The Charleston Mercury

The South Carolina State Library occasionally features oversized volumes from the A. S. Salley and Rare Book Collections. Be sure to check out the current display featuring the October-December 1861 volume of The Charleston Mercury.

1861 issue of the Charleston Mercury

The Charleston Mercury, a historic newspaper founded in 1819 in Charleston, South Carolina, held a formidable presence in the antebellum South. Renowned for its advocacy of states' rights, nullification, and later secession, it became a pivotal voice in the region. Notably, during the secession crisis preceding the Civil War, the Charleston Mercury emerged as a leading proponent of South Carolina's withdrawal from the Union. 

Throughout the Civil War, The Charleston Mercury served as a staunch supporter of the Confederacy, disseminating news, commentary, and propaganda to its readership. The paper closed in 1868 due to financial challenges exacerbated by the war's aftermath.

Upcoming Event

Cover of Coast Lines: A Poetry Anthology

Speaker at the Center: Readings from "Coast Lines: A Poetry Anthology"

April 22, 2025, 2:00 PM


Join us at our next Speaker at the Center series to celebrate National Poetry Month with readings from the new poetry anthology, "Coast Lines," edited by Daniel Cross Turner and Libby Bernardin. Lovely inside and out, this anthology features over 140 works by 50 poets exploring the manifold beauty and diversity of the South Carolina coastal plain, accompanied by over 50 stunning photographs of the region’s distinctive ecologies and wildlife by photographer Philip Wilkinson. 

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