The purpose of the Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era (ISRE) is to fulfill the mission of the University of South Carolina Beaufort through programs that grow out of the extraordinary history of the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era, especially the fundamental role played by Beaufort and the South Carolina Lowcountry in that story.
The ISRE develops and presents programs that:
- Enrich course offerings at USCB
- Help K-12 teachers gain fluency in historiography and pedagogy related to Reconstruction
- Support the work of community organizations
The Institute also facilitates scholarly research and presents public events that focus on the social, economic, cultural and political history of the Reconstruction Era in the United States and the Lowcountry region.
Upcoming and Recent Events
Spring 2025
ISRE's 2025 Spring Symposium
Breathing Democracy Into Spaces
April 25 & 26, 2025 at USC Beaufort's Center for the Arts
Women, in various roles, are key figures in the history of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent (33rd US Colored Troops), the first regiment of Black Soldiers deployed in a combat role during the Civil War. The 2025 symposium will celebrate the many women associated with the 1st South Carolina VAD as well as the impact made by women throughout South Carolina during the Reconstruction Era.
Registration info coming soon.
Contact Us
Valinda W. Littlefield
Interim Director of the USCB Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era
Associate Professor, History
Beaufort, SC 29902
