Jewish South Carolinians and the American Revolution

Saturday, May 3 – Sunday, May 4, 2025
Madren Center, Clemson University

Agenda

Saturday

11:00 “The Battle of Esseneca and Fort Rutledge Excursion”

See where it happened. This excursion will retrace history and orient participants to the location where the Battle of Esseneca occurred and where Francis Salvador died. It will conclude with a tour of the site of Fort Rutledge. Constructed in 1776, this fort played an important role in the fight for control of what is now the Upstate of South Carolina. Decommissioned and destroyed in 1780, this fort was largely forgotten to history…until now.

The excursion will be led by Dr. Josh Catalano, a Clemson University professor. Dr. Catalano is an historian of the United States and a practitioner of both digital and public history. His research focuses on the role of symbolism and language in the process of settler colonialism. For the past several years, he has co-led a historical archaeology dig at the former site of Fort Rutledge.

12:30 Registration and lunch

1:00 Opening remarks Steve Savitz, president, JHSSC

1:00 – 1:30 Remarks Bill Davies, Vice – Chairman, South Carolina 250 Commission

1:30– 2:00 PM “South Carolina Hall of Fame: Francis Salvador” Video presentation Steve Folks, SCETV

2:15 – 3:15 “Francis Salvador, An Historic Short-Lived Presence in South Carolina’s Colonial Backcountry” Ed Poliakoff

3:15-3:30 BREAK

3:30 – 4::30 “Francis Salvador Through the Lens of History” Rebecca Stoil, Clemson University

6:30 Reception and dinner

Sunday

9:00 AM JHSSC Board meeting

10:00 AM – Noon “South Carolina’s Jewish Patriots”

George McDaniel, Anita Rosenberg