This month, we celebrate the history and heritage of the Indigenous Peoples of the Palmetto State. Through the South Carolina State Documents Collection, learn about the first inhabitants of the land we now call South Carolina.
State Documents for Indigenous Peoples Month
State Documents
Native American Studies Center, USC Lancaster
This brochure highlights the Native American Studies Center at the University of South Carolina Lancaster. Established in 2012, the Native American Studies Center advances the history and cultures of South Carolina’s Indigenous communities. It is home to the largest collection of Catawba pottery in the world. Bringing together art, archaeology, folklore, history, and language, the Native American Studies Center contributes to the city’s rich art scene with a gallery space unique to Lancaster County.
Catawba Pottery
The tradition of making Catawba pottery has been passed down through families for generations. The Catawba families dig the clay from the banks of the Catawba River as their ancestors have done for centuries. This booklet, produced by the South Carolina Arts Commission, explores the importance of pottery to the Catawba people.
South Carolina Native American Indian Business Directory and Resource Guide
This directory is intended to promote businesses owned and operated by Native Americans from South Carolina and connect potential customers with those businesses. It is compiled from information provided by tribal sources, the South Carolina Office of Small and Minority Business, the American Indian Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Arts Commission, and the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs.
Contemporary Native Americans in South Carolina: A Photo Documentation Covering the Years 1983-1985
Gene Crediford’s photographic essay highlights the communities of Native Americans in South Carolina. These people, descendants of those who have lived in the Americas for more than 12,00 years, find themselves in a society that generally associates Native Americans as pictured in movies, in the West, and in the past. Explore this book to see how Indigenous communities continue to survive and thrive in South Carolina.
The Carolina Indian Frontier
Relations with the Indigenous people were one of South Carolina’s most important aspects of the colonial era. In The Carolina Indian Frontier, David H. Corkran explores the early interactions between Indigenous Peoples and Europeans during the colonial period.
South Carolina Native American Affairs
Did you know that South Carolina is home to one federally recognized tribe and 10 state-recognized tribes? This brochure highlights the Native American Affairs Division at the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs.
Upcoming Event
Building Statewide Access: Lessons from Tennessee’s Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
November 17, 2025, 3:00 PM
In this session, Beth Williamson and Cynthia Moynihan will share how the program—through collaboration between Tennessee State Library and Archives and Nashville Public Library—has built and sustained a statewide model for accessibility, outreach, and partnership.
