Woodrow Wilson was infamous for his support of Jim Crow. While the progressive president had real accomplishments, his record on race was abysmal, even by the standards of the Early 20th Century. Wilson came of age during Reconstruction, and over the years his home in Columbia, South Carolina, has evolved into a museum of the era. Now it will be called what it really is, “The Museum of Reconstruction.” According to South Carolina’s leading newspaper The State:
The content of the museum will not change, but the new naming more accurately reflects its existing purpose…
The Wilson house museum is the only museum in the nation dedicated to interpreting the Reconstruction era, according to Historic Columbia. It is “the only place in the state where students, residents and tourists (have) access to the broad themes that address the complex racial and social issues rooted in Reconstruction, when South Carolina transitioned from a slave state to a free state,” [Dawn Mills} Campbell [of Historic Columbia] said.
Reconstruction refers to the years immediately following the Civil War, from about 1865 to 1877, during which time Americans wrestled with the politics of emancipation and integration, while Black Americans were elected to political offices for the first time across the country.
The Wilson family home on Hampton Street in Columbia was built during Reconstruction, in 1871. Wilson spent part of his youth living in Columbia, where his father was pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Both of Wilson’s parents are buried in the church’s downtown graveyard.
Historic Columbia, which owns the house, issued a statement saying:
On Oct. 20, 2020, the Richland County Council strongly supported a proposal from the Historic Columbia staff and board members on changing the museum’s name to “The Museum of the Reconstruction Era” at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home.
Previously promoted as the “Woodrow Wilson Family Home,” in 2014, Historic Columbia shifted the narrative at the site to explore the racial, social, and political landscape of Columbia and Richland County during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era (1865-77). The proposed name change reflects that interpretive change and addresses the visitor’s experience in a more transparent and direct way.
The repositioning of this site allows Historic Columbia to take a more forward-facing role in addressing the ongoing dialogue around the importance of the Reconstruction Era and the connection to current events. It foregrounds Historic Columbia’s work on this pivotal era and more directly acknowledges the organization as a resource for those in search of a deeper understanding of this transformative period in American history.
The local landmark and National Register-listed building at 1705 Hampton Street will retain the title of the “Woodrow Wilson Family Home” as its preservation was predicated on its connection to the 28th president of the United States; however, all reference to the site as a museum will change.
Museum
Visitors to the The Museum of the Reconstruction Era are immersed in the context of Columbia in the 1870s as they explore how Columbia’s 9,297 residents, black and white, navigated the profound political, social and economic changes of Reconstruction. Through panel exhibits, interactive technologies and guided tours, visitors learn that this was a time when African Americans participated in government, founded churches, claimed access to education and negotiated new terms of labor. African American leaders are highlighted throughout the museum, including Charles M. Wilder, one of the first African Americans appointed as postmaster and Richard Greener, first black graduate of Harvard and the first black faculty member at the University of South Carolina, to name just a few.
The Museum of the Reconstruction Era also offers unparalleled opportunities for visitors to engage in meaningful conversation about the changing meanings of citizenship over the past 150 years. Through interactive dialogue visitors discuss the importance and responsibilities of citizenship in the Citizenship Center, a room featuring the 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments prominently on the wall alongside provocative questions and videos intended to inspire discussion and explore the meanings of civil rights and engage in open dialogues about race and citizenship.
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