8 Beaufort County contributions to African-American history

Beaufort County has been a special place to watch in the development of African-American history.

Many people born and raised here, those passing through and the lasting structures and memories they’ve left behind have all helped to shape a story of strength and perseverance that is now celebrated across the nation, especially during February, Black History Month.

Here is a glimpse at just eight examples of people who have left their marks and places that continue to inspire the local community and beyond. .

1. Robert Smalls

Robert Smalls was a local man, born into slavery, whose legacy stretched far beyond Beaufort County. Smalls was a wealthy entrepreneur and a five-term congressman. He organized the county’s first school board and the Beaufort Republican Club, which began the Republican Party in the state. He led efforts for land purchases that paved the way for Parris Island as we know it today and the U.S. Naval Hospital. Smalls earned his first claim to fame when he sailed a Confederate ship out of the Charleston Harbor and turned it over to Union forces, earning his freedom.

2. Penn Center

Penn Center began as Penn School, which provided education for newly freed slaves right after the Civil War. About 100 years later, the leaders of the Civil Rights movement, including Martin Luther King Jr., gathered at Penn Center to meet and plan a path forward together. History, education and social movement are still part of everyday activities at Penn Center.

3. Emory Campbell

Emory Campbell was inducted into the Hilton Head Island Hall of Fame in November 2016 for his dedication to preserving the Gullah culture. He has worked with several local groups and organizations over the years, including his family’s Gullah Heritage Trail Tours, to keep Gullah culture native to the island in plain view amid the county’s ever-expanding landscape.

4. The Grand Army of the Republic Hall

The Grand Army of the Republic Hall in Beaufort still serves as a place to remember the fallen African-American soldiers of the Civil War. Originally, it fought for pensions and benefits for black Union veterans. Today, Memorial Day celebrations still center around the building built more than 100 years ago by those soldiers.

5. Joe Frazier

Born and raised in northern Beaufort County, Smokin’ Joe Frazier became a world-champion boxer. Frazier was the youngest of 11 and left home for Philadelphia at 16 to train as a boxer. He was an Olympic champion who faced opponents like Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in the ring. Frazier was also awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor, in 2010.

6. Mitchelville

Mitchelville, the first self-governing town of freed slaves in the United States, was on Hilton Head Island. The town was established by a collective of freed slaves who established their new community before the Emancipation Proclamation. Gen. William T. Sherman and Harriet Tubman were just a couple of the town’s visitors who spread the word of its success.

7. Jonathan Green

This Lowcountry artist’s work looks into the past significance of rice cultivation and other southern culture and traditions, including the Gullah culture. Rice was once a staple in the Lowcountry — a given at any meal — and the cultivation of rice played a major role in the culture at the time. A highly recognized artist, Green was born and raised in the Lowcountry, and his work is now spread across the world.

8. The Emancipation Oak

The Emancipation Oak in Port Royal is the spot where the Emancipation Proclamation was read on Christmas Day in 1863. People return to gather at the oak tree at the Naval Hospital Beaufort every year to celebrate Emancipation Day. It is to become part of the national Reconstruction monument.

This story was originally published February 5, 2017 at 7:08 PM with the headline "8 Beaufort County contributions to African-American history."