Georgetown Library to open Middle Passage exhibit with presentation by Dr. Shannon Eaves

College of Charleston historian Dr. Shannon C. Eaves will deliver a public presentation on the history and legacy of the Middle Passage in South Carolina at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Georgetown Library.

The event, which is free and open to the public, marks the opening of a monthlong special exhibit titled “To Distant Shores: The Transatlantic Slave Trade to South Carolina, 1680–1808.” The exhibit will be on display at the library, located at 405 Cleland St., throughout October 2026. 

Eaves’s talk also serves as the inaugural presentation for “From Independence to Interstellar: 250 Years of American Innovation,” a grant-funded series hosted by the Georgetown County Library. The project celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, exploring its historical, cultural, and technological impacts across South Carolina and the nation.

The series is funded by a $40,500 Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the South Carolina State Library. Additional support is provided by Georgetown 250, the Georgetown County Museum(opens in new tab), the Georgetown Middle Passage Ceremonies & Port Markers Committee, the South Carolina Maritime Museum, and the Friends of the Georgetown County Library(opens in new tab).

Presentations from the series will be filmed and uploaded to the Georgetown County Library YouTube channel(opens in new tab) for viewers unable to attend in person.