Referred to simply as Mother Emanuel, The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1816 and is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal church in the southern United States. It was founded as the Hampstead Church by African Americans who were former members of Charleston’s three Methodist Episcopal churches Laws at the time required churches to be dominated by whites,...

If you have never seen the work of Jonathan Green then hold on to your hat. His work is visually stunning, joyful, and a magnificent tribute to the Gullah culture. He is considered one of the most important painters of the 20th century, and Charleston is lucky to have him in our community. His studio is by appointment only, so...

Watch out for the cobblestone street! Chalmers Street is narrow and uneven. You are headed to the first African American museum. A treasure trove of history! The history of The Old Slave Mart is heartbreaking, but oh so important to remember. You can feel the history and misery at this sad site. The dreary stone building with its massive arched...

What’s so special about a Charleston sweetgrass basket? Let me tell you. For over 300 years the Gullah tradition of weaving sweetgrass baskets has been passed from generation to generation. Made from a locally harvested type of marsh grass these baskets are strong and supple. They aren’t cheap, but you are buying an original piece of art work that will...

This is one remarkable story. In the late 1800’s, a former slave and Baptist minister, Rev. Daniel Joseph Jenkins found some hungry and homeless black children huddled by a train track. He let the kids sleep in his church. He soon received a bit of help from the city. They let him use an abandoned warehouse next to the city...

Boy is Charleston proud of Philip Simmons! This African American artisan died in 2009, but his beautiful ornamental iron work is everywhere in this city. Born in 1912, he has been called the poet of iron work, and given the honorific title of Keeper of the Gate. In 1982 the National Endowment for the Arts awarded him the Heritage Fellowship. It...

The McLeod Plantation is a wonder. Just a few miles from Charleston on James Island sits a 37-acre Gullah/Geechee heritage site.  The tour of this plantation is a bit unsettling, as the story of African American slaves toiling here is a brutal one. No whitewashing history by these guides! Take the tour and you’ll find out about slave life, cotton...

Who doesn’t love a daring escape? Well Robert Smalls pulled off one of the greatest during the Civil War. Born into slavery in 1839, Robert was sent to Charleston to work. He loved the sea and worked his way up from a dockworker to become a pilot. He learned to skillfully navigate the Charleston Harbor. When the Civil War broke...

Gullah Gullah tours is the perfect way to learn about Charleston’s unique African American history. What the heck is Gullah? Well, it’s not a written language. It’s a unique patios of the low country spoken by the slaves in South Carolina and Georgia. So climb in the Mercedes Van and get ready for a two-hour ride into the culture of...

The Dock Street Theatre is a wonder. This historic theater was the first building in America built exclusively to be used for theatrical productions. The first theatrical production? The Recruiting Officer which opened on Feb. 12, 1736. That’s not all though. The first opera performance in America, Flora, also took place at The Dock Street Theatre. The original Dock Street...