It is no surprise that Charleston is deeply rooted in history, and a major building block of the city’s story is the African American experience.

Late this June, Explore Charleston launched a new website with the vision of the African American experience in Charleston being seen + heard. The site, titled “Voices: Stories of Change,” is a collection of history + stories told through the viewpoint of Charleston’s African American community.

Voices: Stories of Change | http://africanamericancharleston.com

The site’s stories + articles are composed of volunteer contributions. Typically, each story is written by someone who has a personal tie to the subject matter – whether it was a firsthand experience, something a family member lived through, or is a topic on which the contributor is particularly knowledgeable.

Visitors can read stories dating back to the pre-colonial era, or accounts of current events such as the Emanuel AME Church tragedy. Articles are organized by easily-navigable “themes” ranging from culinary impact to social, economic and political leadership, and can even be searched for by specific locations or time periods.

Voices: Stories of Change | https://www.africanamericancharleston.com/themes/

The goal of the site is not only to be an outlet for those with a story to tell, but a platform to inspire equality of all within a community in the present + future generations.

These are just a few of the stories we’ve already got bookmarked:

○ “Living Canvas” by Herb Fraizer | A story of the picturesque Magnolia Plantation and Gardens + a reflection on how it was sculpted into the magnificent place it is today.
○ “The Incredible Life of Robert Smalls” by Michael Boulware Moore | The journey of a Beaufort-born man whose labor on a Civil War vessel granted him the position of her pilot, which he used to free his enslaved family, crew + others.
○ “Respect for Heritage” by Jonathan Green | Green reflects on his Gullah African ancestors + their legacy on his family + the Charleston community.

To read more articles, click here. To learn more about how to contribute, click here.

Quiz

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