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Charleston's Free People of Color

From the Special Collections Department of the College of Charleston (previously featured in the 10-11-2019 Scout Report), this digital exhibit explores the lives of free people of color in urban areas such as Charleston, who were often skilled carpenters, masons, or laborers: a small segment of antebellum society who "nevertheless indelibly stamped the city, creating a culture that can be traced in various locations." This collection of resources includes a select group of materials that focus primarily on buildings and locations in Charleston that were built, owned, or occupied by free people of color. The exhibit can be easily navigated using links in the Exhibit Menu on the left side of the page. Each photo, sketch, or other material includes descriptive text along with links to the other appropriate information and sources. Select examples include: a lovely sketch of the law office of James Louis Petigru, a staunch unionist and defender of the rights of free persons of color; a photo of the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson, where she and her descendants lived from 1844 until 1971, when it was sold to the College of Charleston; and the Mother Emmanuel A.M.E Church, which was reconstructed in 1891 to replace an earlier building that had been founded by free people of color around 1791. For those who would like to explore the topic further, the "Sources" link in the menu brings users to a full list of print and digital sources for the exhibit. The project is the work of Harlan Greene, Lindsay Barnett, and Annika Liger.
Archived Scout Publication URL
Scout Publication
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Date of Scout Publication
December 3rd, 2021
Date Of Record Creation
November 22nd, 2021 at 3:19pm
Date Of Record Release
November 23rd, 2021 at 1:37pm
Resource URL Clicks
57
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