50th Anniversary of the Public History Program

The University of South Carolina’s Public History Program celebrates 50 years of scholarship, training and community engagement in 2026. Alumni, students, faculty and friends are invited to join us for a weekend of events highlighting the program’s history and future.

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A weekend of events brought the celebration to life, beginning with an informal alumni gathering and continuing with a full day of programming at the Close-Hipp Conference Center. Attendees participated in roundtable discussions, student poster sessions and networking conversations, followed by a luncheon and plenary session exploring current public history work on campus. The day concluded with an evening reception at Hunter-Gatherer Brewery, and the weekend wrapped up with a planned Sunday excursion, offering additional opportunities for connection and reflection.

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Event Schedule-at-a-glance

Public History 50th Anniversary Schedule

Informal Alumni Gathering
6:00–8:00 p.m.
WECO Bottle and Biergarten
626 Meeting St, West Columbia, SC

Check-in & Breakfast
8:30–9:10 a.m. | Close-Hipp, 8th Floor

Welcome & Opening Remarks
9:15–9:30 a.m. | Lumpkin Auditorium

Morning Sessions (Concurrent)
9:40–10:50 a.m.
Summit East: National Impact Roundtable
Summit West: Historical Consulting Roundtable

Break | 10:50–11:00 a.m.

Sessions 3 & 4
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Poster Session (Hallway)
Networking Conversations (Eastview)

Luncheon
12:10–1:30 p.m. | Eastview

Afternoon Sessions (Concurrent)
1:45–2:55 p.m.
Summit East: Statewide Impact
Summit West: Politics of Public History

Break | 2:55–3:05 p.m.

Plenary Roundtable
3:05–4:20 p.m. | Lumpkin Auditorium

Closing Remarks
4:30 p.m. | Lumpkin Auditorium

Evening Reception
5:30–8:00 p.m.
Hunter-Gatherer Brewery
1402 Jim Hamilton Blvd, Columbia, SC

Morning Excursion
Details to be announced

Conference Logistics

Conference Location Information

The 50th Anniversary Symposium will be held at the University Conference Center, 8th Floor, Close-Hipp Building, in Columbia, South Carolina.

Parking Information

There are 60 reserved bagged meters on the top level of the Close-Hipp Garage. Additional metered parking spots are also available in the Pendleton Street Garage (levels 1a, 1b, 2a).

Hotel Reservation Information

We have secured a small block of rooms at a special rate at the Hyatt Vista.

The hotel block at Hyatt Vista is available only through Monday, March 23. A limited number of rooms are available.

You may also wish to try Experience Columbia to find lodging for your travel dates.

Department of History