Dr. Lewis P. Jones, left, with Dr. Bill Bagwell, first Lewis P. Jones Fellow.

A permanently endowed research fellowship was established in 1996 as a tribute to Dr. Lewis P. Jones by an anonymous gift. Dr. Jones, a native of Laurens, received BA and MA degrees from Wofford College and a PhD in history from the University of North Carolina. He served as a member of the Wofford faculty from 1946 to 1987, during which time he was secretary to the faculty, chair of the history department, and the first holder of the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professorship. In 1987, Dr. Jones was presented with South Carolina's highest award, the Order of the Palmetto.

As professor emeritus at Wofford and author of South Carolina: A Synoptic History for Layman and numerous other works on Palmetto State history, Dr. Jones has had a tremendous impact on the historical education of South Carolina. The purpose of this fund is to provide researchers with the opportunity to conduct research at the South Caroliniana Library for a period of approximately 10 weeks in the summer.

The annual income from the fund shall be used to award one or more research fellowships as income will allow. The award shall be a $500 stipend and, if needed, University housing, preferably on the Horseshoe, from the beginning of June to the middle of August each year. The fellowship will be awarded by a committee comprised of the Director of the South Caroliniana Library, a representative from the USC History Department, and a representative from the Confederation of Local History Societies. Applicants must be doing research in South Carolina History. The fellowship is available to non-professional historical researchers, public school teachers, and college and university instructors. For further information regarding the Jones Fellowship, please contact us.