! But rest assured, it will all get moved safely, and soon you'll be able to visit us and all of our valued material in our new, roomy, temp-controlled, and environmentally-friendly space.

Looking forward to the end of April! Continue to keep those fingers crossed.

Facebook

2010-02-12T13:52:00.003-05:00

We have a Facebook page!

Check us out and become a fan to keep updated with our latest news.

Life's a Circus

2010-02-09T10:21:00.007-05:00

Well, the Circus has come and gone for another year.

As many of you know, each year the circus comes to the Colonial Life Arena, which is situated "next door" to SCPC. Barnum & Bailey like to set up their animal camp in our parking lot, which adds interest to our days even as it keeps researchers at bay.

This year the tigers were stationed directly outside our door, and Herb took some snaps...

And here's a white one...

We understand there was a slight mishap at one of the shows involving an elephant, but apparently no news is good news where the tigers are concerned. They must have been on their best behavior.

Next year we'll be in our new building without our ring-side seat!

Cheese Day 2010!

2010-01-29T10:02:00.032-05:00

The staff of SCPC and Tim and Don of SCL gathered for our 7th Annual Observance of National Cheese Day on Tuesday, Jan. 26th. What is Cheese Day, you ask? Well, at the end of every January, we choose a special day to observe National Cheese Day (officially, Jan. 20th). For details of our celebration and more pictures, see last year's post.

Don and Dorothy inspect this year's selection of cheese foods, including cheese soup, assorted international cheese selections, baked mac and cheese, black bean and cheese casserole, a cheese ball, and cheese dip. In the break room, we had our desserts -- cheesecake and chocolate chip cheese ball goodness.

This year, we added a feature to Cheese Day. We put together an exhibit of cheese-related documents from a few of our collections, including Workman, Hamby, and Gasque. Here, Kate, Lori, and Virginia prep the exhibit. (and thanks to Debbie for helping choose items!) It was a hastily-constructed exhibit but next year we'll have a head start with a few of this year's items.

Pictured here from the exhibit is a 1969 State Fair
Centennial Cookbook containing a recipe for Cheese Pie. Yum! Hamby and her firm, Bradley, Graham, and Hamby, worked on the State Fair ad campaign that year.

AND FINALLY
The annual playing of "The Big Cheese: Official Indoor Sport of National Cheese Day" closes out festivities (created by Laura Koser Christiansen, a former graduate assistant at SCPC).

Herb tosses out the Big Cheese to start the game while Debbie and Gabby look on.

Gabby has the final throw of her Gruyere playing piece but looks like it's Limburger that is closest to the Big Cheese while Bleu, Cheddar, and Gouda look on in defeat.

For next year's Cheese Day, we'll celebrate in our new home, the Hollings Library. We hope to convince our fellow Hollings Library and Thomas Cooper Library denizens to join in the festivities! Hopefully the flooring in our new space will allow for playing of our beloved "The Big Cheese."

Last exhibit before we move!

2010-01-25T09:42:00.014-05:00

We recently put up our last exhibit in the East Gallery at Thomas Cooper. (The gallery is just inside the front doors to the left.) After May, we'll move to our beautiful new gallery in the Hollings Library!

“South Carolina Governors” offers a snapshot into the administrations of 11 men who have led our fair state since 1935. They are: Olin D. Johnston, George Bell Timmerman, Fritz Hollings, Donald Russell, Robert McNair, John West, James Edwards, Richard Riley, Carroll Campbell, Jr., James Hodges, and finally, Mark Sanford.

On the left we have one of Campbell's royal blue re-election t-shirts and the top notecard from a 1991 speech of his. On the right you'll see a colorful copy of Jim Hodges' second State of the State Address and some of Mark Sanford's campaign materials.

By February, there will be a video accompanying the exhibit, showing a few minutes of speeches, interviews, etc. of each governor at work (drawn from archival footage held by SCPC and Newsfilm Collections here at USC).

And FYI, many of these collections are open to research. Check out the finding aids for the collections of: Olin D. Johnston, George Bell Timmerman, Fritz Hollings, Donald Russell, Robert McNair, and John West.

SCPC closed Jan. 18th

2010-01-15T13:22:00.003-05:00

SCPC will be closed on Monday, January 18th, for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We'll re-open on Tuesday!

Cheese!

2010-01-14T10:49:00.016-05:00

The 3 delicious recipes shown here (Peanut-Cheese Loaf, anyone?) are from a 1950 "Family Fare" bulletin of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The cover is stamped "From the Office of Olin D. Johnston U.S. Senator." The technicolor cookbook cover on the left is from 1972. It did not arrive via collection; rather, someone gave it to us because they knew of our annual cheese observance, if I recall correctly.

On that note...

SCPC is starting the year off right with our 7th annual observance of National Cheese Day on Tuesday, Jan. 26th. A little camaraderie, everyone? One of our student alums now at Clemson, Virengia Houston, tells us that the good archivists/librarians up there will be celebrating on the actual National Cheese Day, Jan. 19th. Aside from Clemson, alums and family members have started celebrations elsewhere including Norfolk, Atlanta, and Kansas City!

If you'd like to drop by our Pearle Warehouse at noon on the 26th and join in the fun, you are welcome. We always have visitors for this event. Just let us know you're coming! Participants are asked to bring a food that contains a cheese element. We will eat, chat, and then play "The Big Cheese," a game similar to bocce and created by a former student assistant here, Laura.

To get an idea of the merriment, check out last year's celebration.

Out in the Cold; No Fire for Warmth

2010-01-08T15:08:00.013-05:00

This morning around 10 a.m. the subtle and reassuring fire alarm blared garishly through the old warehouse, gently warning us that we needed to hasten out to the parking lot. Of course, this week Columbia is experiencing some of its coldest weather so far this winter, and the temperature in the parking lot was maybe 35 at the time, punctuated by a lovely whipping wind. Here you can see Gabby, Lori, and Kate bundled up against the elements...

In a few minutes, the Campus Police arrived to start searching the building for any actual cause for the alarm to blare so insistently. As we waited, a small squad from the Fire Department arrived in a baby fire truck. We figured they saw the alarm was coming from 720 College Street and said, "Oh, it's them again. The Pearle Building always sends out false alarms. Break out the baby engine..."

Don't get us wrong, we greatly appreciate the Campus Police and the Columbia Fire Department. It was just kind of humorous to see the little stubby engine arrive. Eventually, we got the all-clear; no fire today, thank you. And it took no time at all for the denizens of SCPC to trample back inside to the relative warmth of our dear old drafty warehouse. Ah. Good times.

2009...A Year In Review

2010-01-04T13:23:00.021-05:00

Look what happened at SCPC this year...

Rapid progress in construction of the Hollings Special Collections Library
We should move in April. Cross your fingers! Soon, we will be only a short walk across an enclosed bridge to Thomas Cooper Library, our library colleagues, and potential researchers (in the form of the thousands of undergrad students who inhabit Cooper Library each day)! Check out more pictures.

Processing
For our fine and valued researchers, we put online many new or revised finding aids, including the papers of Lester Bates, Barbara Moxon, Charles Appleby, Robert Hemphill, and Bruce Littlejohn. Counting the collections brought in this year, we are incredibly close to that magic number of 100 collections.

Researchers
We welcomed researchers from far and wide. Along with researchers from our own university and from universities around the Southeast, we had students from England for extended stays and two political scientists from California State University, Channel Islands who were awarded the William Jennings Bryan Dorn Research Award. Of course, we also helped many folks via phone and email.

Student Assistants
We love our student assistants (funded through endowed support), and SCPC would not function well without them. This year, they helped with researchers, research requests, arrangement and description of collections, and many more tasks, always with great attitudes all around. Our students in 2009 were:

*Graduate students Debbie Todd, Gabrielle Dudley, Virginia Blake, Julie Milo, and Allison Hughes. -- We said goodbye to Allison (pictured above with Herb Hartsook, SCPC boss) and Julie (pictured below with Debbie in their workroom) in the summer. They graduated with an MLIS and took positions in Atlanta and Florida, respectively. We get to keep Debbie, Gabby, and Virginia at the start of 2010 as they continue working toward their degrees.

*Undergrad Mai Nguyen graduated in December and is off to do great things like attending law school. Our last undergrad went off to law school, as well. Go pre-law students!

*Graduate intern Katie Thompson of Long Island University received our 2009 Schuyler L. and Yvonne Moore Summer Internship. She spent six weeks here, processing the papers of Mary Kelly, a leading figure in the SC League of Women Voters.

Pictured here in July at Julie and Katie's farewell party, from L-R: Lori, Mai, Katie, Debbie, Julie, and Dorothy

Exhibits
We put up many exhibits in our gallery at Thomas Cooper Library, including:

A nod to the changing administration in Washington led us to set up an exhibit based on material from the collections of Ambassadors John West and David Wilkins and cabinet officers Jim Edwards and Dick Riley.
We celebrated the centennial of the NAACP by displaying material from the papers of Modjeska Simkins and I. DeQuincey Newman.
We enlightened folks about SCPC's Oral History Program.
We filled a case with memoirs and biographies written by our donors.
Holiday cards...this year's cards were sent and received by Joe Wilson.

In February, we displayed material from the Fritz Hollings Papers at the SC Book Festival in conjunction with a talk between Jack Bass and Sen. Hollings. It was one of the last of many events promoting Hollings' new book, Making Government Work. Also this year, we digitized 200 documents and audio records from the Hollings Papers and placed them online in "Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words."

Oral History
Oral History helps fill gaps in the documentary record and enriches many research experiences. This year, SCPC completed a major oral history with Jim Edwards, began a project with Joe Wilson, and continued a project with former Butler Derrick staffer John Gregory.

That completes our journey through 2009. Those were merely some of the highlights. On to 2010 and all the progress it will bring!

Holiday Schedule

2009-12-18T09:01:00.006-05:00

Please take note: SCPC will be closed for Christmas and New Year's from December 23rd through January 3rd. We will reopen on January 4th.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-23T10:52:00.009-05:00

Please take note that SCPC will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 26-27.

We will reopen on Monday, November 30.

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

A New Look at the Hemphill Papers

2009-11-12T14:53:00.015-05:00

Check out the updated finding aid for the Robert W. Hemphill collection. It highlights Hemphill's long judicial career and offers a glimpse into his 8 years in Congress. Some of his personal pursuits are also captured here, such as his involvement in the Civil Air Patrol and the Purity Presbyterian Church of Chester.

Hemphill represented South Carolina’s Fifth District in Congress from 1957 to 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Hemphill to a federal judgeship in April 1964. A distinguished jurist noted for his keen opinions and strong work ethic, Hemphill took senior status in 1980, and continued to hear cases until he suffered a massive heart attack in July 1983. He returned to work shortly before a second attack took his life on Christmas night, 1983.

Hemphill's public papers cover his seven-year tenure in Congress and his seventeen years as a federal judge. His judicial materials include his court schedules from 1964 until 1982, which provide insight into his heavy workload, and eight volumes of judicial opinions, 1969-1974, that showcase the wisdom and fairness he was known for in his courtroom.

His personal papers relate to his long involvement with the Civil Air Patrol, leadership in the Purity Presbyterian Church of Chester, and his life before embarking on a legal career in 1945. The materials from his early life consist of letters to international pen-pals, high school report cards, and invitations to organizations and other events during his collegiate years.

At the time of Hemphill's death, Chief U.S. District Judge Charles E. Simons, Jr. characterized him as “an outstanding judge of great judicial temperament, and he was one of the hardest-working people I have ever known.”

--Contributed by Gabrielle M. Dudley

Bon appétit from SCPC

2009-10-27T09:37:00.002-04:00

Fall weather is soup weather. Following is the recipe for the U.S. Senate's famous Bean Soup as provided to one of Senator Olin D. Johnston's constituents by Senate Dining Room Head Waiter Paul C. Johnson.

"Take three pounds of small Navy Pea Beans, wash and run through hot water until Beans are white again, put on the fire with four quarts of hot water - - then take one and one-half pounds of Smoked Ham Hocks, boil for two and one-half hours, braise one onion chopped in a little butter, and when light brown, put in Bean Soup. Season with salt and pepper, then serve. Do not add salt until ready to serve. (eight persons)"

Bon appetit.

Archives Month is here

2009-10-26T16:34:00.009-04:00

We are in the closing days of American Archives Month, a month-long celebration of all things archival. In honor of Archives Month, I thought now to be a good time to take a look at the resources on our website that might aid you, friend of the archive, in your research.

Digital Collections
I. DeQuincey Newman Papers -- a Methodist pastor, activist, entrepreneur, and a leading figure in the Civil Rights movement in South Carolina. His entire collection is digitized. Some documents are available online through the link above. Others may only be viewed from a computer at SCPC.

Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words --200 of Senator Hollings' writings, speeches, photographs, and audio files from his days as Lt. Governor, Governor, and U.S. Senator.

Online Exhibits
The Acerbic Pen: Editorial Cartoons from the Collections of Walt Lardner and Kate Salley Palmer. At left is a Lardner cartoon about the Hunger tours of the late 1960s and early 1970s embarked on by Senator Hollings and Governor West.

Exhibits on Robert McNair, Donald Russell, Floyd Spence, and John West

Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words -- 200 items from the Papers of Fritz Hollings

Research Guides
Civil Rights material and Women's History material at SCPC.

Bibliographies
Books written by and about our donors (like Jack Bass, Kate Salley Palmer, and C. Bruce Littlejohn)

Memoirs of U.S. Representatives and Senators.

Progress of our New Home!

2009-10-07T11:17:00.008-04:00

Construction of the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library behind Thomas Cooper Library is coming right along, as you can see from the picture above. The Hollings Library will house us (SCPC), Rare Books, and Digital Collections. We are quite excited to leave our dear Pearle Warehouse (with all of its environmental challenges) behind.

The picture looks out over the Hollings Library and to the SE where you can see all the houses nestled east of Pickens St. Notice the walkway on the left of the picture that connects the Hollings Library to Thomas Cooper. Check out many more photos of the progress.

We look forward to moving in next spring. Fingers crossed!

Environmentalists, Inc. Papers- Take Two!

2009-09-30T13:26:00.017-04:00

“There aren’t many 87 year old grandmothers like Ruth Thomas. For 35 years, Thomas has fought nuclear industry in South Carolina,” Sammy Fretwell, The State Newspaper, Dec 2, 2007

Recently, SCPC picked up a significant addition to Mrs. Thomas’ collection documenting her organization, Environmentalists, Inc. This week, myself, and the other two graduate assistants, Gabby and Virginia, completed the preliminary inventory of the materials.

As a team, we tackled the many cartons of correspondence, meeting minutes, reports and court documents, and legislation related to environmental issues. Some highlights include a play written and copyrighted by Thomas about environmental education and Thomas’ personal minutes from her group’s Sunday meetings. True to her environmental roots, Thomas seemed to take notes or write letters on just about anything from pieces of junk mail to checkbook covers! We even found items attached with clothes pins!

The preliminary inventory helps to establish both intellectual and physical control of the materials and will be the foundation for future processing activities.

-Submitted by Debbie Davendonis Todd

New Discoveries in the Gasque Papers

2009-09-23T14:01:00.016-04:00

“The next time you hear anybody say a Congressman does not have anything to do, you can just deny that fact. It is the hardest work I have undertook.” --Allard H. Gasque, March 14, 1924

Check out an updated finding aid for the Gasque Papers that includes added material and highlights documents and subject areas previously unknown to even the archivists here at SCPC.

Gasque represented SC’s 6th Congressional District. His collection is dominated by constituent correspondence from 1923 to his death in 1938. These letters provide insight into issues such as patronage, veteran’s affairs, and post office politics. The patronage letters take up the most space and show the sacristy of jobs from 1923-1938.

Much of Gasque’s mail concerns the selection of local post masters. He could select from among the three individuals scoring highest on a federal exam to fill any openings for these desirable, remunerative, and hotly contested positions. Letters of recommendations from locals highlight the political ramifications of an appointment and the political battles that waged between potential appointees. Gasque fumed over the local corruption and was frustrated by his inability to influence patronage.

Veterans, their widows and families held a special place in Gasque’s heart. Correspondence poured in from Civil War widows and from veterans of the Mexican American, Indian, Spanish American, and First World wars. Gasque supported a number of pieces of legislation to aid widows and families, as well as assisting veterans with pension claims.

Gasque suffered from heart troubles and illness throughout his career. Get well letters poured in after he suffered a major heart attack in 1935. He lost his battle with heart disease just hours after the close of the 75th Congress in 1938. His wife served his remaining term and his long time secretary, John Lanneau McMillan, was elected to Gasque's former seat and served through 1972. McMillan's papers are also held by SCPC.

--contributed by Debbie Davendonis Todd

New finding aid for the Hollings Papers

2009-09-18T15:05:00.021-04:00

The finding aid for the General and Admin files of the Ernest F. Hollings Collection is now on SCPC's website. Check it out!

The Administrative files include:

Invitations that Hollings accepted to various events, like the one pictured above.
Press office files that document operations of the press office -- files about the drafting of the Senator's book, The Case Against Hunger (1970), are in the Personal series AND all other documents created by the press office are in the Press and Media series.
Files about Hollings' state visits, town hall meetings, and other functions
Office files that document the management of Hollings' Senate office
Schedules for the Senator
and more...

The General files consist almost entirely of correspondence from his entire Senate career. Here, you'll find letters of a general nature from colleagues about service in the Senate, letters in which constituents broach multiple subjects, and letters on unusual subjects that, quite frankly, don't fit elsewhere!

SCPC Holiday Schedule

2009-09-04T10:15:00.009-04:00

SCPC will be closed on Monday, September 7th, which is of course Labor Day. We will reopen for research at 8:30 on Tuesday the 8th.

We hope all who have a long weekend will enjoy it!

SAA Annual Meeting

2009-08-10T16:19:00.004-04:00

Several SCPC staff members will be in Austin this week for the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists. Kate will be holding down the Pearl Warehouse fort, though. Don't worry!

Herb is teaching a pre-conference workshop, “Raising Private Monies to Support Archival Programs .”

Dorothy will have numerous duties as a member of the Program Committee.

This Saturday (8am!), I am speaking on a panel, “MPLP Revisited: Choosing the Right Processing Strategy for Your Repository.”

Look out Austin! The archivists are coming.

Farewell Julie and Katie!

2009-08-03T16:12:00.015-04:00

Last week, SCPC said good-bye to two outstanding students -- Julie Milo, a graduate student assistant, and Katie Thompson, our summer intern.

Hailing from Florida, Julie joined us in August, 2008. She graduates this month with her Master of Library and Information Science and is settling with her fiance in the Jacksonville area as we speak. Congratulations, Julie! While at SCPC, Julie did a superb job processing a number of collections, including the Lester Bates Papers and Charles Cecil Wyche Papers. Above, Julie poses with her friend and office-mate, Debbie, in their workspace at the Pearl Warehouse, SCPC's pristine (and soon-to-be old) home. At left is Julie with other SCPC staff at the Sept. 18, 2008, naming ceremony for the Hollings Library (opening in 2010!).

Katie joined us for the summer from Long Island University's Palmer School of Library and Information Science. During her brief but productive time here, she inventoried and processed much of the Mary Kelly Papers. This was her first effort at processing personal papers, if memory serves, and she did a fantastic job. For those who don't know, Mary Kelly was an influential member of the League of Women Voters and other organizations and dedicated much time to environmental and energy-related causes.

We were lucky to have both Julie and Katie with us. We wish them the best in their future library and archival endeavors! We also thank them for their good sense of humor. We threw them a patriotic farewell party, complete with costumes. Here we are that day. Standing with Lori, Mai, Debbie, and Dorothy, the two honorees are easy to pick out!

Guide to Hollings' Campaign Records

2009-07-17T14:51:00.011-04:00

Senator Fritz Hollings ran in quite a few elections during his fifty plus years in politics. Now, records from those campaigns and others are open to research. A guide to the materials, now online, will help you dig through the material.

The records include Hollings' successful 1950 re-election to a SC House seat, successful campaigns for lieutenant governor and governor in 1954 and 1958, failed 1962 bid for U.S. Senate, subsequent successful senatorial campaigns (1966, 1968, 1974, 1980, 1986, 1992, and 1998), and his 1984 run at the presidency.

Also included is material from the years when Hollings was not up for re-election but was aiding in the election of fellow Democrats, particularly during presidential campaign years. This includes 1960 when Hollings supported John F. Kennedy in his presidential bid (JFK carried South Carolina) and 1972 when Hollings was chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Visit SCPC today and take a look!

Congratulations!

2009-07-13T10:55:00.003-04:00

Inez Tenenbaum, formerly South Carolina's State Superintendent of Education, has been sworn in as the new chairman of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Tenenbaum was nominated by President Barack Obama and was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 23.

Above, Tenenbaum speaks at a press conference on fireworks safety on June 30.

Tenenbaum has donated her papers to South Carolina Political Collections for future research. Congratulations to her on her new post!

SCPC Closed Friday July 3rd

2009-06-30T09:58:00.003-04:00

This year the July 4th state holiday will be observed on the 3rd (as the 4th is a Saturday). As a result, SCPC and all other University Libraries special collections units will be closed on the 3rd. We will reopen for researchers on Monday, July 6th.

We hope this does not cause any serious inconvenience.

Good-bye Allison!

2009-06-15T14:26:00.020-04:00

Every so often, SCPC says good-bye to a wonderful student assistant and coworker. After two years, we're doing just that with Allison Hughes. Here, Allison posed good-naturedly for yet another photo on her last day of work. She's standing by her workspace with her giant card from all of us that chronicled her time at SCPC.

Allison joined us in August, 2007, as a graduate assistant, helping me to finish up the Ernest F. Hollings Papers. I gave her primary responsibility for processing two large series within the Papers. She took on that responsibility and excelled. Here, Allison is with (L-R) Senator Hollings, Lori, Dorothy, and Herb at the 2008 Thomas Cooper Library booksigning for Hollings' book, Making Government Work. Allison helped out at many events such as this in her two years at SCPC.

When she graduated from SLIS last December, she joined our professional staff! We knew it would be temporary but were glad to have her on board. She contributed a lot in five short months, working on several collections including the papers of both Donald Holland and C. Bruce Littlejohn and the records of the Republican Party of South Carolina. Here, at her desk on her last day, she is finishing up her work with the Republican Party records (and putting up with all the picture taking quite well). Her desk was next to the copier and the stacks, and she often had to move when we had to move around the ladder!

Allison's last day with SCPC was earlier this month. Today, she starts a full-time archives processing position in Atlanta. We wish her the best! We have been lucky at SCPC to have a number of excellent student assistants. Allison joins that group. We will all miss Allison and her contributions around here quite a lot.

Thanks, Allison!

SCPC takes a holiday on Friday, July 3rd

2009-06-02T12:13:00.007-04:00

Rest In Peace: Charles B. Weasmer

2009-05-18T09:52:00.006-04:00

SCPC lost a good friend last week with the passing of USC political science professor Charles Weasmer. After his retirement in 1987, Charles volunteered with SCPC helping to create a time log tracing events in South Carolina and on the national stage since 1945. This log is a valuable research tool used regularly by SCPC staff. It has been particularly valuable in helping us in preparing for oral history interviews. We will miss Charles’ friendly presence and expert and articulate advice.

Get Zazzled!

2009-05-05T15:13:00.014-04:00

SCPC has recently joined other USC library special collection divisions in creating products based on material among our holdings. Using the software at the Zazzle website, we can add our images and text to items such as note cards, t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, posters, mouse pads and magnets.

Please take a look at our products; you'll probably be surprised at the variety of material to be found in our collections. Check back often, as new items are added fairly frequently.

New Finding Aids for Hollings Collection

2009-04-27T10:48:00.021-04:00

More finding aids for the Ernest F. Hollings Collection are now on our website. Check them out! You'll find guides to Hollings' Gubernatorial Papers, his Personal Papers (except for his Campaign Files -- that will be up in a few weeks), and most of his Senate Papers.

For his Senate Papers (1966-2004), 3 files list every folder of legislative material and constituent correspondence -- Folder List #1 (1966-78), Folder List #2 (1979-90), and Folder List #3 (1991-2004). Aids for Press and Media, Travel Files, and Voting Record are also up.

Some documents in Press and Media are part of "Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words". Of the 200 writings, speeches, photographs, and audio files in this online exhibit, you'll find 57 articles written by Hollings for newspapers and magazines, 65 newsletters (like the partial front page of one shown above from Aug. 1976) and newsletter articles sent to South Carolinians from the late 1960s through mid-1980s, and a few press releases.

So if you can't make it down to SCPC on the USC Campus, check out some of Hollings' material online.

SCPC Parking Lot Closed Temporarily

2009-03-30T11:26:00.003-04:00

Attention Visitors and Researchers!

The parking lot at SCPC (w/ the lovely spots for patrons in front of our bright blue door) WILL BE CLOSED as of April 1st. It should reopen Thursday, April 9th.

If you need help finding a space, we might be able to give you suggestions. Give us a call at 777-0577 or 0578.

Sorry for the inconvenience but our lot is being fixed up.

Joining the Circus

2009-03-17T10:15:00.011-04:00

Again this year, during the week of March 9th, SCPC's parking lot played host to the Ringling Brothers' circus animals. Despite the inconvenience to our researchers, who aren't able to park at our door for the week, and traffic snarls caused by tiny tots being maneuvered across the streets at showtimes, the staff enjoys taking peeks outside to see which animals we have a good view of each time around. This year was a particularly good one for elephants!

We were in close proximity to some tigers, too, but it was hard to get a clear view through the fence and cages...

But the circus has moved on, and things are getting back to normal.

SCPC at the South Carolina Book Festival

2009-03-02T12:01:00.004-05:00

SCPC participated in the 13th annual South Carolina Book Festival over the weekend of February 27. The Festival celebrates the book and features South Carolina authors, publishers, and book sellers. Four SCPC donors - - Jack Bass, Fritz Hollings, Kate Salley Palmer and Nick Zeigler, were featured prominently. All spoke at the Festival and signed their books for the avid readers drawn to Columbia’s Convention Center for the event.

Hollings was the main speaker Saturday morning. He appeared with Jack Bass before over one hundred and fifty Festival patrons for a fifty minute presentation in which he reflected on a life in government. Later, he was interviewed by C-SPAN, whose bus, a mobile studio, visited the Festival for the second year in a row.

SCPC was given a booth at the Festival for a well-received exhibit of the Hollings Collection. Hundreds saw the exhibit, which showcased materials from the collection and Lori Schwartz’s new electronic publication - - Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words, which features over two hundred speeches, press releases, op ed columns, and other items from the Hollings Collection presenting Hollings’ thoughts on government and politics. It is hoped this publication will be welcomed by those interested in Hollings’ career as well as public school teachers using primary materials in their classrooms. Hollings continues to talk and write on government.

Recent writings are available at his web site - - http://www.citizensforacompetitiveamerica.com/.

Hollings to Speak at SC Book Festival

2009-02-19T13:50:00.022-05:00

On Sat., Feb. 28th, at 10am at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in the Vista, Senator Fritz Hollings will speak about his career and his book, Making Government Work, published by the USC Press in 2008. Jack Bass will serve as interviewer, much as he did for Hollings' talk and book signing at the State Museum last fall. Afterwards, Hollings will sign copies of Making Government Work in the Exhibit Hall.

The above candid shot of Hollings with fellow Senators Frank Lautenberg and James Exon during Budget Committee hearings, c.1987, is one of many photos in the book.

Staff from SCPC will be exhibiting documents, photographs, and memorabilia from the Hollings Papers at the USC Press Booth #101 in the Exhibit Hall on Saturday and Sunday. Stop by and take a look!

The Book Festival is the latest in a series of events promoting the Senator's book. Following the rousing success of the first book signing at Thomas Cooper Library last June, Hollings signed in Washington, D.C., at The Citadel in Charleston, the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, DeBordieu Colony Country Club in Georgetown, the Florence County Public Library, and the SC State Museum.

Civil Rights Resources

2009-02-03T10:00:00.015-05:00

In honor of Black History Month, we would like to throw the spotlight on our Civil Rights research guide webpage. From the SCPC home page, this guide can be found by following the left-hand "Resources" navigational link and then clicking on "Supplementary Resources." This page is intended to present researchers and more casual browsers with auxiliary material concerning the issues we document and the nature of the material we collect.

Currently on the Supplementary Resources page, we have a link to a selection of Articles relating to our collections and a link to our new Research Topics. The topical pages suggest SCPC collections (and, when applicable, some at USC's Caroliniana Library) that might be of interest to those working in particular subject areas. The suggestions are not meant to be exhaustive, but should prove helpful to researchers who are interested in particular subject areas such as civil rights.

There will be more of these resources as we develop them, and we plan on a topical page for women's history in the near future. We sincerely hope these new resources will prove useful to the researcher and of general interest to the casual browser.

Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words

2009-02-02T16:40:00.015-05:00

We're proud to announce the completion of “Fritz Hollings: In His Own Words,” a digitized collection of 200 items chosen from the Papers of Senator Ernest F. Hollings, representing his service to South Carolina as Lt. Governor, Governor, and U.S. Senator.

Speeches, letters-to-the-editor, newsletters, and newspaper and magazine articles are supplemented by 11 audio excerpts and numerous photographs of the Senator at press conferences, on the Senate floor, and in Senate committee meetings and hearings (like the one above of the Senator talking at a crowded Senate Finance Committee hearing, July 17, 1985).

Through these items, those unfamiliar with Hollings’ career and accomplishments can discover his intellect, unflinching honesty, and sense of humor – qualities that often captivated his colleagues, the press, and his constituents…whether they agreed with him or not.

Visitors may search through the material in a number of ways. They may do a keyword search of all the items OR pull up a list of all items from a specific decade OR pull up all documents of a certain type (like articles or letters or audio excerpts). They can also visit a page with over 200 subject terms. You want to know if any of the 200 items talks about NOAA or footwear or Voodoo Economics? Well, the subjects page will tell you.

To view these items, visit: http://sc.edu/library/digital/collections/hollings.html.

Cheese Day 2009!

2009-01-29T13:51:00.023-05:00

The staff of SCPC and Tim and Don of SCL gathered for our 6th Annual Observance of National Cheese Day last Thursday, Jan. 22nd. On a cold day at the end of every January, we bring delicious cheese dishes to share, decorate our breakroom with cheese-y decorations, put on a cheese-y cd, play our cheese game, "The Big Cheese," and enjoy good conversation, all in the name of cameraderie and cheese. Take a look below at some of the day's highlights.

Here we are preparing for the festivities. Note the "Corpse of Milk" book of original cheese poetry (held by Kate), compiled by Kristi Castro, a former student and staff member; the "Big Cheese" game (held by Lori) crafted and created by Laura Koser, another former student and staffer; and lastly, the official Cheese Day sign, made by Craig Keeney, one of Cheese Day's founders, in 2004.

L-R: (standing) Lori, Debbie, Herb, Diane, Dorothy, Don, Kate; (crouching) Julie and Allison [Tim was taking the picture!]

Here's our spread of food. On the table was ham and cheese pasta, mac and cheese, cheese-y potatoes, cheese tasties (scone-like), cheese and pineapple pizza, cheese and crackers, mozzarella and ricotta fritters, chocolate chip cheese dip with graham cracker sticks, cherry cheese pudding, and cheesecake! mmm...mm.

The last element of the festivities is the playing of "The Big Cheese"...

Debbie (pictured here having just released her cheese playing piece) and Allison emerged as victorious. In a playoff, Debbie won and was crowned, "The Big Cheese."

As proof we take "The Big Cheese" seriously, Herb is pictured here measuring (with Lori as the second official) to determine which cheese is closest to "The Big Cheese" playing piece. The person whose cheese is closest gets 3 points so we have to be accurate!

Feel free to comment below.

Forming a New Government

2009-01-16T15:25:00.005-05:00

Just in time for Inauguration Day, we have mounted a new exhibit titled "Forming a New Government."

One of the first and most important tasks facing a new president-elect is selecting nominees for Cabinet and ambassadorial positions. Four prominent presidential appointees, whose papers are held by SCPC, are represented in the exhibit:

John West, ambassador to Saudi Arabia under President Carter;

Jim Edwards, Secretary of Energy under President Reagan;

Dick Riley, Secretary of Education under President Clinton (shown above);

and David Wilkins, ambassador to Canada under President George W. Bush.

The exhibit will be on display in the East Gallery of Thomas Cooper Library until March 31.

Power in Government

2009-01-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

Government is fascinating and few know it better than those elected officials who, through ability, ambition, and tenure, rise to occupy leadership positions in Congress. Butler Derrick was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1975 and eventually became the Chief Deputy Majority Whip. He was viewed as the leadership's key link to the moderate and conservative Democratic wing. One of my favorite quotes is from Derrick, in which he reflected -- "Power in a legislative body is not just conferred on you; it's years and years of building relationships, where people know you stand by your word." At the time of his retirement in 1995, Derrick was considered one of the ten most influential members of Congress.

Holiday Schedule at SCPC

2008-12-15T11:08:00.008-05:00

Please take note: SCPC will be closed for Christmas and New Year's from December 24th through January 4th. We will reopen on January 5th.

"Christmas on the Potomac"

2008-12-01T16:20:00.018-05:00

Please go to the East Gallery on the ground floor of Thomas Cooper Library to see SCPC's Christmas card exhibit. This year's theme is presidential greetings, and we have included a variety of cards sent by presidents from Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson to Clinton and Bush. The exhibit will be on display from December 1st through January 15, 2009.
Merry Christmas!

Two New Finding Aids Online: Edgar & Ann Morris and Charles Wickenberg

2008-11-13T11:50:00.018-05:00

We've recently added two finding aids to our online listings:

Edgar & Ann Morris were both key figures in the growth of the Republican Party in South Carolina during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1950 Edgar was named Chairman of the state Republican Party, and he soon became involved in an effort to renew the Party as something more than a patronage organization and provide the state with a viable alternative to the Democratic Party.

Charles Wickenberg (pictured, during his tour in Korea) enjoyed a distinguished forty-year career as a journalist, primarily with The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C. He served in the Marine Corps in both World War II and the Korean War, and subsequently as Gov. George Bell Timmerman’s Executive Secretary from 1955 to 1958. This collection also contains papers concerning the Wickenberg family.

Harry C. Walker Oral History Transcript Online

2008-11-06T14:41:00.013-05:00

We have updated our Oral History web pages with the transcript of a 1999 interview conducted by Herb Hartsook with Harry Clayton Walker (1925-2008).

Walker served as Governor Fritz Hollings’ legal assistant from 1959 to 1963. He was responsible for all legal matters that reached the Governor’s office, advised Hollings on the constitutionality of bills sent for the governor’s signature, oversaw statewide appointments and those requiring Senate confirmation, and served as disaster coordinator for South Carolina and as liaison with all law enforcement. This latter capacity proved particularly challenging, as Walker worked closely with SLED chief Pete Strom (at left, in profile) to ensure the peace during this watershed period of civil rights activities.

As Walker notes, “When I went to work in the morning, I never knew where I was going to lay my head...that night.” In this interview, he reflects on his service, particularly civil rights matters, and provides his appraisal of Hollings’ gubernatorial legacy.

Re-elected!

2008-11-06T10:21:00.002-05:00

Joe Wilson, U.S. House of Representatives (2nd District), and Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator, were both re-elected on Tuesday. Both have donated their collections to SCPC for future research.

Graham has served in the U.S. Senate since 2003 and previously in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2003. Wilson began his service in the U.S. House in 2001, winning a special election following the death of Congressman Floyd Spence.

Congratulations to them and their supporters.

Republican Party "Pioneer" Reunion

2008-10-29T10:25:00.011-04:00

Gov. and Mrs. Mark Sanford and the Republican Party hosted a reunion at the Governor’s Mansion on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008 for over three hundred Republican “pioneers,” folks active in the Party prior to 1974. SCPC was invited to mount an exhibit and the pioneers were requested to bring memorabilia to add to SCPC’s Heritage Hunt collection.

James B. Edwards, South Carolina’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, welcomed the crowd, which included such early Party luminaries as Gayle Averyt, Mark Buyck, Marshall Cain, Crawford Clarkson, John Courson, Martha Edens, Ray Harris, Tommy Hartnett, Joyce Hearn, Marshall Mays, Roger Milliken, John and Erminie Nave, Marshall Parker, Ken Powell, Arthur Ravenel, Greg Shorey, Johnnie Mac Walters, Billy Wilkins, and Ed Young, as well as congressmen Henry Brown and Joe Wilson and newly elected National Committeeman Glenn McCall.

The exhibit was well received. Six portable cases featured materials from our collections of the papers of Charlie Boineau, Jim Edwards, Edgar and Ann Morris, Ken Powell, the Republican Party, Greg Shorey, Floyd Spence, and Bill Workman, and vertical files on Marshall Parker and Albert Watson. One case was devoted to the 1964 presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater, a landmark event in the rise of the Republican Party in South Carolina.

We appreciate the kindnesses shown us by Rusty DePass, Gov. & Mrs. Edwards, Gov. & Mrs. Sanford, and Gay Suber in assuring that we were represented in this fine event and to thirteen pioneers who brought and donated memorabilia.

Revised Finding Aid: Charles Cecil Wyche

2008-10-17T09:47:00.041-04:00

C.C. Wyche once noted, “A Judge cannot be a great Judge unless the members of the Bar of his State are great lawyers. Lawyers teach Judges the law. That feeling that Judges know all the law is clearly erroneous.” Wyche would have known. The South Carolina native served for thirty years as a U.S. District Judge in Spartanburg.

Charles Cecil Wyche (1885-1966) began his public career by representing Spartanburg County in the S.C. House of Representatives from 1913 to 1914. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I, shipping out to Europe in 1918. Upon his return to South Carolina he served as city and then county attorney for Spartanburg from 1919 to 1933 before his judicial appointments.

We have created a new and improved finding aid for the C.C. Wyche papers, and it is now available on the Wyche collection page.

The papers, ranging from 1903 to 1969, consist largely of correspondence to and from Judge Wyche on a number of topics. From letters he wrote to his mother while at The Citadel, to letters to and from other judges, to letters from inmates and their families, to letters of condolence upon the Judge’s death in 1966. Other material relates to Wyche’s judicial appointments and subjects ranging from desegregation, judicial annual reports, and his military career among others.

Many thanks to grad assistant Julie Milo for her diligent work on this project!

Cartoon Question from the Hollings Collection

2008-10-15T14:49:00.021-04:00

Help us figure out what this means!

We know that Fred Lasswell was a popular cartoonist best known for his comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith.

However, we can't explain the meaning behind this particular sketch.

If you have any thoughts about it, please let us know!

New Digital Collection: I.D. Newman

2008-10-02T11:34:00.013-04:00

SCPC recently collaborated with USC Libraries' Digital Collections department to scan and make available the items in our I. DeQuincey Newman collection due to the fragile nature of the papers. Thanks to painstaking efforts on the part of the digitizers, the product is now up and running!

I. DeQuincey Newman was a Methodist pastor, entrepreneur, and a leading figure in the Civil Rights movement in South Carolina, serving as the NAACP's state field director from 1960 to 1969. In 1983, at age 72, he was elected to the South Carolina Senate, thus becoming the first African American to serve in that body since Reconstruction.

Please take a look at the digital collection, and feel free to let us know if you find it helpful. NOTE: Photo by Bill Barley

Presidential Prospects & Palmetto Politics

2008-09-30T10:54:00.008-04:00

We mounted a new exhibit in Thomas Cooper's East Gallery on September 22nd in conjunction with an Associated Press photographic exhibit.

View of the East Gallery showing the new exhibits

One of our cases showing items from

the 1976 and 1984 presidential campaigns

The first of more than a dozen panels on display from the AP;

On September 25th AP photographer Scott Applewhite

gave a lecture sponsored by the School of Journalism and

Mass Communication and the University Libraries.

Part of the mobile exhibit we brought to the Applewhite lecture

The Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library

2008-09-18T16:43:00.005-04:00

Today our future building, now being constructed behind Thomas Cooper Library, was officially named for Senator Fritz Hollings. The Senator's collection, recently opened to researchers, is currently our largest at 860 feet.

The Naming was marked by a reception at

Thomas Cooper at which the Senator made remarks.

Senator Hollings speaking with the press

For the reception we put together this portable

exhibit of classic Hollings photos and ephemera.

And here we are with our student assistants.