Columbia’s history being told anew with eye on humanity for all

Historic Columbia’s leadership had a choice to make in 2014.  Do they continue to tell stories of the city’s past in the same way, or was a recalibration needed to ensure all sides are presented?

The occasion was a multi-million dollar upgrade to the Woodrow Wilson Family Home — built in 1871 and a symbol of the complicated racial history not only of the time but also of the man who would become America’s 28th president.

Beyond adding context to the homes they manage, the nonprofit is working to give a broader history of monuments on Statehouse grounds, including the statue of Gov. Hampton on horseback as a Civil War commander. That project received an $8,000 grant from S.C. Humanities, which receives money from private donors and the National Endowment for the Humanities.