Beaufort, SC – August 28, 2015 – The Beaufort History Museum is planning for a very busy fall season as it prepares to welcome a Spanish Count who is related to one of the area’s earliest settlers, open a stunning Hoodoo exhibit, host a 70 ^th birthday party for literary legend Pat Conroy and add four new directors to the BHM Board.  Here is how the events will unfold:

• September 11 – 1:00 PM – In cooperation with the Santa Elena Foundation the Museum will welcome Alvaro Armada, a Spanish Count and descendent of Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Santa Elena founder. A “meet and greet” will take place in the Museum hall on the second floor of the Arsenal. The public is invited.
• October 1 – 5:30 PM – Opening party with music and refreshments in the Museum courtyard to launch the Hoodoo Exhibit, “Doctuh Buzzard’s Hoodoo Awakening”.  Rumor has it that “Doctuh” Buzzard himself (a.k.a. Andy Tate) will make a live appearance.  Many Hoodoo items including Hoodoo Dolls, Chicken Foot Charms and a large array of Blue Root Elixir Bottles will be available for purchase. Tickets will go on sale September 15 on the Museum’s website. Prices are $5 for members and $10 for the general public.
• October 1 – 31 – The Hoodoo Exhibit, presented by the Beaufort History Museum and sponsored by The Beaufort Gazette and The Island Packet, is an imaginative creation by artists Bernice and Andy Tate. Brought by slaves from West Africa to South Carolina’s plantations, Hoodoo is a blending of Christianity, herb medicine and the supernatural, making for spellbinding stories of Boo Hags, Conjure Women and Root Doctors, who believe that they can use unseen forces of nature to manipulate people and objects throughout the world.  Fascinating artifacts and displays will bring the Hoodoo mystique to life and illuminate its profound influence in the everyday life and culture among the descendants of slaves in the Lowcountry.
• October 31 – Pat Conroy’s 70^th Birthday Party – 7:30 PM in the Arsenal courtyard.  The Museum is excited to host a party honoring a literary legend.  The event will feature live music, a delicious Lowcountry feast with beer and wine and of course, birthday cake.  Tickets are $30 for Museum members and $35 for non-members and will go on sale October 1 on the Museum’s website. “This will be an exciting time for the Museum,” said Carol Lauvray, Presiding BHM Board Officer.  “As we grow and strive to fulfill our mission, to tell the story of the Beaufort District in an engaging and educational manner, we know that the diverse talents of the individuals on our Board will be utilized to the fullest. We are fortunate to be adding four accomplished new members, bringing the total on our Board to 12.”

Recently elected to the BHM Board of Directors are:

• Norm Campbell is a retired Naval officer and aerospace industry engineer, who has lived all over the world and has cultivated his love of history over a lifetime. He also is a member of Historic Beaufort Foundation, the Friends of Hunting Island, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans.

• Steve Guida, a native of South Carolina, is a retired medical device industry executive who had a successful career in senior marketing and general management positions in various Fortune 500 and venture-backed companies. He is a Certified Tax Counselor and Site Coordinator of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program/Beaufort. He also is Treasurer of the nonprofit organization, the Friends of Fort Fremont.

• Mary Stuart Heath is a retired educator who taught for 30 years.  She is now an active volunteer and fundraiser for several Beaufort nonprofit organizations, including the Auldbrass 2015 Tour sponsored by the Beaufort County Open Land Trust; the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Valentine Ball; and Historic Beaufort Foundation. She also supports the Friends of Fort Fremont.

• Larry Koolkin has broad experience and success in applied information technology, finance, international business, and museums. He is Co-Chairman of the Building and Exhibits Committee at Santa Elena Foundation, where he is responsible for managing exhibition planning and development. He also is a Board Member of the Beaufort County Historic Preservation Review Board.

The Beaufort History Museum, located in The Arsenal at 713 Craven St., has evolved to focus specifically on the deep and rich history of the Beaufort District, which originally included Jasper County as well.     It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16^th Century until modern times. Through community engagement, children’s programs, educational opportunities and social events, the Museum provides many services to visitors and local residents. The next series of Docent Training classes will be announced soon. To contact the Museum: call 843.379.3079, direct email toinfo@beauforthistorymuseum.com or visit www.beauforthistorymuseum.com.