Anyone who has been reading my columns for any length of time knows about my affinity for quotes, and how they can often help illustrate my point better than my own words alone. In preparing to write this article highlighting how the artifacts at The Newberry Museum serve as conveyors of important history, part of a quote by Hans Haacke came to mind.

“Museums are managers of consciousness. They give us an interpretation of history, of how to view the world and locate ourselves in it.”

As a museum professional working in a regional history museum, this quote definitely resonates with me. As an institution, our goal is always to empower folks with the tools to learn about their own histories, while arming them with the ability to think critically about how past events and their own accomplishments contribute to the future. For the most part, the most meaningful way in which we accomplish this goal is via the exhibition of artifacts, objects that relate to Newberry County in some way.

The process of accepting new items into the collection, and of shaping how the collection should look and what it should contain, is one that is ongoing and often very exciting. By taking on this endeavor to explore the objects we receive and build our collection, we often find items that connect Newberry County’s history to the larger history of the state and nation, shaping the consciousness and context that many folks have for their idea of history as a whole.

Lately, items we’ve accepted into the collection have pointed us both to Newberry and to some of our nation’s past presidents. In learning about these objects, we’ve gotten closer to the important histories they convey.

One such item came in a collection from donor Diane Farr from Columbia, S.C. She donated components of a West Point uniform from 1950; two heavy coats, a jacket, and a garrison cap. All three items had the name of Howard N. Parks inside, the soldier to whom these items belonged.

Parks was a career soldier, born in Newberry County in 1928, who served in the US Army for 24 years and retired as Lieutenant Colonel. He fought in Korea and Vietnam, and was wounded in Vietnam. He passed away in 2019, and was buried in Rosemont Cemetery.

Farr also donated other items that Parks owned, including a framed photo of Parks in his USMA uniform, a “West Point Honor System” booklet, and an “Aptitude for the Military Service” booklet.

However, the most impactful item by far that Farr donated to the museum, was a framed photo of Parks and other military personnel, in their Dress Blues, at a White House event with President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson. The photo is personally signed by the president and first lady, and measures 14.5 by 12.75 inches.

Finding this photo was like striking gold. A Newberry native, risen to great military status, at a White House ball with the president. We were overjoyed to see this, and certainly proud to know a little more about Parks and the service he bravely provided for the country.

Johnson is not the only president who has graced our collections room as of late. Earlier in August, we received a photograph album of Newberry County people, donated by Gary Pierstorff from the Juanita Hitt estate. Inside the album, we found a black and white photograph of President John F. Kennedy on a platform on the Mall, with the Washington Monument in the background.

Also on the platform are band members. Hitt had labeled the photo as “Kennedy with Newberry musicians.” While we were excited to find the image, this labeling raised more questions than it answered. From our perspective, the band members looked old enough to be in college. Are these Newberry College band members? Are they musicians that lived in Newberry at the time and traveled to D.C. to be a part of this presentation?

We are still unsure, but would love your help, if you are aware of any information pertaining to the photograph. Please reach out and help us shape our consciousness and context surrounding this image.

One thing we know for sure – after receiving these donations, and merging Newberry County history with American history, we do know that Newberry is the center of the universe.

The Newberry Museum is currently open from Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. To inquire about the museum, donate an artifact, or express interest in volunteering, contact Executive Director Sheridan K. Murray at (803) 597-5215 or director@thenewberrymuseum.com.

Sheridan K. Murray is the executive director of the Newberry Museum.