Travis tells us that Charleston was a slave trading port so has been very wealthy. We stop for lunch at Brown Dog Deli for a tasty sandwich surrounded by retro movie posters and a ridiculously compelling video (no sound) of two hands with red painted nails crushing what looks like soaps or candles. We tear ourselves away from the video to drive to Buxton Books to meet our guide for a Black History tour. The bookstore is small and cute but with a nice selection and a banned books display front and center.
Our guide Damon Fordham finally arrives a bit late, starting us off at an adjacent parking structure. I finally understand why when he pulls out a mouth organ to play a bit of Summertime from Porgy & Bess (using the parking building for acoustics). He will tell us more about how this relates to Charleston later.
I can't begin to replay the amount of history that Damon shared with us but he covers everything from the founding of the city to the Slave market, to St Michael's Church and how Mother Emmanuel AME church was founded, to a brief period during Reconstruction when all citizens of South Carolina had more comprehensive rights than we do now and how that was destroyed by Jim Crow laws and how racism was used to bolster the wealthy class. He added a few more musical interludes along the way and told us the story of the couple who inspired the story of Porgy & Bess and the Gershwin musical still performed today. It was a fascinating talk. I bought one of his books which he signed (also supporting the store).
After the tour, we met back with Travis who drove us to our hotel. After getting our room settled, I joined Fiona to walk down to the City Market. I took a quick stroll through and discovered most of the booths to be fairly conventional crafts, but there was a sweet grass basket maker so I stopped to talk to him. During our walk with Damon, we had stopped to chat with a Ms. Simmons about her baskets and I really wanted to get one. Not being sure how far to go back to her location and finding this vendor to have some smaller baskets & scoops I picked up a small rice scoop from him for a slight discount. The baskets are extremely labour intensive and so pricey.
After leaving the market, I looked at the map and felt the intersection where Ms Simmons was didn't seem too far so I kept going there and she was still set up. Her prices were much better and she was willing to bargain. I found a basket I liked and suggested a price well below her asking. But I realized too late that she only took cash! She was kind enough to allow that she would take what cash I had if I promised to send a cheque to her! I couldn't believe that kind of trust! I agreed, took her address, snapped a picture of her with the basket and then walked off.
Then I thought I should see if there is an ATM from my bank close by - yep, down a few blocks! After finding the machine, getting some cash that would also cover Travis' tip, I quickly walked back to Ms Simmons - meeting up with Fiona on the way. I managed to catch Ms Simmons before she wrapped up. I learned that she is married to a military man who served out of San Diego during Vietnam where she lived for many years! She's from the Charleston area and learned her weaving craft from her grandmother. Her smile and warmth just melted my cold cynical heart.
I caught the free shuttle to save time back to the hotel where I decided to eat the remaining half of my lunch sandwich instead of going out for dinner.
Tomorrow we have an early start and longish drive to Asheville.
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