“Dr. Elizabeth Chew: South Carolina History is American History”

The Horry County Museum presents a program by Dr. Elizabeth Chew, CEO of the South Carolina Historical Society, on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. In this slide lecture, Chew will show how central the history of South Carolina has been to the story of the United States. From the Spanish colony of Santa Elena on present-day Parris Island in the late 16th century to foundational events of the Civil Rights Movement in the 20th, South Carolina has played a major role in the trajectory of the nation.

Dr. Chew became CEO of the South Carolina Historical Society in January 2024. A historian, curator, and educator, she has worked at museums and historic sites since 1985.

Prior to arriving in Charleston, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Curator at James Madison’s Montpelier in Virginia. During her 8 1/2 years at Montpelier, Dr. Chew led teams of curators, historians, educators, interpreters, public program creators, archaeologists and historic preservation experts in researching and interpreting James Madison and his family, his essential roles in framing the U.S. Constitution and leading the nation and the community of enslaved people on the plantation.

Prior to joining Montpelier, Dr. Chew led the curatorial and education division at Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Earlier in her career, she served as Curator at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. During her 13-year tenure there, she was responsible for ongoing research and interpretation initiatives that wove together the Monticello house, its collections, the Jefferson family and the enslaved community. Dr. Chew also worked in curatorial positions in art museums in Washington, D.C., at The Phillips Collection, the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Raised in Augusta, Georgia, Dr. Chew received a B.A. in art history from Yale University, an M.A. from the University of London, and Ph.D from UNC-Chapel Hill.

The program is free to the public and will be held in the Museum’s McCown Auditorium located at 805 Main Street in Conway. For more information, call (843) 915-5320 or email hcg.museum@horrycountysc.gov.

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