"Education and Reconstruction"

SHOES in Columbia, South Carolina!

March 14-16, 2024

What role did education play in Reconstruction? And what role did the Reconstruction policies play in educational opportunity? What is the legacy of education practices during Reconstruction?

The theme for SHOES 2024 is “Education during Reconstruction.” Columbia is the ideal host for this focus. The University of South Carolina was the only institution in the South to integrate during this era. In 1873 the first Black student, Henry Hayne, enrolled and the first Black professor, Richard T. Greener, was hired (2023 marks the sesquicentennial of the Reconstruction-era university). This lasted until 1877 when the University was closed.

Columbia is home to two Reconstruction-era HBCUs: Allen University and Benedict College, both founded in 1870. Allen was founded as Payne Institute (and later renamed) by ministers of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Benedict was founded by American Baptist Home Mission Society. They were founded to provide education to freedmen and former slaves and to train teachers.

The conference is co-hosted by the University of South Carolina and Allen University. 

The Museum of the Reconstruction Era at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home, the only museum of its kind, is near all three institutions in downtown Columbia. 

Visit the "Current Conference" page for the schedule, hotel information, registration, and more information. There is no fee to attend.