Gullah is more than a language in South Carolina. It's a cultural marker and represents deeply embedded African American history and roots. While Geechee is different and refers to descendants of the sea islands of Georgia, the two combined, today, represent stretches of land from Amelia, Island, Florida, to Sandy Island, South Carolina, and a collective group of people hailing from West Africa, who brought their ethnic traditions with them while enslaved — traditions which are still alive and well in South Carolina.
From various restaurants specializing in Low Country, Southern cuisine in the Charleston area to tours, museums, exhibits and other programming to delve deeper into the Gullah language and culture, there's plenty waiting to be explored.
This restaurant opened only eight years ago but has become a Charleston staple for embracing Low Country, Southern cuisine characteristic of the region. What makes The Glass Onion a standout is its connections to the local community as a home-grown neighborhood based eatery. From the drinks to the food, The Glass Onion incorporates working with local farmers and suppliers to create a menu that keeps customers coming back for more. Southern roots run deep as executive chef Chris Stewart, who is an eighth generation Alabama native, personifies that love in the food produced, some of which pays homage to his grandmother Jennie Ruth. Menu favorites include the cornmeal fried North Carolina catfish over seafood gumbo and buttermilk fried chicken. The Glass Onion, 1219 Savannah Highway, Charleston. 843-225-1717, ilovetheglassonion.com, @glassonionsc.
Paying tribute to Gullah culture and language in the Charleston and Beaufort areas of South Carolina, Gullah Tours takes visitors on a journey through history and remembering the black Charlestonians who were early inhabitants of the area. With 13 tour stops, the two-hour tour can be taken Monday through Friday and on Saturdays. Gullah storytelling is available upon request. Gullah Tours, 375 Meeting Street, Charleston. 843-763-7551, gullahtours.com.
Hosted at the College of Charleston, the Avery Research Center's mission is to collect, preserve and promote African diaspora with a focus on Charleston. Stop by the Avery Research Center for a glimpse into history with various archive collections, museum exhibits and other public programs held. Avery Research Center, 125 Bull Street, Charleston. 843-953-7609, avery.cofc.edu.
Since 1804, this downtown market has housed eclectic food vendors, and it's a prime seller of sweetgrass baskets. Sweetgrass basket weaving is a technique and old tradition with roots in West Africa. Indigenous bulrush, a type of grass found only in that region, is used to weave the baskets. The Charleston City Market has more than 50 basket vendors, so you can pick and choose just the right basket to take home. Charleston City Market, 188 Meeting Street, Charleston. 843-937-0920, thecharlestoncitymarket.com, @chascitymarket.
Hop in a car for a slight excursion to St. Helena Island, just under two hours away from Charleston proper, to visit natural historic landmark district Penn Center. The area was designated as a landmark in 1974 and is the site of former Penn School, regarded as a mecca for education. Over a total area of 50 acres, the Penn Center transports visitors back to the site of where former black slaves were first able go to school — one of the first schools of its kind in the country. The historic district is the only African American landmark district in the United States. Penn Center, Inc., 16 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island. 843-838-2474, penncenter.com.
Come in SeeWee Restaurant and you'll feel right at home. Checkered tablecloths are atop each table and no frills decorations. Mary Rancourt, owner of the restaurant, said the eatery started off as a general store and was later converted to a space where food for the soul was served. Popular menu items are the seafood of course — local shrimp and flounder fillet. SeeWee Restaurant, 4808 North Highway 17, Awendaw, 843-928-3609.
Housed in a restored Victorian home, Poogan's Porch has become an institution in Charleston since opening its doors in 1976. One of the highlights of the restaurant is its expansive wine cellar, which holds over 1,500 wine bottles and 28 wine varieties. The menu spotlights Southern favorites with a flair: cast iron pork chop, freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, pimento cheese fritters, fried green tomatoes, macaroni and cheese and a fried alligator salad. Poogan's Porch, 72 Queen Street, Charleston, 843-577-2337, www.poogansporch.com, @PoogansPorch.
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