From staff reports
Beaufort as the cradle of secession will be the focus of Historic Beaufort Foundation’s long-running Winter Lecture Series that launches Friday, Feb. 6, at USCB’s Center for the Arts in downtown Beaufort.
This year, highly-regarded professors John McCardell, Larry Rowland and Stephen Wise will be featured each night of the 2026 series.
“For the past four years, our Winter Lecture Series has drawn hundreds of history enthusiasts each year to learn about Lowcountry and South Carolina history from three of the most engaging experts in the field,” HBF Executive Director Lise Sundrla said in a news release. “Not only do they know their facts, but they share the information in a storytelling manner that brings our history alive.”
This year’s topics center on the theme of “Beaufort, the Cradle of Secession, 1790-1860”:
Friday, Feb. 6 – South Carolina and the Idea of Nullification
Thursday, Feb. 12 – “Calhounism”
Thursday, Feb. 26 – The Bitter Fruits of Manifest Destiny
Thursday, March 5 – An “Irrepressible Conflict?”
All lectures run from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the USCB Center for the Arts at 805 Carteret Street in Beaufort.
Tickets
Tickets are available online and are expected to sell quickly.
Tickets prices are as follows:
• $30 single night ticket for HBF members or $120 for full series.
• $35 single night ticket for non-members or $140 for full series.
• $20 single night ticket for full-time students with valid student ID and $80 for full series.
If available, tickets can also be purchased on site the night of each event. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. and the lectures start promptly at 5:30 p.m. Visit https://historicbeaufort.org/ to purchase tickets online. All sales are final.
About the lecturers
· John McCardell graduated from Washington and Lee University and earned his PhD in history from Harvard University. For his dissertation, “The Idea of a Southern Nation,” he earned the 1977 Alan Nevins Prize by the Society of American Historians. McCardell served as vice-chancellor of Sewanee: The University of the South from 2010 until June 2020.
· Larry Rowland is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History for the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, and previously held roles with USC as Professor of History and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in New York and both his Master’s degree and Doctorate from the University of South Carolina. He has authored numerous books and articles about South Carolina and the Sea Islands.
· Stephen Wise is the curator of the museum for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, his Master’s degree from Bowling Green State University, and his PhD from the University of South Carolina. He has written and edited several books and articles including “Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running During the Civil War,” and “Gate of Hell: The Campaign for Charleston Harbor.”
Historic Beaufort Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education foundation created to preserve, protect, and present sites and artifacts of historic, architectural, and cultural interest throughout Beaufort County, South Carolina. For more information, visit historicbeaufort.org.
Want to Go?
Who: Professors John McCardell, Larry Rowland and Stephen Wise
What: Historic Beaufort Foundation’s Winter Lecture Series
When: 5:30 to 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6; Thursday, Feb. 12; Thursday, Feb. 26; Thursday, March 5.
Where: USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort
Tickets: $30 per night for HBF members, $120 for full series;$35 per night ticket for non-members, $140 for full series; $20 per night ticket for full-time students with valid student ID, $80 for full series. Visit https://historicbeaufort.org/ to purchase tickets online.
