W. Brent Burgin

After a heroic and admirable battle with ALS, Brent Burgin passed away June 20, 2022. Watson “Brent” Burgin was born on May 3, 1959, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He went to Elementary School there; West End Christian Middle School in Hopewell, Virginia; and High School at Colonial Heights, Virginia and Boiling Springs, Spartanburg. Brent decided to attend college after a successful career in hotel sales and operations from 1978-2006. He pursued a career in academia receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from USC Spartanburg Campus (now Upstate) in 2000, a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of SC in 2002, and a Certificate of Graduate Study in Library and Information Science, also from USC, in 2006. Later he had a practicum at Wofford University Archives and Records Management during which he found a land grant from 1709, which led to a career in Archives. His graduate assistantships at USC Spartanburg’s Library and at the South Caroliniana Library at USC Columbia led him to USC Lancaster and an internship that turned into a career. At USCL he established the Native American Studies Archive and the University Archive. The NAS archive received the 2010 Brenda McCallum National Prize from the American Folklore Society and the 2014 Program Innovation Award from the South Carolina Archival Association. In 2017 Brent received the Wilkerson Award, an advocacy honor from the American Indian Party of Charlotte. In 2018 the Archaeology Society of SC named him Distinguished Archaeologist of the Year and the South Carolina Archival Association created an endowment in his name. In 2019, The University of South Carolina Lancaster created an endowed lecture series in his honor. In 2021 he received the Katawba Valley Land Trust’s D. Lindsay Pettus History Award, the first ever bestowed. Few, if any, archivists can boast that they built an archive from scratch, but Brent did just that. He became an expert in both the archival materials donated by Tom Blumer as well as the Blumer Catawba pottery collection purchased by USCL from D. Lindsay Pettus. Neither of those was an easy task. Quickly after his arrival at USCL he forged a partnership with Oral Historian Nicholas Meriwether at the South Caroliniana Library at USC Columbia to digitally restore decaying Catawba History tapes. Not only did he build an archive devoted to the numerous South Carolina State Tribes, but he also acquired the papers and research of several prominent non-Indian scholars whose seminal scholarship on South Carolina tribes is now housed in the NAS Archive. Brent served as principal investigator of the largest grant NASC ever received – an ASPIRE grant (with USC’s Institute for Southern Studies and USC Digital Libraries) that resulted in the Native American South Carolina Archive – www.nativesouthcarolina.org Brent developed the NASC’s most important public outreach program in the Lunch and Learn Lecture Series, bringing up-and-coming and notable scholars to the campus. He bought every speaker lunch out of his own pocket. His family, friends and colleagues, cognizant of this wonderful gift, commemorated him with a named lecture – the W. Brent Burgin Annual Lunch and Learn Lecture, and raised the necessary funds to endow the lecture into the future. While Professor Burgin did not teach classes, he was and remained a popular faculty member amongst the student body, mentoring interns who were fortunate to land in the archives with him. Every one of them ended their internship with the gift of a piece of Catawba pottery from Brent. Several have become professionals in related fields. Brent mentored interns in USC’s Bachelor of Liberal Studies Program (BLS) and in 2009 spent 500 hours, in 2010 spent 700 hours, and in 2012 spent 672 hours supervising BLS students. In 2016 he lectured at Sun City community for a public outreach course that was widely attended and well received. And, for a time, he served as Director of Distributed Learning. Professor Burgin served on numerous USCL faculty committees including Native American Studies Advisory Committee 2007-2021, Student Scholarship and Awards Committee, and the Honors Day Committee. Brent gave many lectures from Morehead City, NC to Hilton Head, SC and from Greenville, SC to Pembroke, NC and everywhere in between. In 2013, he gave 22 public lectures! Brent was a long time, active member of the Katawba Valley Land Trust attending many outings and meetings. He especially enjoyed the Christmas bird counts and took anyone who would go to see the Spider Lilies bloom at Landsford Canal. He hosted numerous Land Trust Board meetings and other events at the Native American Studies Center. He enjoyed hiking, particularly at 40 Acre Rock Heritage Preserve, and on March 23, 2015, he accompanied author Scott Huler who was walking the former course of English Naturalist John Lawson’s epic trek of 1701. Brent was a Board member of the Lancaster County Society for Historic Preservation. While Chair of the Cemetery Committee he inventoried graves as part of a cemetery restoration project at the Olde Presbyterian Church cemetery where his ashes will rest in perpetuity. Other interests include Rock and Blues music, Gamecock football and partaking of only the finest ports, madeiras, wines and craft beers. At The Craft Stand pub in Lancaster, Brent was well-known. Like the character “Norm” from the television sitcom “Cheers, ” everyone knows his name. He liked good movies, was outgoing, generous, and extremely funny. And he especially enjoyed spending time with his numerous friends. Brent is survived by his father Watson Burgin of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, his mother, Susan Emory Kelly (husband Curtis Kelly) of Dryden, Virginia, his brother Michael Moody of Archer Lodge, North Carolina, his sister Allison Brady (partner Mark Canton), three nephews, two nieces and three grandnephews. He had numerous colleagues and friends. One friend in particular, Mr. Garrett Smith, was a great inspiration for Brent and Garrett took wonderful care of Brent during the final years. Brent cherished his friendship with D. Lindsay Pettus who inspired him in many ways. Following a private ceremony at the Historic Cemetery of the Old Presbyterian Church, the family of W. Brent Burgin invite you to join them Sunday July 10th at 1:30 pm for a celebration of life at USC Lancaster’s Native American Studies Center at 119 South Main Street, Lancaster, SC. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the W. Brent Burgin Archives Fund within the Educational Foundation of USC Lancaster. Notes to the family may be made at www.lancasterfuneralhome.com. Lancaster Funeral Home & Cremation Service is serving the family of Mr. Burgin.Read Obituary