Charlestown, now Charleston, was the primary port of call for slave ships and there was a time when slaves were in the majority in parts of the Lowcountry. Connections takes us on a journey from the Lowcountry to the Upstate, highlighting important Black History sites.
First is a visit to Charleston to the Avery Research Center and the houses where the enslaved Africans lived.
Then on to Atlantic Beach where we learn about the 10 Black men who quietly bought pieces of land over a period to create a beach called the “Black Pearl” where Blacks would be allowed in the time of the Jim Crow South.
The tour next takes us to Greenwood, SC, to the birthplace of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, where Andrew Young was interviewed about Dr. Mays’ life and legacy. Dr. Mays’ Morehouse Men included Martin Luther King, Lerone Bennett, Maynard Jackson.
Side Notes:
- The Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture – located at the College of Charleston, its purpose is collecting, preserving, and promoting the unique history and culture of the African diaspora.
- Learn more about Town of Atlantic Beach, The Black Pearl” South Carolina. Visit the virtual tour of historic location.
- Visit the SC Department of Archives and History, African American Tourist Destinations to learn more about important African American sites in South Carolina.
- Benjamin E. Mays served as president of Morehouse College from 1940 to 1967. Despite his retirement at age 69, his activism did not slow. He served as advisor to Presidents Johnson and Carter, served on the Atlanta Board of Education for 9 years and was the first African American president to serve on the Board.
The Mays home in Epworth, SC was deteriorating, and to save this historic and endangered site, it was purchased by SC Palmetto Conservation and relocated to Greenwood, SC in 2004.
