March 18
1825: General Lafayette arrives in Beaufort to a 13-gun salute and speaks to citizens from the John Mark Verdier House, also known as the Lafayette Building. Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier – better known as Marquis de La Fayette or simply General Lafayette in the United States – was a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War, commanding American troops in several battles, including Yorktown. In 1824, Lafayette returned to the U.S. and traveled through 24 states and the District of Columbia.
2009: Author Pat Conroy, for whom Beaufort played a prominent role both in his works and his life, is inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame. Among Conroy’s works are The Water Is Wide, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini.
March 19
1965: Robert Smalls High School graduate Kenny Washington scores 10 points and grabs 7 rebounds in the UCLA Bruins’ 108-89 win over Wichita State in the NCAA men’s basketball semifinal at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore. UCLA (27-2) advanced to the national championship game against Michigan.
2016: The Pat Conroy Literary Center is incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The center houses a collection of Conroy memorabilia and seeks to continue his legacy.
March 20
1565: Pedro Menendez de Aviles, eventual founder of Santa Elena, is named the first Governor of Florida by Spanish King Philip II.
1964: Robert Smalls High School graduate Kenny Washington scores 13 points and grabs 6 rebounds to help lead the UCLA Bruins (29-0) past Kansas State, 90-84, in the NCAA men’s basketball national semifinal at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. UCLA advanced to the national championship game against Duke.
1965: Robert Smalls High School graduate Kenny Washington scores 17 points and grabs 5 rebounds as the UCLA Bruins defeated Michigan, 91-80, in the NCAA men’s national championship game at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore. The championship was the second straight for UCLA (28-2) and head coach John Wooden. Washington was named to the All-Final Four Team.
– Compiled by Mike McCombs
