Stories

The property known today as Connemara not only offers inspiration and enjoyment, but has a long and complicated history. The property was developed and the house built in 1838 by a slave owner who served in the Confederate government, and had leading role in South Carolina's resconstruction policies. The next two owners were prominent businessmen, who also played a role in maintaining racial segregation after reconstruction. Then in 1945, over a century later, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and biographer of Abraham Lincoln purchased the property. While living here, Carl Sandburg received a lifetime membership from the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) for his work in civil rights. He was also awarded a Pulitizer Prize for his Complete Poems, which includes many works on social justice and labor rights.

You can learn more about the history of the site and prominent figures through the links below:

Historic Resource Study of African American History at the Site
This Historic Resource Study, Black Lives and Whitened Stories: From the Lowcountry to the Mountains, by David and Anne Whisnant, explores the history of African Americans and the larger racial dynamics at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site over a period of more than a century, beginning in the 1830s.