Dear All,
So the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation came and went, with Watchnight services all over town and a very jovial Emancipation Day parade on New Year’s Day. Mayor Joe Riley made a proclamation on behalf of the Emancipation Proclamation Association, and President Obama made a proclamation on the occasion of the anniversary, too (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/12/31/presidential-proclamation-150th-anniversary-emancipation-proclamation). The Post and Courier published a piece by Kirkpatrick Sale on New Year’s Day blaming the EP for racial discord, followed by a piece just yesterday by our own Dr Bernard Powers arguing that January 1st be made into a national holiday. Plainly there will be plenty to talk about over the coming months on the EP score.
As there will be on the desegregation score, too: later this month sees the 50th anniversary of the official desegregation of Clemson University, when Harvey Gantt—Charlestonian, graduate of Burke High School—became the first African-American student to enroll at Clemson.
With best wishes for a wonderful 2013. Jubilate!
Simon
Simon Lewis
Professor of English
http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=LEWISS06
Director—African Studies Program
Associate Director–Program in the Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World (http://www.cofc.edu/atlanticworld)