About Black in the Lowcountry

Welcome to the Black in the Lowcountry site is a digital project that aims to collect and preserve the stories of African American youth in the South Carolina Lowcountry. The project gives youth to share their story in their own words without the intervention of mainstream media.  The project was inspired by the film Woke Up Black, which was directed by Mary Morten and the Black Youth Project Research, which was founded by Cathy Cohen. 


The project was lead by Aaisha Haykal, MSLIS, an Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) Archival Fellow and Dr. Robert Chase, the Public Historian at the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. The Avery Research Center was established to collect, preserve, and make public the unique historical and cultural heritage of African Americans in Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Avery’s archival collections, museum exhibitions, and public programming reflect these diverse populations as well as the wider African Diaspora.

Collection Details

The collection is comprised of interviews of African American/Black youth in the Greater Charleston area. The interviews were done with high school students who attend St. John's High School on John's Island and with college students at the College of Charleston. All interviews were conducted by Aaisha Haykal.  


The themes discussed in the interviews include 

Family, Religion, and Spirituality
Media
Education
Social Justice
Sexuality and Gender Roles
Living in the South

For information about how to use these interviews please contact Dr. Robert Chase, the Avery Research Center's Public Historian, via phone 843.953.7612 or e-mail (chasert@cofc.edu). 

If you have any questions or concerns please e-mail averyyouth2012@gmail.com