History Commons^™

A Layered History: Interpreting Cultural Resources At Sesquicentennial State Park, Kaley Brown, Stephanie Gilbert, Justin Harwell, Zoie Horecny, Maclane Hull, Kira Lyle, Helen Marodin, Jennifer Melton, Hannah Patton, Ragan Ramsey, Kate Schoen, Carlie Todd, Paige Weaver

Books and Manuscripts

Sesquicentennial State Park is one of the most popular state parks in South Carolina and is well-known in the Columbia metropolitan area as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the urban scene. Driving through its entrance gates from busy Two Notch Road, visitors find themselves immediately in the midst of a pine forest. Past the ranger’s kiosk a winding road follows the contours of the gently rolling terrain, offering occasional glimpses of a mysterious fire tower, an evocative two-story log house, and eventually the open vista of a large lake with white concrete buildings and lawns along the …

Useful Beauty: Tiffany Favrile, Carnival Glass, And Consumerism At The Turn Of The Twentieth Century, Chelsea Grayburn

Theses and Dissertations

Commercial markets within the United States were changing rapidly in the nineteenth century as improved transportation and efficient methods of mass production made goods available to a wider portion of the population than ever before. The glass market was one of many that changed drastically from the opening of the nineteenth century and on into the early twentieth century. Iridescent art glass, whether cheap pressed glass or expensive blown glass, provides a small window into how advertising and purchasing habits changed and why. The burgeoning middle class was looking for new ways to proclaim respectability and enhance their living space. …

Raising America Racist: How 1920’S Klanswomen Used Education To Implement Systemic Racism, Kathleen Borchard Schoen

Theses and Dissertations

Although not widely known by the modern public, during the height of the Ku Klux Klan's second rise to power in the 1920's, a women's auxiliary was formed – The WKKK, or Women of the Ku Klux Klan. The WKKK was a crucial component in the normalization of the Klan in this era, as they organized public events such as picnics, parades, and ceremonies to draw in the masses. It is imperative however, to move beyond the typical historiographical depiction of Klanswomen’s impact as public event planning because it downplays and ignores their foundational role in creating modern racism. One …

For The Common Man: An Analysis Of The United States Space And Rocket Center, Patrice R. Green

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Space and Rocket Center functions as a case study on the rise of popular science in the 20th century America. The museum cultivated a national cultural identity formed during the International Space Race and fostered a growing narrative of a country focused on progress defined by advancements in science and technology rather than social cohesion. This paper outlines the Space and Rocket Center’s establishment, its interpretation of America’s space programs, and its role as a vessel for domesticated science. It also acknowledges the intersectional gaps in museum interpretation and discusses how the museum and its programs have …

Made To Be Forgotten: The Chevalier De Saint-Sauveur & The Franco-American Alliance, Katelynn Hatton

Theses and Dissertations

In 1778, during the early days of the Franco-American alliance, a Boston mob killed the Chevalier de Saint-Sauveur, a high-ranking French officer, jeopardizing the two countries’ partnership just as soon as it began. American and French leadership alike quickly went to work in transforming the story of Saint-Sauveur’s death from one of anti- Catholic sentiment into one that demonstrated the urgency for unity and cohesion. Through the promise of a monument, his death became a teachable moment, signifying the fragility of the alliance and the importance of cooperation on both martial and civic levels.

By the time of the Great …