Confederate Memory exhibit opens May 1

The shadow of loved ones lost during the Civil War haunted thousands of households across America. In the Palmetto State alone, nearly 21,000 military men died out of the approximately 63,000 troops mustered into service.

Each number within this astounding death total directly represents an individual whose life came to a short end, leaving behind unfulfilled hopes and dreams. Likewise, it also represents the families whose worlds were instantly shattered. Never again would they feel the embrace, hear the voice or experience the comfort of their loved one.

Opening May 1 in the S.C. Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum, the exhibit “No Holier Spot of Ground: Confederate Memory in South Carolina’s Cemeteries, Monuments, and Museums” tells South Carolina’s story of memorializing the Confederacy through establishing burial arrangements, monuments, and museums. 

It examines how families and communities in the state attempted to cope with loss during the war, and how later generations continue these forms of commemoration. The exhibit will be on display through Aug. 2

The museum is planning a series of special tours that expand on the themes of this exhibit.  The series, titled “Beyond Museum Cases: The SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum and Columbia’s Confederate Monuments and Cemeteries” will combine tours of the museum with onsite visits to Elmwood Cemetery and the State House. See http://www.crr.sc.gov/events/tours for dates, times, and ticket information.