Upheaval in Charleston

Susan Williams and Stephen Hoffius talked about the massive earthquake centered near Charleston, South Carolina, on August 31, 1886, that devastated the city. They talked about the response to the internationally known disaster. Topics included the efficiency of the disaster response, local pride, and the racial issues. They also talked about Francis Warrington Dawson, a British expatriate who was the editor of Charleston’s News and Courier. Hailed as a hero in the aftermath of the earthquake, he was denounced by white supremacists and murdered less than three years after the disaster. The authors were interviewed at the Wentworth Mansion.

C-SPAN’s Local Content Vehicles (LCVs) made a stop in their “2011 LCV Cities Tour” in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 27-July 1 to feature the history and literary life of the community. Working with the Comcast local cable affiliate, they visited literary and historic sites where local historians, authors, and civic leaders were interviewed. close