My husband and I recently decided to move to Fayetteville, South Carolina. I have lived and worked remotely here for approximately three months and love it. We are still settling in and have yet to have the opportunity to fully explore the city and gain insights into great places to share with others. Since I know many of you will be traveling to Charleston for UMAC this month, I decided to do my remote tour a little differently. The South Carolina gem is of one of my favorite cities, and I'm excited to tell you about it.
Charleston, a place I affectionally call my second home, is an "All-American" city that has always been near and dear to my heart.
The area has a complicated history, but efforts are in motion to revitalize and restore the beauty of the city.
There's some debate over how Charleston earned it's nickname the Holy City. But there's no denying that the city is host to an abundance of places of worship. In fact, more than 400 church steeples dot the skyline.
After spending the summer on a Charleston Wesley Foundation fellowship,.my love for the city deepened. I eventually decided to attend the College of Charleston. I found myself once again enthralled by the city's beautiful southern architecture. I came to appreciate its deep-rooted history and the ability to remain close to home. I enjoyed trying delicious southern cuisine, finding sweet spots in the city and building a community.
The classic southern city charm and history are two factors that lured me. It is where enslaved people arrived at one of the main ports during the Antebellum period and was a primary instigator of the Civil War. This part of the city’s history is not one of my favorites but it serves as a remembrance of how far we have come and a reflection of what my ancestors endured so that I can have the right I use today.
Visitors to the city can see remnants of the slave market and blocks that enslaved Africans were brought to and where the Charleston Confederates started a war essentially to continue slavery. Since then, Charleston has opened an international African-American Museum, highlighting a commitment to unity and reconciliation.
Below are a few of my favorite places in Charleston that I hold near and dear to my heart and will become a favorite of yours if you visit: