Otis Pickett

2025-02-14

For the first time in 156 years, Clemson University has brought the Will of Thomas Green Clemson back to campus. "Not having the Will here would be like the United States not knowing where the Constitution was, or knowing where it was but not having access to it every day -- the original document," says university historian Otis Pickett. "And now Clemson -- our Constitution, our founding document -- is home in our archives. We can look at it. We can study it. We can look at all the little details of...

For the first time in 156 years, Clemson University has brought the Will of Thomas Green Clemson back to campus.

"Not having the Will here would be like the United States not knowing where the Constitution was, or knowing where it was but not having access to it every day -- the original document," says university historian Otis Pickett.

"And now Clemson -- our Constitution, our founding document -- is home in our archives. We can look at it. We can study it. We can look at all the little details of it. We can see all the little important provenance of that document that helps us better understand how to be Clemson."

Pickett rejoins The Clemson Dubcast to articulate his dream of having that document on display for everyone to be able to view "and to say: That's the document that started this whole thing."

"We are working on a Clemson History Museum," Pickett said. "We would tell the Thomas Green Clemson story. We would tell the military story. Then we have all this amazing stuff from Harvey Gantt and desegregation and the RC Edwards administration; we're going to have a whole room dedicated to just that. A whole room dedicated to the history of the Tiger paw.

"I want this to be a part of the game-day experience: Bring folks up to the museum, get something to drink, sit on the porch and reconnect with other alumni. And bring your children so they can see all this history. Because we're more than just athletics. That's a huge part of our identity, but there's so much more. I want folks to experience that and see that in a tangible manner. And that will familiarize our alumni base with all of our history. So when something comes out that we haven't heard before, it's not as shocking.

"That's my vision. That's my dream."

Pickett also shares the story of how his and his wife's life changed over the 16 months that their daughter Sadie Margaret lived before passing in June of 2017.

To contribute to the Clemson History Museum, go to the following web site:

https://iamatiger.clemson.edu/giving/historic-properties

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