Dr. Robert Elder is no stranger to the South Caroliniana Library or the state’s complex and varied history.
Elder, an Associate Professor of History at Baylor University, conducted most of his research for his first two books, The Sacred Mirror: Evangelicalism, Honor, and Identity in the Deep South, 1790-1860 (UNC Press, 2016) and Calhoun: American Heretic (2021), at the Caroliniana. For him, as for many other scholars who have made extensive use of the Caroliniana’s collections, these research trips were made possible by the various fellowships offered by University Libraries.
The Libraries offer several fellowships designed to give researchers the opportunity to visit the Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections and the South Caroliniana Library. Elder visited the South Caroliniana Library in June as the 2025 Lewis P. Jones Research Fellow in South Carolina History. The Jones Fellowship was established in 1996 as a permanently endowed research fellowship made possible by an anonymous gift to University Libraries. The endowment is available to non-professional historical researchers, public school teachers, college students, and university instructors.
The fellowship is named for Dr. Lewis P. Jones, a native of Laurens, S.C., and long-time professor of history at Wofford College who has had a significant impact on the appreciation and teaching of history in South Carolina.
Elder focuses his research on the cultural, intellectual and religious history of the American South, specifically in the 19th century. Although he earned his B.A. and M.A. from Clemson University, Elder has spent a lot of time studying the collections at University of South Carolina Libraries, specifically the South Caroliniana Library. His first visit was when he was a graduate student and focused on studying local church record books. As his career has grown, the Caroliniana continued to support his various research focuses and interests. “I feel like the Caroliniana is my home base,” he says.
Elder is utilizing this year’s Fellowship to research the Nullification Crisis (1828-1833), which will be the topic of his next book. The Crisis, which has been called one of the biggest constitutional crises in America’s history, was primarily between the state of South Carolina and the federal government over federal tariffs that the state attempted to declare null and void. The crisis brought together many prominent national politicians and South Carolinians such as William C. Preston and Hugh Legaré. Preston, a prominent nullifier, U.S. Senator and President of South Carolina College, and Legaré, anti-nullifier and U.S. Ambassador to Brussels, both have buildings named after them on the University’s campus. Both Preston and Legaré’s papers are housed at the South Caroliniana Library, which gives researchers like Elder a unique and holistic view of the crisis from both sides of the issue.
However, this visit, along with others Elder has conducted are vitally connected to the awarding of University fellowships and funding.
Without the Lewis P. Jones Fellowship, Elder might not have been able to travel to Columbia for this research. For many academics, especially those writing and researching history, securing internal funds from their institution depends on their ability to secure external funds, which makes many researchers completely dependent on grants and fellowships such as the ones offered through University Libraries.
“The Caroliniana is one concentrated repository where I can come and get both sides of this conflict,” Elder says. “This is what makes it so amazing.” Along with personal papers of key players in the conflict, Elder is also able to access local newspapers that highlight both opinions of the conflict as well as regional differences in opinion. The Winyah Intelligencer (Pro-Nullification) and the Greenville Mountaineer (Anti-Nullification) are two examples. While some of these newspapers can be found online, Caroliniana has more issues available than can be found online anywhere.
“I have been to other archives, but the Caroliniana was always going to be the place I had to come to,” says Elder. The Nullification Crisis is widely taught around the country, in both South Carolina and general United States History classes, and according to Elder, the most important records relating to the crisis are at the Caroliniana.
"Through the generosity of friends and supporters over the decades, we have the ability and privilege of funding both up-and-coming scholars and leaders in the field,” says Dr. Nathan Saunders, Director of the South Caroliniana Library. “We of course benefit immensely as they then publicize the value of our collections through their innovative work."
You can find more information about the various fellowships offered through University Libraries here.