Tom Fowler produced this ETV Classic, marking the finale of the commemoration of the state of South Carolina Bicentennial. Dr. Henry Lumpkin led the procession, marching with the Citadel Bagpipers, along with congregants carrying large flags to Trinity Cathedral, ultimately arriving at the altar for the presentation of the flags.
Thereafter, Dr. Charles Lee noted 200 years of Anglo American Tradition and the role of Trinity in the state’s history, observing that there were six South Carolina governors and a number of Revolutionary war heroes buried in the church yard. Next, Dr. George Rogers gave a verbal account of South Carolina’s beginnings, tracing the fight for independence from 1776, to the end of British Rule in the Palmetto State with emphasis on what happened in the past and its influence on our future.
At the conclusion of the service in the church, the procession exited the Cathedral following Dr. Lumpkin, the mayors, governor, congregants, pipe and drum corps, as well as dignitaries from England, all heading to the Columbia Museums of Art and Science, as it was called in 1982, before it moved to its current location.
From the steps of the Museum, there were remarks from Governor Dick Riley including the introduction of Charleston Mayor Joe Riley and Columbia Mayor Kirkman Finley. The Governor went on to introduce Trevor Gatty, British Consul General for his remarks.
The final segment of the commemoration took place inside the Columbia Museum of Art where the public viewed an exhibit containing historical pieces gathered from South Carolina, North Carolina and England. Walt Hathaway, Director of the Columbia Museums of Art and Science stated that the exhibition was curated by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and also showed the evolution of the South Carolina state seal and would, in the future, give the public a chance to learn about the symbols of government.
Side Notes
- South Carolina from A to Z - Walter Edgar.
- Mary Long's Yesteryear | SCETV.
- South Carolina ETV’s digital series Curiosity Trek! returns for season 2, exploring state history through artifacts.
- South Carolina History in A Nutshell is a digital series that explains historical events in layman's terms. The digital series was originally produced for Knowitall.org, a K-12 website owned and managed by South Carolina ETV. This series has been expanded and can be found on YouTube, scetv.org, PBS.org, SCETV app and PBS app. We invite you to explore the full digital episodes and test your knowledge with the companion quiz. History in Nutshell Shorts is a spin-off series that explains history usually in sixty seconds or less.
- Trinity Cathedral - From Country Church to Majestic Cathedral.
- Columbia Museum of Art - 75 Years of the CMA | Columbia Museum of Art.
- Governor Richard William Riley - In 1962, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served for four years. He was then elected to the state Senate, serving until 1976. During his two gubernatorial terms, Riley chaired the Southern Governors’ Association and the Southern Growth Policies Board. He served two terms on the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations: the first, from 1977 to 1979, as a private citizen; and the second, from 1979 to 1981, as governor.
- Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is widely considered one of the most visionary and highly effective governmental leaders in America. Mayor Riley was first elected mayor of Charleston in December 1975 and went on to serve an unprecedented ten terms. During Riley's 40-year tenure as mayor, the City of Charleston saw a substantial decrease in crime, a revitalization of the historic downtown business district, the creation and growth of Spoleto Festival U.S.A, an expansion of the city's park system, and the development of nationally acclaimed affordable housing.
- Kirkman "Kirk" Finlay Jr. (1936 – 1993) was an American lawyer and politician who served on the Columbia, South Carolina city council from 1974 to 1978 and as that city's mayor from 1978 to 1986. He died of brain cancer in 1993 at the age of 56
- Trevor Gatty - Trevor Thomas Gatty, OBE, a British diplomat honored by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with the prestigious decoration Officer of the Order of the British Empire, died peacefully on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at his home in Charlotte, NC surrounded by his loving wife, children and grandchildren at the age of 93.
- Arthur Middleton (1742 - 1887) In June, 1776, Arthur was one of 13 chosen for the Council of Safety. This council took measures to organize a military force, the officers of which received commissions at their hands and under their signature. He engaged in drafting a state constitution and designed the great seal of South Carolina working with William Henry Drayton. When Henry Middleton became ill, Arthur took his father’s place in the Continental Congress where it was reported that he spoke forcefully and frequently. That most important period in our nation’s history culminated in the signing of the magnificent and courageous document called the Declaration of Independence. After taking part in that momentous event Arthur returned home and, as an officer of the local militia, was actively engaged in the defense of the city of Charleston.
- Henry Lumpkin, Ph.D., Why The British Lost The War 1775-1782 | And Then There Were Thirteen (1975) | ETV Classics.
- Citadel Bagpipers - Regimental Pipe Band.
- Walter Hathaway, Director Columbia Museums of Art and Science - James H. Yelvington, head of the FBI in Kentucky, said the agency had several suspects under investigation but had not made any arrests in the March 11 theft of the 'Bronco Buster' statue from the Columbia (S.C.) Museum of Arts and Sciences. Museum Director Walter M. Hathaway confirmed the authenticity of the 24-inch-tall statue of a cowboy aboard a bronco raised on its hind legs. He said the statue had suffered minor damage -- a broken whip, which can be repaired.
