• 2026 Spring Luncheon Meeting
  

Saturday, May 16 at the Country Club of Lexington, 1066 Barr Road, Lexington, SC 29072.

Doors Open at 11:30, Meeting Call to Order at 12 Noon.

Reservation Deadline: Wednesday, May 6, 2026. No reservations will be accepted after May 6. If mailing your reservation, please plan to send it no later than April 29. Any mailed reservations received after May 6 will not be accepted.

Our speaker for the Spring 2026 luncheon will be Dr. Alice Taylor-Colbert, who is an American historian whose studies focus on the South and the Cherokee Nation. She earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in American Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and has served five universities in leadership roles, including Campus Dean of the University of South Carolina Union. From 1988 to 2020, she served on the editorial board of the Journal of Cherokee Studies. She is an advisor to the Georgia Trail of Tears Association and a past president of the Georgia Association of Historians. Dr. Taylor-Colbert is also a trained curator, archivist, and former museum director. She currently serves on the Professional Development Committee of the South Carolina Federation of Museums. She led the Resilience and Revolution exhibit project and numerous public programming grant projects for SC Humanities from 2020 to April 2025. She secured NEH, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and Self Family Foundation grants for her work.

Dr. Taylor-Colbert will speak on “Cherokees in the Revolutionary Era: Diplomacy, Conflict, and Peace.” As some colonists began to fight for their independence, some Cherokee leaders advocated for neutrality, while others aligned with Great Britain. By exploring the divisions in the Cherokee Nation, Dr. Taylor-Colbert’s talk will deepen our understanding of the divisions between Loyalists and Patriots. Her talk will suggest that the disruption caused by the American Revolution extends beyond military battles and that the aftermath of the conflict illustrates the resilience of Indigenous survivors. Their creativity and adaptability can make peace, overcome challenges, and build new lives.

Menu: Lunch will include one of three entrées (select yours on the form), a garden salad, iced tea, water, fresh rolls & butter, a variety of mini-desserts on each table, and coffee. The club’s bar will be open for those wishing to purchase beer, wine, or cocktails. In an effort to have more juniors to join us, we have worked with the venue to include a kids meal of Chicken Fingers at a reduced rate of $8. This will be limited to children.

Hotel:

A room block has been reserved at the Best Western Plus, lcoated at 601 Columbia Ave., Lexington, SC 29071. Phone (803) 356-8300, email hotel@bwpluslexington.com. The SMD-SC room rate of $135/night (1 king or 2 queens) is available until April 15.

You may call, email, or use the link. If calling or emailing, please tell them the block name is 'SC Mayflower Society'. Click the link below to reserve your room:

• Friday Meet & Greet
  

We will meet at 6pm at the Old Mill Brewpub, located at 711 E. Main Street, Lexington, SC 29072. We have reserved tables for 20 people, and will be seated at 5pm. Please RSVP on the form or online so we know you plan to join us. Seats are limited to 20 attendees. In order to avoid disappointment, please do not wait until the last minute to register.

Meals and beverages will be ‘Self pay/ Dutch Treat’. If you cannot get there by 6pm, please know that it is a restaurant and is open to the public- just go ahead and go, but you will probably not be seated with us. To check out the venue, visit their website: https://oldmillbrewpub.net/