Travels to African American Historical Sites
Charleston, Greenwood, Columbia, Mt. Pleasant, Florence, Georgetown (South Carolina)
I am pleased to share with the readers the blessings of being able to travel so many places and that have rich African American History.
Charleston, South Carolina – Charleston is known for its historical preservation of important African sites and the celebration of the Gullah-Geechee people. It’s important to remember how the Gullah Geechee people got to America. They were captured in Africa and brought to the New World on slave ships (surviving horrendous conditions at sea, malnutrition, disease, and abuse from their captors).
They were sold to South Carolinians as well as other slave owners in the South.
So many people can trace their roots back through the South Carolina slave trade that it’s estimated that 80% of African Americans have at least one ancestor who was brought to the U.S. through Charleston. Charleston, South Carolina, has approved a resolution that condemns and apologizes for the centuries of human slavery that were supported and promoted by its former lawmakers
Greenwood and Columbia, South Carolina - Allen University
Allen University (formerly historical college, now university) was founded in Greenwood, it is now located in Columbia, South Carolina. This college is where I was to get my formal education. I would have started at a Methodist college in Kittrell, North Carolina and on to get my degree at Allen. Later, I realized God had a plan for life and it did not include that kind of education. Ps. I visited people in Greenwood several times, and stayed in a friend father’s home.
Wikipedia (source) - Allen University is a private historically black university in Columbia, South Carolina. It has more than 600 students and still serves a predominantly Black constituency.[2] The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Allen University Historic District.
Allen University was founded in Cokesbury in 1870 as Payne Institute by ministers of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, including John M. Brown.[3] Its initial mission was to provide education to freedmen, former African American slaves and their children.
In 1880, it was moved to Columbia and renamed Allen University in honor of Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The university remains connected to the denomination, which is related to other Methodist churches. As one of two black colleges located in Columbia, Allen has a very strong presence in the African-American community. Allen University initially focused on training ministers and teachers, who were considered critical to the progress of African Americans. Over the years, it has enlarged its scope to produce graduates in other academic areas.
Mt Pleasant South Carolina - Boone Plantation
In the early 19th century, as many as 85 slaves lived on the plantation and produced handmade bricks. But slavery at Boone Hall started much before that, almost as early as the late 1600s. Slaves lived in small cabins on the slave street. Even today, you can see 9 of these slave cabins intact.
In continuing my research, these are some other places I have traveled in South Carolina. Clips from the movie “Gone with the Wind” were filmed there.
This list of African American Historic Places in South Carolina was originally based on a report by the South Carolina Department of Archives & History through its South Carolina African American Heritage Commission.
I was blessed to spend a few days at someone’s home in Florence; I toured Georgetown, drove through Kershaw, went to a funeral in Newberry, Saluda; I stayed overnight in Spartanburg.
Lord knows, I loved traveling and I drove most the places. I also love sharing “African American History”
~ Betty A. Burnett ~
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