The Ghosts of Charleston
The Ghosts of Charleston recounts some of the myriad ghosts stories of the city. These stories are of real, existing specters, including the plight of the headless confederate soldier on the city’s High Battery Seawall, unexplained happenings on the Cooper River Bridge, the appearance of the luminescent Lady in White who wanders through the dense foliage of the Unitarian Church’s graveyard, and many others.
These departed Charlestonians continually try—in vain—to work out their unfulfilled dreams in the sphere of the living. Their unresolved longings pierce through the thin barriers between their world and ours. They jolt to the quick those to whom they present themselves; horrifying the nonbeliever. From dark alleys and cemeteries overflowing with lush foliage and through all of Charleston, spirits from the underside of the physical world plead for our intervention.
Ghosts of Charleston
by Julian T Buxton III
– $24.95
Voices of Black South Carolina
Did you know that eighty-eight years before Rosa Parks’s historic protest, a courageous black woman in Charleston kept her seat on a segregated streetcar? What about Robert Smalls, who steered a Confederate warship into Union waters, freeing himself and some of his family, and later served in the South Carolina state legislature? In this inspiring collection, historian Damon L. Fordham relates story after story of notable black South Carolinians, many of whose contributions to the state’s history have not been brought to light until now. From the letters of black soldiers during the Civil War to the impassioned pleas by students of “Munro’s School” for their right to an education, these are the voices of protest and dissent, the voices of hope and encouragement and the voices of progress.
These departed Charlestonians continually try—in vain—to work out their unfulfilled dreams in the sphere of the living. Their unresolved longings pierce through the thin barriers between their world and ours. They jolt to the quick those to whom they present themselves; horrifying the nonbeliever. From dark alleys and cemeteries overflowing with lush foliage and through all of Charleston, spirits from the underside of the physical world plead for our intervention.
Damon L. Fordham
– $21.99
Take our Lost Stories of Black Charleston history walking tour with Damon Fordham as well! More information here.
The 1895 Segregation Fight in South Carolina
In 1895, Senator Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina attempted to solidify his political power. He proposed to rewrite the South Carolina Constitution to deny African Americans their constitutional rights and make racial segregation the law of the state. Six Black leaders—Robert Anderson, Isaiah Reed, Robert Smalls, William J. Whipper, James Wigg and Thomas E. Miller—went to the state capitol in the face of insult and ridicule to make an eloquent stand against these developments. The erudite and forceful addresses of these men drew worldwide headlines but are largely forgotten today. Author Damon L. Fordham attempts to rectify that omission and inspire generations to come.
Damon L. Fordham
– $21.99
Black Folk Tales and Chronicles of South Carolina
Publication Date: January 14, 2025. All orders will be shipped or ready for pick up on the publication date.
Throughout history, African Americans passed along folk tales to ease burdens and make sense of experiences. Tracing back to West Africa, this storytelling tradition provided laughter, instruction and resilience. Animal stories often were proverbs for adults and teaching points for children. Two pioneering Black school teachers told of their careers in education. An eyewitness described the Charleston Race Riot in 1919. Others gave testimonies of Denmark Vesey’s attempted slave rebellion. Author Damon L. Fordham presents this collection of Black South Carolina stories and narratives based on interviews and research, including his travels in Africa.
Damon L. Fordham
– $24.99
