Project Introduction: Mapping the Lives of Alumni of the Integrated University of South Carolina, 1873-1877

Wright Kennedy, University of South Carolina

After the US Civil War and during the Reconstruction Era (1873-1877), the University of South Carolina (USC) emerged as a pioneer in racial integration and educational innovation. Despite facing a resurgence of white supremacy and the establishment of Jim Crow laws after Reconstruction, the USC alumni were instrumental in advancing educational and social reforms. This project delves into the unexplored "spatial biographies" of the university alumni, focusing on their lives before, during, and after their studies at USC. During this period, the university's trustees envisioned a tuition-free, integrated institution aimed at fostering the state and region's social and economic development. We mapped and built a public-facing webmap that visualizes the alumni's travels and life events, offering insights into broader spatial patterns and the impact of their education at USC on various fields such as religion, public service, primary and secondary teaching, and law.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 10. New Approaches to Public Spatial History