USC history department accepting registrations for lecture series on South Carolina history featuring Walter Edgar.

South Carolina's role in the American Revolution and the Civil War will be among the topics addressed in a University of South Carolina public lecture series featuring historian and author Dr. Walter Edgar.

Sponsored by USC's history department, the lectures will be on Wednesdays from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Jan. 11 through April 19 at the South Carolina Archives and History Center on Parklane Road in Northeast Columbia. The series costs $50 per person, with proceeds benefiting teaching and scholarly activities in USC's nationally recognized history department.

"This series of lectures offers a great opportunity for members of the community to learn more about our state's fascinating history from the pre-eminent historian of South Carolina's past," says Dr. Patrick Maney, history department chairman.

The spring lectures series is the second of three annual series on South Carolina history to be hosted by USC's history department. The 2006 series will cover South Carolina history from 1769 - 1890. Last year's series was titled "South Carolina: That Opulent...and Very Important Colony," and the final series is 2007 is titled "South Carolina in Transition, 1865-2007."

Space is limited to 200, so early registration is encouraged. To register, send check payable to the USC Educational Foundation to the attention of "S.C. Lecture Series," history department, Gambrell Hall, USC, Columbia, SC 29208. Questions should be directed to the department of history at 803-777-5195 OR 803-777-4495 or via e-mail at maney@sc.edu.

Edgar is well-known for his award-winning book, "South Carolina, A History" and his popular show, "Walter Edgar's Journal," which he hosts on South Carolina Educational Radio.

USC's history department is considered a national leader within history circles for its caliber of its teaching and research faculty who specialize in Southern and African-American history. Under Maney's leadership, USC has hired a number of the top scholars in the field, including Drs. Dan Carter from Emory University, Daniel Littlefield from the University of Illinois, Dr. Patricia Sullivan from Harvard University and Drs. Don Doyle and Marjorie Spruill from Vanderbilt University.