Brittany Counts on Participating on in the BIL Project

AH: Okay, so why did you agree to be a part of this project?

BC: I was recommended by Dr. [Consuela] Francis and if she thinks that it is a good idea then 99% of the time it is a great idea and I thought that it was a great way to leave my mark at the College of Charleston, if there is nothing else that shows that I here, I can come back here in 20 years possibly and show my family or children, this is what I did when I was here, this is, this was my life up until this point.

AJ Johnson on Participating in the Black in the Lowcountry Project

AH: So why did you decide to do, participate in the Black in the Lowcountry project?

AJ: Because I feel like every voice counts and that only through the understanding of different people and through only, by me putting my voice out there hopefully I will be able to reach somebody else with some kind of understanding, or some kind of spark for intellectual thought and only through that can we really raise our consciousness like only through that can we all grow from each other, so

Sara Daise on Participating in the Black in the Lowcountry Project

AH: This is a wrap up question, why did you choose to participate in this project, the Black in the Lowcountry project, is there any particular reason, just to share your story do you think that is something people can learn from and think about?

SD: I think that being Black and from the Lowcountry makes me very unique and I want that story to be told, I want people to know that youth, that Black youth are not apathetic and that we don’t just not care and that there are things that we want to see done and we have ambitions and dreams just like the next person and I’m also because I grew up in Beaufort and my father is from St. Helena’s Island I am extremely aware of my Gullah heritage and culture, it is something that I am very proud of and as much recognition that I can bring to that in any way I will do that. I used to work at Avery, I remember giving a tour and we got to the rice culture section talking about the Gullah culture and this woman I don’t remember where she was from, she said, so, what are the Gullah people doing now, you know, do they come out? Well, I go the College of Charleston! They have this off the wall view, but I want people to know and I am extremely proud Black woman, I am extremely proud Gullah woman, but I also a woman and a person, so that is why I wanted to be a part of this project and I wanted it to be documented and I thought that it was really cool, really awesome that you are doing it, so that is why.

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