A Peek Inside

Orangeburg Veterinarian Dr. Ann Hurst x-rayed some objects from our African collection this past week. This allowed us to look inside the object without disturbing what is inside.

Thanks Dr. Hurst!

Statewide Band Competition

The IP Stanback Museum and Planetarium recently had some high school band members practice on our grounds for the statewide band competition hosted by South Carolina State University. Here is Spartanburg High School in Spartanburg, SC.

Milking the Rhino

The IP Stanback was host to filmmaker David Simpson Thursday, Nov 12. His film, Milking the Rhino, was shown to a very large crowd in the Planetarium.

Rhino is part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Films and is about the issues of human-wildlife co-existence in post-colonial Africa.

Here is Simpson with IP Stanback Museum and Planetarium Director Ellen Zisholtz.

DeBunking 2012

South Carolina State University physics professor Dr. Don Walter recently conducted an interview in the Planetarium with News 19 Anchorman J.R. Berry about the myths surrounding the upcoming movie "2012".

The upcoming film, scheduled to be in theaters Friday, November 13, is about the belief that many have concerning the Meso-American, or Mayan, long count calendar, which supposedly portends the end of the world in 2012.

"There's a lot of misunderstanding surrounding this", contends Walter. "This date is about the end of their calendar, not the entire world. It's similar to what we do when December 31 rolls around each year . . . we simply flip the calendar to January 1."

The interview airs on Columbia's WOLO channel 19 on November 9 at 11 PM.

Getting a Head Start

We at the IP Stanback enjoy everyone who visits us.

Today we had a wonderful group from St. Matthews Head Start in St. Matthews, SC.

Here they are enjoying the James Brown exhibition.

Lesley University Visitors

The IP Stanback Museum & Planetarium was glad to have a group of Masters in Education students from Lesley University visit us recently.



These teachers are from Aiken, Orangeburg and Denmark, SC and are studying integrated teaching through the arts in elementary and high school.

We Love Our Seniors

The IP Stanback Museum & Planetarium has been host recently to some fantastic groups. Lately, area senior centers from Summerton, SC, Trenton, SC and Columbia, SC have taken advantage of the beautiful Fall days by bringing their residents to both our James Brown and Art of the World exhibitions.

Dr. Sarah Moten

The IP Stanback Museum and Planetarium was honored to have Dr. Sarah Moten visit recently.

Dr. Moten, who is the Education Division Chief of the United States Agency for International Development, was given a tour of the James Brown: Preserving the Legacy exhibition by IP Stanback Director Ellen Zisholtz.

Pictured from left to right: Dr. Leonard McIntyre, Dr. Sarah Moten, and Ellen Zisholtz.

Photographer Paul Gilmore

Photographer Paul Gilmore visited the IP Stanback Museum and Planetarium recently and took pictures for a story that will be be featured in a book by the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce.

The book will showcase the educational, business and entertainment opportunities of the area.

Gilmore toured the James Brown: Preserving the Legacy exhibition and Planetarium shows.

Conservator Debi Hacker

The Stanback is pleased, and very fortunate, to have Conservator Debi Hacker come and work with our Museum Study students, interns, staff and work study students.

Debi has been educating us on the proper techniques of storage and handling of objects in our collection.

Here she is working with student intern John Johnson.

Pants on Fire

The Stanback showed the Southern Circuit film Pants on Fire Thursday, October 8, 2009 in the Planetarium to a large crowd of about 85 students, faculty and community members.

Mercedes Blackehart, Art Director for the film, was on hand to answer questions and speak about her experiences in the film industry.

Pants on Fire is a comedy about a pathological liar on a quest for glory and his adventures as he attempts to prop up his illusions.

Mercedes particularly enjoyed the James Brown exhibition . . .

Dare Not Walk Alone

We had a very large, enthusiastic crowd for the film Dare Not Walk Alone Thursday, September 17 in the Planetarium.

Dare Not Walk Alone uncovers the untold story of the movement in St. Augustine, FL which led to President Johnson signing the Civil Rights Bill into law.



Filmmaker Jeremy Dean answered questions from about 80 students, faculty and members of the Orangeburg community.

America I AM

IP Stanback Museum Studies students and staff traveled to Atlanta Friday September 18, 2009 to see the America I AM exhibit at the Atlanta Civic Center.

This exhibition showcases the imprint African Americans have made on America.

Pictured from left to right are: Museum Studies student Micah Brown, Planetarium Manager Dr. Elizabeth Mayo, Stanback Registrar Harriett Hilton, Student Friends of the Museum Co-Chair Davion Petty, Donna Jackson, Museum Studies student Avery Brown, Museum Studies student Moriell Smalls, intern Melvin Moore, IP Stanback Museum & Planetarium Director Ellen Zisholtz, intern Quentin Atterberry, intern David McCleod, and Museum Studies student Theadosia Sumpter.

SCSU Faculty Triennial Exhibition 2009

Here are the faculty and staff who participated in South Carolina State University's Department of Visual and Performing Arts Faculty Triennial Exhibition 2009.

From left to right: Scotty Peek, Dr. Tolulope Filani, Ellen Zisholtz, FAB Gallery Manager Jim Arendt, Leslie Rech, Stephen Crall, and Kim LeDee. In front is Harper Arendt. Absent are Frank Martin and Jonathan Walsh.

Multitalented Intern Robyn Hemby

IP Stanback Museum & Planetarium intern Robyn Hemby recently performed in an adaptation of James Baldwin's Amen Corner, where she played the character of Sister Moore.

Way to go, Robyn!