Popular Culture

He composed many original songs in the early days of bluegrass, most of which he recorded on the King label with his longtime partner Arthur “Red” Smiley.

While rice exports brought fabulous wealth to a handful of planters and merchants, its consumption provided sustenance for all. Exotic fruits from the Caribbean, cookbooks from England, and fresh herbs from local gardens were regularly advertised in newspapers. Wealthy Charleston ladies tried the latest cooking fads from European courts, while their black cooks added dishes from their homelands, such as collards, gumbo, and benne (sesame) candy

The General Assembly noted that this “beautiful and soulful” dance music had been created and preserved for generations by members of the Richardson family, “descendants of General Richard Richardson . . . who came from Virginia as a surveyor to settle in South Carolina.”

Using flattery and promises of wealth and promotion, they tried to persuade Dorcas to convince her husband to change to the British side. She defiantly refused their advances, however, “and refused to be made instrumental to their purposes.”

Richardson earned national attention when he hit a grand slam in Game Six of the 1960 World Series, in which he set a Series record of twelve runs batted in and was voted the Series MVP. Richardson again gained national acclaim during the final play of Game Seven of the 1962 World Series.

Robertson was a respected and well-traveled journalist and war correspondent and the author of three books, including a memoir of his youth in the South Carolina upcountry.

South Carolina has been the birthplace of numerous rock music pioneers and nationally and internationally known acts. South Carolinians, particularly African American artists, were instrumental in the development of early rock and roll.

Rogers became the prize catch of University of South Carolina (USC) coach Jim Carlen in 1977 and had the best rushing day of his career, 237 yards and two touchdowns against Wake Forest, on November 18, 1978. He would finish with twenty-seven 100-yard-plus games out of the forty-six in which he participated, closing his college career with twenty-two straight.

Sandlapper, the Magazine of South Carolina, was established in 1968 by the Lexington lawyer Robert P. Wilkins and his wife Rose. Concerned about South Carolina’s image, Wilkins began promoting the state’s beauty, citizens, and history through the magazine.

From 1951 to 1954 he played basketball at Furman University and is best known for his high-scoring performances that made national headlines, including 100 points in a 149–95 victory over Newberry College.

Called “jitterbugs” for the jazz-based acrobatic dance they performed along the Carolina coast, the white dancers found that the emerging “race” music (soon to be renamed “rhythm and blues”) slowed and smoothed their movements.

The dish helped put Charleston on the regional culinary road map as surely as Philadelphia’s cheese steaks or Chicago’s deep-dish pizzas did the same for those locations.

A fixture at left tackle from 1968 to 1982, Shell became one of the most dominating offensive linemen in professional football history.

From 1939 until 1990 the musical career of Pappy Sherrill was closely entwined with that of Snuffy Jenkins. They recorded later albums for Folk-Lyric, Rounder, and Old Homestead.

Many South Carolinians catch their own shrimp, usually by pulling a seine or by casting a circular net (which takes training as well as strength). Small creek shrimp caught in shallow, brackish waters are thought to be sweeter than those caught further out in the rivers and ocean. It is rare to find any of these commercially caught shrimp very far off the coast in South Carolina.

Musician. Thanks to the widespread popularity of his instrumental hit “Guitar Boogie,” Arthur Smith became one of the better-known guitarists…

The city of Charleston was incorporated in 1783 with the motto “Aedes Mors Juraque Curat” (She guards her buildings, customs,…

The South Carolina Educational Television Network (SCETV) is a state agency providing educational, cultural, and historical programming to South Carolinians…

The South Carolina Educational Television-Radio Network (SCETV-Radio) began broadcasting in 1972 when WETR (90.1) Greenville signed on the air, the…

Held in Charleston from December 1, 1901, to June 20, 1902, the West Indian Exposition followed world’s fairs in other…