Adopted in 1861, our flag’s history is much older.|Photo via Wikimedia Commons
If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a flag is a whole textbook.
Our state flag is a record of South Carolina history that experts read like a secret code. Every part carries some meaning, from hoist to fly end.
The colors
As one of the original 13 colonies, South Carolina stood at the forefront of America’s fight for independence from Great Britain. Flown over Sullivan Island’s Fort Moultrie in 1776, the earliest version of our flag mirrored the uniforms of its soldiers: navy coats and white buttons, chosen in contrast to the British redcoats.
The charge
In flag lingo, the symbol on a flag’s “field” (background) is called a “charge.” Our flag is charged with a palmetto.
Sabal palmettos absorbed 7,000 rounds of British cannonfire in the ten-hour defense of Fort Moultrie, allowing Continental forces to clinch an unlikely morale victory. As one British surgeon put it, “This will not be believed when it is first reported in England.”
The canton
A flag’s canton is its upper lefthand corner, where the stars are on the US flag. South Carolina’s bears a crescent — and that’s about all we know.
It resembles a moon, but some historians believe it’s actually a piece of neck-protecting armor called a gorget. Meanwhile, William Moultrie’s memoirs just call it a crescent. Moon, gorget, or crescent, we think it’s fun to let mystery be a part of our flag.
Events
Events
Monday, Nov. 11
Night in the 80’s | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Russell House Ballroom, University of South Carolina | Free | Dress to impress + skate the night away to 80s hits.
Tuesday, Nov. 12 Hands On Art: Dinovember | 10-11 a.m. | Richland Library Cooper | Free | Ages 0-5 can enjoy creative dinosaur art activities while learning about the prehistoric creatures.
Wednesday, Nov. 13
Carolina Alive Performance | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | USC School of Music Recital Hall | Free | The vocal jazz ensemble will perform both classical jazz and popular hits — hear everything from a cappella to keyboards.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Coldplay on Strings | 8:45-10 p.m. | Junction 800 | $31 | Enjoy this multi-sensory musical experience as Coldplay’s biggest hits are played on string instruments in the candlelit environment.
See the Northern Lights, find the perfect gift, and visit a winter wonderland, all at the SCSM. |Photo provided by the South Carolina State Museum
The holidays at the South Carolina State Museum will be very merry and extra bright this year. Mark your calendar for these upcoming festivities:
✨ Behold the Northern Lights
Immerse yourself in the wonders of the mystical Northern Lights during "Áróra,” a cinematic journey through remote Icelandic landscapes and outer space. This planetarium experience is showing for a limited time — and tickets are included with general admission.
🎁 Find the perfect gift
From linens and jewelry to decorative items and gourmet food, the Museum Store has countless unique gifts representing the Palmetto State. Psst.. members get an extra 10% off on Saturday, Nov. 23 + Saturday, Dec. 14.
❄️ See it snow in Soda City
On Thursday, Dec. 5, the museum’s 55-ft planetarium dome will transform into a giant snow globe. During the Holiday Planetarium Lighting (4-7 p.m.), guests can also enjoy visits with Santa, live jazz, a light-up reindeer hat activity, night-sky observing, and more.
🛷 Fly with Rudolph
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D” — a 10-minute take on the classic story with 3D visuals and interactive effects — is playing now through Tuesday, Dec. 31.
Announced Remember? Last January, a South Carolina exploration company announced that it had possibly found the wreckage of Amelia Earhart’s lost plane. Well, it turns out the discovery was confirmed to be rocks. (The Post and Courier)
Today Is Veterans Day, a federal holiday commemorating people who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Expect various closures related to the holiday, and help honor our military personnel by attending the Veterans Day Parade at 11 a.m., stepping off from Columbia Plaza. (WIS News 10)
Open When one door closes, another door opens. Wings Co. opened a new location inside the former Schlotzsky’s Deli at 529 Bush River Rd. Stop in for wings, tenders, chicken and waffles, and loaded mac and cheese. (The State)
Try This Saddle up. Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo is coming to Colonial Life Arena for bull riding and barrel racing shows with cowboy athletes on March 7 and 8, 2025. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 15.
Sports Let’s go Gamecocks. The South Carolina women’s soccer team is heading to the SEC tournament championship after securing a 3-0 victory over No. 2 Mississippi State.
Home Are home improvements on your holiday wishlist? Whether you want to refresh your space or tackle that long-awaited project, unlock the potential of your property with a Home Equity Loan or HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit). Learn more from the experts at AllSouth Federal Credit Union. Equal Housing Lender.*
Sports The Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Giants 20-17. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the Panthers with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Category
Seasonal
🎺 Add to cal: A brassy Christmas celebration
Presented By Koger Center for the Arts
The Boston Brass has performed for audiences in all 50 U.S. states and more than 30 countries. |Photo by David Middleton
Appropriately titled “Christmas Bells are Swingin’,” this festive concert features the internationally renowned Boston Brass, joined by some of the best musicians from around the world. Together, they create a unique sound that will get you in the holiday spirit.
The all-brass ensemble includes trumpets, French horns, trombones, tubas, and a jazz rhythm section. During the show, they’ll perform lively arrangements of holiday classics like:
The Stan Kenton Christmas Carols
“Greensleeves”
“Silent Night”
Motown hits
“Jingle Bells”
And many more
Pro tip: This energetic performance is perfect for audiences of all ages, so bring the whole fam.
Your favorite Nordstrom item on sale, since the store’s limited-time fall sale ends tonight. We’re seeing: discounts on cashmere sweaters, leather loafers, and crisp white fashion sneakers.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Surprise — I bet you weren’t expecting to see me here. I’m on our national content team, and I occasionally get to help out in other cities. While in Columbia, I loved learning more about the Fireflies Holiday Lights, so here’s you’re reminder that the display begins Friday, Nov. 15.
