The South Carolina Encyclopedia is a joint effort by The Humanities Council^SC, the USC Institute for Southern Studies, and the University of South Carolina Press, producing the first comprehensive reference source of the people, places, events, things, achievements and ideals that have contributed to the ongoing evolution of the Palmetto State. Consisting of some 2,200 entries, hundreds of illustrations, and more than one million words, the Encyclopedia is an authoritative and entertaining one-volume compilation of essays on topics ranging from politics to the arts, from Hilton Head to Caesars Head, and from the Lords Proprietors to Hootie and the Blowfish. More inclusive and detailed than any existing work of historical scholarship, the Encyclopedia catalogs in unprecedented detail the diversity of people and experiences that have made South Carolina the unique and engaging place that it is today.

Why a South Carolina Encyclopedia?

Good reference works for South Carolina are few, and fewer still are those prepared with the general public in mind. In addition, much of the exciting new work on South Carolina history and culture is available only in small, scholarly publications. The South Carolina Encyclopedia remedies this situation by combining the high standards of academic research with the broad appeal of a work targeted for the general reader. Overseen by an advisory board of leading authorities and under the overall supervision of Dr. Walter Edgar, one of South Carolina's most distinguished historians, the Encyclopedia assembles the most up-to-date research in a highly approachable format. Entries are arranged alphabetically and range from interpretive essays of 2,500 to 3,000 words to general entries of 250 to 750 words. Each entry includes a brief bibliography to direct readers in the further investigation of the topic. Thus, not only has the Encyclopedia become an essential means of exploring the past and present of the Palmetto State, and thereby foster a deeper appreciation of its richness and complexity, but also serves as the most complete bibliography on South Carolina ever assembled.

Our Audience

The South Carolina Encyclopedia will be a convenient, comprehensive introduction to the state, its people, its past, its present, and its direction towards the future. As such, its audience is as broad and varied as the work itself. Contained in a single, affordable volume, the Encyclopedia will be readily available to students and teachers, colleges and universities, libraries and archives, government offices, businesses, media newsrooms, and other public and private institutions. In addition, with its congenial format and lavish illustrations, the work is widely sought after for home bookshelves. After publication of the print version of the Encyclopedia, plans are underway to develop an electronic edition that will make access to the Encyclopedia only a point and click away.

THE PARTNERS

The Humanities Council ^SC is a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Council helps preserve the state's cultural heritage, fosters lifelong learning, and encourages civic involvement among South Carolinians.

Dr. Walter B. Edgar is Claude Henry Neuffer Professor of Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina and Director of the Institute for Southern Studies. He has published numerous works on the Palmetto State, including the highly acclaimed South Carolina: A History (USC Press, 1998).

Established in 1944, the University of South Carolina Press is one of the oldest publishing houses in the South and Southeast. With more than 1,000 published books to its credit, over 400 titles in print, and more than 50 new books published each year, the Press has enhanced the scholarly reputation and worldwide visibility of the University of South Carolina.

The South Carolina Encyclopedia is now available!

Get a copy today at your local bookstore or directly from the University of South Carolina Press