Charleston Chronicle Exclusives
Palmetto Rose Artisan Panel Begins Work Engaging Controversial Art Sales
By Barney Blakeney Charleston officials last week held the first meeting of the Palmetto Rose Panel established after the July 2 arrest of a 16-year-old youth involved in an altercation with a police officer trying to arrest him for illegally selling the handcrafted art. The incident escalated when the youth tried to run and the officer…
Read MoreJames Smith – A Vision For An Inclusive South Carolina
By Larry D. Smith Change has come slowly to South Carolina, but each day, we witness another example of progress. For example, we have more African-American elected officials than any time in the last 150 years. We also have a growing African-American middle-class. But for those trapped in the cycle of low wages, poor access…
Read MoreUnited Black Men Of Charleston County Still Striving To Reduce Local Violence
By Barney Blakeney For the past three years, the United Black Men of Charleston County have continued their effort to impact violent crime. This summer, the group conducted a six-week basketball program in the Dorchester Waylyn community. And on August 6, some 20-strong, members of the group greeted returning students to North Charleston high School…
Read MoreMore Than An Apology Black Businesses Need Economic Inclusion, Says Waring
By Barney Blakeney Two months ago, Charleston City Council narrowly approved a resolution apologizing for its role in slavery. And council’s 7-5 split vote reflects the divide many feel about whether an apology is necessary or meaningful. It’s taken more than 150 years for the city’s leaders to come to the point where an apology…
Read MoreOmega Psi Phi Celebrates 80 Years in Charleston
Staff Reports – The Mu Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. kicked off its 80th Anniversary celebration with two weeks of activities and events. Founded on August 6, 1938, the chapter has been a devoted community organization in the areas of service and providing scholarship opportunities and programs for local students. On Monday August…
Read MoreWith Funding Secured From IAAM Construction, What’s Next?
By Barney Blakeney Charleston’s International African American Museum last week completed its 18-year fundraising effort to obtain $75 million necessary to construct the state’s largest museum dedicated to African American history and culture. Former Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley in 2000 presented the concept for the museum he said would document, preserve, interpret, present and promote…
Read MoreAt 106 Marjorie Howard Remains A Lively Source Of Inspiration
By Barney Blakeney Sorority sisters, church family, relatives, former students and co-workers gathered Sunday to celebrate Mrs. Marjorie Hutchinson Howard’s 106th birthday. The 43-year veteran math teacher turned 106 August 21. After graduating Avery Normal School in 1929, Mrs. Howard, the daughter of the late educator Marie Aleata Palmer Hutchinson and carpenter John Pearson Hutchinson…
Read MoreAME Palmetto Conference To Be Held At North Charleston Convention Center
Staff Reports – Some 1,800 attendees are expected to be on hand when the South Carolina Palmetto Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church convenes its 108th annual conference in North Charleston Aug. 29-Sept. 1. For the first time, the conference in South Carolina will be held outside the host church venue. The conference, hosted…
Read MoreAffordable Housing On The Way As More Blacks Continue On The Way Out
By Barney Blakeney Last week Charleston Housing Authority officials broke ground for the construction of 62 units of affordable housing at the site of the former Cooper River bridge’s landfall at Meeting and Lee streets. The groundbreaking comes more than a decade after S.C. Department of Transportation gave the land to the City of Charleston…
Read MoreA Small Step To A Park, A Giant Leap Toward The Future Of Scanlonville
By Barney Blakeney For the East Coper Civic Club, receiving the deed for a disputed parcel of land in the midst of the Remley’s Point/Scanlonville community was a hard fought success in a lot of ways. The Scanlonville community was established in 1868 after freedman Robert Scanlon bought the 614-acre Remley Plantation on the Cooper…
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