Pieces of History: Medal Collecting & Giuseppe Garibaldi

University of South Carolina Libraries invites the public to a talk with Jerry Platt to learn about research he and his wife Kay have done with libraries’ collection of Giuseppe Garibaldi medals.

The Platts use commemorative and military medals as a basis for research into historic events and people.

They have published several books, including The English Civil War: Medals, Historical Commentary and Personalities, and Here We Make Italy or We Die: The Medals of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Risorgimento and Modern Italy.

University Libraries Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special collections holds the internationally acclaimed Anthony P. Campanella Collection of Giuseppe Garibaldi, which contains thousands of items including books, letters, newspapers, metals and more.

Garibaldi (1807 – 1882), an Italian general, politician and nationalist, played a large role in the history and unification of Italy. He led successful military campaigns in both Latin America and Europe, and was known as the \”hero of two worlds.\”

Platt will speak Saturday, March 24 from noon – 1 p.m. in the Barrow Room at the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library, which is located at USC.

Guests should enter the Thomas Cooper Library at 1322 Greene St. Columbia, SC 29208 to access the Hollings Library.

These events are free and open to the public.

The Hollings Galley will be open to the public that day from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Guests are encouraged to come early or stay late and enjoy current major exhibits including The Duty of a Writer: John Dos Passos, and It Is So Ordered: Judges and the Law in South Carolina, curated from the libraries South Carolina Political Collections.