Looking Outward, Looking Inward: Local, Regional, and National News as Reported in The Horry Dispatch, 1861-1862

The Horry County Museum presents a program by Professor John Navin and Coastal Carolina University students on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 1 p.m. The students, part of the Prince Fellows program at CCU, will discuss key findings from their research involving 19 issues of The Horry Dispatch –the only newspaper published in Horry County during the first year of the Civil War.

Taylor Pierce is a lifelong resident of the Myrtle Beach area. She is currently a senior at Coastal Carolina University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in history with minors in war & society and social studies. She is deeply interested in civil liberties, societal expectations and the various pressures and injustices faced by specific groups during the 18th century, particularly women and religious sects. Pierce aspires to further her education and develop a career in archival studies, helping to preserve and interpret historical narratives.

Jordan Blazer is a graduate student at Coastal Carolina University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in History in 2024 with minors in Political Science and Religious Studies. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, she has called South Carolina home since 2007. Blazer belongs to the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society and as an undergraduate was a frequent President’s List awardee. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at CCU, building on her exploration of how historical events shape contemporary political and religious dynamics.

Kailani-Lee D’Antuono is originally from North Wildwood, New Jersey. She received her Associate's degree from Horry Georgetown Technical College and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Women and Gender Studies and Social Studies. D'Antuono's goal is to earn a Master’s degree and teach high school social studies. She is an entrepreneur, operating a design and jewelry business in Conway, and enjoys spending time with her friends, family and pets.

Connor Mojo is in his junior year at Coastal Carolina University, majoring in  political science and history. He is also pursuing a minor in Philosophy. Having been raised in Conway, Mojo is especially interested in local history and in history of the colony of South Carolina. In 2023-2024 he received the Coley B. Prather Scholarship in Lowcountry History. Mojo plans to continue his studies in graduate school and eventually become a professor.

Prof. John Navin is advisor to the current Prince Fellows project. He joined CCU’s Department of History in 1999. Navin earned his Master’s Degree at Boston College and his Ph.D. at Brandeis University. He specializes in American History to 1865 and also teaches the history of American involvement in the Vietnam War.

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.

View a list of scheduled programs