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TO CONGRATULATE AND HONOR DR. WALTER B. EDGAR, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT, TO COMMEND HIM FOR FORTY YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT STATE, AND TO WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly has learned that Dr. Walter B. Edgar, director of the Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina, will begin a well-deserved retirement in May 2012 after forty years of distinguished service to the people of the Palmetto State as a professor at USC; and
Whereas, having made a name for himself as a preeminent historian of South Carolina, Dr. Walter Edgar has brought the rich and dramatic history of this great State alive to people across the country through his books, popular radio shows, public speaking, and teaching; and
Whereas, born in Mobile, Alabama, Walter Edgar did his undergraduate work at Davidson College and his graduate work at the University of South Carolina. He is the author or editor of more than a dozen books on South Carolina and the American South, including The South Carolina Encyclopedia (2006), South Carolina: A History (1998), and Partisans and Redcoats: The Southern Campaign That Turned the Tide of the American Revolution (2001); and
Whereas, much in demand as a speaker, he annually delivers numerous talks and lectures and on South Carolina Public Radio is the host of Walter Edgar's Journal and South Carolina from A to Z; and
Whereas, Walter Edgar firmly believes in active community involvement, and he puts his convictions into action by serving his church, community, and State in various capacities. A former member of the vestry of Trinity Cathedral, he is an officer or board member of many institutions, including the South Carolina Historical Society, Governor's Mansion Foundation, and Heathwood Hall Episcopal School; and
Whereas, at USC, his academic excellence has brought him recognition as the Carolina Trustee Professor, Claude Henry Neuffer Professor of Southern Studies, George Washington Distinguished Professor of History, and Louise Fry Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts; and
Whereas, in further recognition of his outstanding scholarship and achievements, Walter Edgar has been awarded honorary degrees from Davidson College, The Citadel, Coker College, Newberry College, and Coastal Carolina University. In 2001, he received the University of South Carolina Distinguished Alumnus Award and since that time has been inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame and the Higher Education Hall of Fame. In addition, the State of South Carolina awarded him its highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto, presented by Governor David Beasley; and
Whereas, throughout his career, Dr. Edgar has enjoyed the strong support of his family, anchored first by his late wife, Betty Giles, and now by his present wife, Nela Danforth. When not delving into South Carolina history, he relishes spending time with his and Nela's four daughters and spoiling their five grandchildren, who, along with his sense of humor and love for seeing the world, help him maintain the eternally youthful demeanor for which he is so well known. Outdoors, he has become a gardener of unmatched skill (and a squash competitor of sometimes-matched skill); and
Whereas, a patriotic son of his State and country, Colonel (Ret.) Walter B. Edgar served in the United States Army for thirty years, during which time he received the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star, among other awards; and
Whereas, the General Assembly, grateful for the legacy of consistent commitment and excellence Dr. Edgar has bestowed on the people of South Carolina, takes great pleasure in wishing him well as he enters retirement and trusts he will find much enjoyment in the more leisurely pace of the days ahead. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, congratulate and honor Dr. Walter B. Edgar, director of the Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina, upon the occasion of his retirement, commend him for forty years of distinguished service to the citizens of this great State, and wish him continued success and fulfillment in all his future endeavors.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Walter B. Edgar.
This web page was last updated on April 24, 2012 at 12:48 PM