Zoom Only - Scott Stephens – Vice VP Development for the South Carolina Historical Society (1)

October 12 – (Zoom) Scott Stephens – Vice President of Development for the South Carolina Historical Society. How many of you have visited or even heard about the S.C. Historical Society? The reality is that when we went to visit City Hall a couple of weeks ago we were looking at the building which is at 100 Meeting Street just across from City Hall Park. The museum has six galleries that provide an in depth look at the history of the state. The galleries delve into a variety of topics -- the cultural mix that evolved in the early settlement years; the Revolutionary war years and the rise of slavery; first-hand stories of South Carolinians that provide a glimpse of what life was like during the Civil War; postwar reconstruction and the setback caused by Charleston earthquake of 1886; the emergence of historic preservation and the arts in Charleston; the rise of cultural diversity throughout the state in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s as the Jenkins Orphanage Band became a training ground for many of the country’s top jazz musicians. Finally, there is an exhibit recognizing that the riches of colonial South Carolina relied heavily upon the physical labor of enslaved Africans whose origins, lifestyles, and struggles contribute so much to the South Carolina that exists today. Scott lives in Greenville and has been the director of development for several non-profit organizations in the Greenville area. He was also the owner of Camille’s Sidewalk Café, which is a small, fast-casual restaurant in both Asheville, NC and downtown Greenville. He is Rotarian and is a past-president of the Rotary Club of Greenville. Required reading: https://schistory.org/