Forrest Clonts
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) will announce a landmark new education partnership with the South Carolina State Fair during a special evening news conference in Columbia on Tuesday, February 17, marking a significant expansion of how South Carolinians will engage with Revolutionary history as the state approaches America’s 250th anniversary.
The announcement will outline plans for the SC250: Revolutionary South Carolina Discovery Center, a new education initiative to be developed in partnership with the S.C. State Fair, and will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds as part of SC250’s first Commission gathering of 2026, a two day convening that also includes historic tours, marker rededications, and the Commission’s official meeting.
Chartered by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2018, the SC250 Commission is charged with planning and executing a proper observance of the Sestercentennial of the American Revolution in South Carolina. The Commission works to commemorate and promote South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution by telling the full story of the era, including the experiences and contributions of African Americans, Indigenous people, women, and others whose roles have too often been overlooked.
The new partnership with the S.C. State Fair builds on the overwhelming public response to SC250’s Revolutionary War exhibit at the Fair and reflects a shared commitment to expanding public access to South Carolina’s Revolutionary history through initiatives such as the SC250: Revolutionary South Carolina Discovery Center. Additional details and next steps for the partnership will be announced during the news conference.
The announcement will be followed by a meet and greet reception for invited guests at the Ruff and Moore Buildings on the S.C. State Fairgrounds, located at 1200 Rosewood Drive in Columbia.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, February 17, SC250 will host a Richland and Lexington County Revolutionary War history tour beginning at 9:00 a.m. Participants will meet at the South Carolina State Museum, located at 301 Gervais Street in Columbia. The guided tour will include visits to significant Revolutionary War sites in Lexington County and an overview of 250th anniversary activities in Richland County. At 10:15 a.m., the tour, to include SC State Senator and SC250 Commissioner Darrell Jackson, will feature the rededication of a restored American Revolutionary marker at the corner of Pulaski and Gervais Streets in the Vista. The tour will conclude at approximately 3:30 p.m. at the State Museum.
On Wednesday, February 18, the SC250 Commission will convene its official meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the South Carolina State Museum. The meeting will recess for lunch at noon and resume at 1:00 p.m. Commissioners will review progress, discuss upcoming initiatives, and continue planning for the statewide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.