Charleston: A city with a past (and present)

“Welcome to the McLeod Plantation!” announced our guide. “Before we begin, let’s address the meaning of the word. Who can tell me what a plantation is?” A few of us offered definitions related to cotton, agriculture and the economics of the time, before he dropped his own line, “It’s a glorified way of referring to privately-owned slave labor camps.”

When in South Carolina, you go on plantation tours—it’s what you do.

He went on saying that his tour might make people uncomfortable, but that the stories of the grounds we walked on need to be heard. He proceeded to tell us about slavery at the McLeod Plantation in vivid details.

It’s one thing to know slavery happened and another to dive into the reality of the enslaved African-Americans. To find out that they (including children) worked 18-hour days picking cotton, milking cows, assembling hay, producing sand, harvesting sweet potatoes, corn, and taking care of animal farms. The slave owners were able to reinforce this task system through a campaign of terrorism sponsored by the government. They hired a city-run agency called the Slave Patrol, a group of armed white men whose work was to instill terror in the slave population.

The cruelty of the owners didn’t stop there. Against this backdrop of oppression, many mixed-race children were born out of sexual violence committed by the white slave owners on the female slaves. Many would later be abandoned or forced into slavery. Among them, Stephen Forrest, the alleged son of one of the McLeod brothers, was abandoned after they fled the plantation during the Civil War. Stephen later changed his last name to Forrest in a possible act of protest.

We also learned about Reconstruction in the deep South, the period after the Civil War during which the newly free African Americans worked together to build new lives. The freed black people learned to read, opened schools, built their own banks and businesses to economically empower their communities. It was a short-lived period, during which in 1870 non-white men and freed male slaves were given the rights to vote, thanks to legislation introduced by African Americans. Reconstruction was a true testament to black people’s ability to transcend slavery and regain agency over their lives. Unfortunately, white opposition to the emancipation of African Americans grew extreme, giving rise to the Jim Crow era—88 years of black lynchings, voter suppression and racial segregation. It was the end of Reconstruction (1865-1877).

The McLeod Plantation tour was eye-opening and critical to our study of race relations in the United States. It’s a hard topic to ignore when in South Carolina, where you can come across Confederate statues in touristy areas of Charleston like The Battery. The city still benefits from the free labor it enjoyed for centuries. The stately downtown houses and mansions, which have become a major draw for tourism, were built on slave labor.

A recognized example of black fortitude in South Carolina is the legacy of Phillip Simmons, whose work can be seen throughout the city and the rest of South Carolina Lowcountry. He was a black artisan who became famous for the beautifully delicate iron work decorating the fences of many of Charleston’s downtown mansions. That does not grant his statue a spot in these prominent neighborhoods, so it currently stands in the neglected area of East Charleston.

One would think that given the history, there would more or less be an acceptance of black culture and black people as a whole. But South Carolina’s second-largest city (Charleston) is currently majority white, particularly in the peninsula (where the city’s downtown and historic neighborhoods are). It’s a shift from 1980 when it was two-thirds black, with roughly 28,000 black residents. Gentrification is driving that change, and today, less than 10,000 black residents live there. An overwhelming percentage of the black population, along with a modest statue of Phillip Simmons, live just a short distance from the peninsula, in marginalized East Charleston. Despite this displacement, elements of black culture continue to drive the economy. Soul food, which can be found at most restaurants, originated from the kitchens of enslaved African-Americans, yet, their descendants are not represented as business owners or residents in desirable neighborhoods.

Charleston was at the center of the slave trade in the United States and you can still visit the actual location where African-Americans were bought and sold, right in the heart of the Historic District. We (my husband and I) walked through the Old Slave Mart Museum, which used to be a major slave auction site. As we learned, South Carolina had the highest number of slaves, with 40% of the 12 million African Americans brought to the States residing there.

Unfortunately not just a distant memory, the history of racism still affects the present. While on a Gullah tour, which focuses on black Charleston heritage, we stopped in front of the Emmanuel A.M.E Church where the racist shooting claimed the lives of nine black people in 2015. Our tour guide knew five of them.

Despite learning the heavy history, we still enjoyed our few sunny days in Charleston. It only takes biking through the city to marvel at the scenic streets and architectural landscape. Perhaps what Charleston is most known for is its food culture. We had some pretty good snapper, shrimp and grits and African-style oxtails while we were there. If you’re planning to visit, here’s what we’d recommend you do:

McLeod Plantation

Come here for some “no bullshit” history that will leave you feeling in awe of the courage and resilience of African-Americans, and may even spark your activism. This place tells it like it is.

Chuma Gallery

One of the few shining examples celebrating black Charleston culture, the Chuma gallery is located in the Historic City Market. It’s dedicated to the preservation of Gullah culture through the work of local artists. We had a pleasure speaking to the very knowledgeable managers who recommended the Gullah tour, which was definitely a worthwhile experience.

Gullah Tour by Al Miller

You’ll appreciate Al’s wealth of knowledge, which he shares with humor and a down-to-earth attitude. The Gullah are members of an African-American people who used to be enslaved on the coast of South Carolina and nearby islands. We got to see Gullah women in action, weaving baskets into what is known as sweetgrass basketry, one of Charleston’s most prized cultural souvenirs. The African women initially made those for domestic and agricultural uses; today, they are decorative artifacts.

A special moment of the tour happened when Al sang the bittersweet lyrics of the Porgy and Bess play, one of the earliest popular works acknowledging the humanity of African-Americans in the South. Created by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, a white couple who sympathized with Blacks during the Jim Crow era, the piece is a moving ballad of the culture and the people, it was reproduced by the Metropolitan Opera last September. Another tour attendee joined Al in singing, forming a powerful chorus that spoke to how much representation of marginalized culture means to people whose voices go unheard.

Although Al’s tour can last three hours, you won’t regret taking it. You might even meet some pretty interesting people (like we did) along the way.

The Old Slave Mart Museum

Did you know? At one point, 8 of the 15 people who owned more than 500 slaves in the US were from South Carolina. Charleston was a major player in the slave trade and the Old Slave Mart Museum was a popular slave auction site. If you want to be in the rooms where it happened and learn the conditions the slaves were subjected to, this is the place for it.

Hanibal’s Kitchen

For some unpretentious “mama’s cooking” type of meal, led by two black sisters who’ve been passed on the family business. This place has been around for over 40 years and is a force of good in the East Charleston community.

Poogan’s Porch

Southern comfort food at its finest. Get the shrimp and grits.

Husk

There’s a reason everyone recommended Husk. From the setup (we dined on a balcony) to the food and service, it’s an all-around great experience. Get the Atlantic snapper and lettuce-wrapped pork belly.

Circa 1886

For a special occasion, top notch dining experience. This place brings an eclectic menu to the table with meals deriving from African, European and Southern cultures. This is where we had some really good African-style oxtails, which we didn’t even know was a thing.

Swig and Swine

For some good ol’ beer and barbecue.

Would we come back to Charleston? Sure. But by then, I hope to see more black people living and owning businesses downtown, and reclaiming the city. That would only be right.