ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University History Professor Eddie Lee ’83 is one of a 17-member SC250 State Commission created to draw attention to South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution.
On July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Organizers said the journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past.
The state of South Carolina is celebrating its contributions during the war where more than 400 battles, skirmishes and events took place across the state, including one of the war’s bloodiest battles at Eutaw Springs. “There are dozens of historical markers, museums and homes dedicated to the Revolutionary era,” Lee said. “The Revolutionary War was won here in the Palmetto State in places like Kings Mountain, at Huck’s Defeat and Cowpens.”
The SC250 effort will continue for seven more years, Lee said, up until the 250th anniversary of the end of the American Revolution in 1783.
SC250 CEO Molly Fortune said the effort is not just about honoring history. “We’re using it as a tool to build stronger communities, create educational opportunities and drive cultural tourism and economic development across the state,” she said. “At SC250, we believe history is for everyone. That’s why we’re supporting everything from classroom initiatives to battlefield preservation to arts programs – all telling South Carolina’s Revolutionary story from multiple points of view.”
The S.C. General Assembly has funded the SC250 effort and mandated that each county commemorate the American Revolution. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, associate professor of history and African American Studies at Winthrop, is the chair of the research committee of the York County commission.
Already the State Commission has started its work. Lee is the only historian on the commission which is comprised of educators, veterans, politicians and tourism officials. In addition to teaching history for more than 40 years, Lee is a former mayor of the city of York, has served as the president of the S.C. Historical Association and is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto.
The group visited York County Aug. 7-8 when members toured the Catawba Preservation Project, Historic Brattonsville and Kings Mountain National Military Park. Members also met to begin awarding grants to projects around the state.
For more information, contact Lee at leee@winthrop.edu.
