Description

Come visit as Elizabeth Laney, historian with USC Beaufort's Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era, gives an insightful presentation exploring the history and enduring legacy of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent.

The 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent (later the 33rd US Colored Troops) achieved a series of milestones. This pioneering Black Union regiment holds the distinction of being the first to see combat, marking the beginning of continuous Black military service in the U.S. Army.

Formed over a year before the renowned 54th Massachusetts, the 1st South Carolina's rich history spans both the Civil War and Reconstruction in South Carolina. Their story intertwines with those of Prince Rivers (co-founder of Aiken County), Susie King Taylor (teacher, nurse, and author), and Henry Hayne (a key figure in the integration of the University of South Carolina during Reconstruction).