South Carolina State Parks

Event Details:

CANCELED - We are sorry to have to reschedule this program for a later date. Please check back on our website for the reschedule date!

Lavinia C. Thompson: The Personal Story of Slavery and Civil War in South Carolina presented by Dr. Walter Curry

Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 10:00am

Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site

*Presentation occurs in the mansion, there are stairs to this structure, some walking uphill, and there is no air conditioning. 

Join Dr. Walter Curry to explore the life of his ancestor Lavinia Thompson. Lavinia was born enslaved on June 3rd, 1844 in Aiken County, and this presentation tells her personal story of slavery and survival during the Civil War. Lavinia followed her master into battle in the Civil War, serving the Confederate Army as a cook. Six decades later, she would be among about 100 black South Carolinians who received small pensions for their involuntary service to the Confederate cause.

Dr. Walter B. Curry, Jr., is a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina. Dr. Curry received a bachelor’s degree in political science from South Carolina State University, and has earned graduate degrees in education, which includes a doctorate degree in Curriculum & Instruction. In 2018, Dr. Curry launched Renaissance Publications, LLC., a self-publishing company, which publishes books that focuses on African American history through ancestry. Dr. Curry has published two award winning books, The Thompson Family: Untold Stories from the Past (1830-1960), and The Awakening: The Seawright-Ellison Family Saga, Vol.1, A Narrative History. His books are available for purchase in the Redcliffe Visitor Center as well as online at renaissancepubllc.com.

This program is sponsored by South Carolina Humanities, a not-for-profit organization; inspiring, engaging, and enriching South Carolinians with programs on literature, history, culture, and heritage.