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Oct 08, 2018

“History Harvest” Explores Untold Stories of the Civil Rights Movements During Community Celebration at Mosquito Beach, James Island

Seashore_Farmers'_Lodge_No._767_1

 

Seashore_Farmers'_Lodge_No._767_1

 

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 5, 2018) — The Mosquito Beach community and Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) will host a “History Harvest” at the Seashore Farmers Lodge, 1745 Sol Legare Rd., from 12 noon-5pm on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. The event is free and open to the public. Those who experienced Mosquito Beach from the 1950s through today are invited to bring photographs, souvenirs, memorabilia and their recollections to help organizers better understand and ultimately share the history of this important place through a National Park Service African American Civil Rights Grant.

The History Harvest will include demonstrations and activities including: the 54th Massachusetts Reenactment Regiment of African-American troops, net making demonstrations, sweetgrass basket making, food vendors and tours of the historic Seashore Farmers Lodge. Most importantly, historians will collect stories and materials shared by interested attendees. An oral history interview booth, hosted by HCF, will be available for those eager to share memories of times spent at Mosquito Beach.

HCF’s application for “Documenting and Sharing the History of Mosquito Beach and its Role in the Civil Rights Movement” was awarded a prestigious grant by the National Park Service. The project will highlight how a small Gullah Geechee community successfully navigated the Jim Crow south and provided African Americans with a safe sanctuary community in which to live, play and enjoy themselves even within the confines of a segregated society. A strip of marshland on Sol Legare Island/James Island, now in the heart of the federally recognized Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, became a welcoming destination for African Americans who were not permitted to visit other local recreational areas.

An esteemed consultant team including Michael Allen and Brittany Lavelle Tulla will craft a National Register Historic District nomination for the site through research, documentation, photographs, surveys and by conducting oral histories. Following the research phase, plans include the installation of educational panels and a South Carolina state historical marker at the site and the development of a website where research findings and oral histories can be publicly accessed.

“The Mosquito Beach National Park Service Civil Rights grant project offers the local community a unique opportunity to explore, experience and expose the rich history of Mosquito Beach,” said Allen.

Delve into the untold history of Mosquito Beach during the History Harvest free community event. The Seashore Farmers Lodge is located at 1745 Sol Legare Road (in the event of inclement weather, the History Harvest will be held at the Sol Legare Community Center, 1820 Sol Legare Rd.). For more information, contact Cubby Wilder, 843-276-8707; Historic Charleston Foundation, 843-723-3646.

This project is partially funded by the African American Civil Rights program of the Historic Preservation Fund, National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

About Historic Charleston Foundation

Established in 1947, Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve the history, architecture and culture of Charleston. The Foundation is known for its preservation and advocacy programs including protective covenants and easements; education and outreach; and it is the first organization in the country to establish a revolving fund to acquire and preserve historic buildings, a model now replicated in historic communities across the nation. Preservation coupled with education and outreach is at the heart of the HCF mission. This mission is supported through the generosity of preservation-minded donors, the Annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens, the Charleston Antiques Show, a licensed products program, and retail shops. In addition, HCF fulfills its educational mission through the interpretation of its collections and two museum sites: the Nathaniel Russell House, c. 1808, and the Aiken-Rhett House, c. 1820.