Juneteenth is a national holiday that marks the liberation of slaves after the Civil War. On June 19, 1865, U.S. Army Major General Gordon Granger traveled to Galveston, Texas, to announce the Civil War was over and that slavery had ended. At that time, many African Americans were unaware that Congress had passed the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery and that Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862. Major General Granger’s announcement helped spread this momentous declaration in history throughout the most rural parts…

Each Black History Month, we’re offered the opportunity to further our understanding of the Black American experience. February provides a dedicated time to look back on our past, and recognize the immense struggles and contributions of all African Americans. Here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, our history is as complex and unique as many other parts of the nation, and this month we’d like to shine a spotlight on one particularly significant bit of local Black history — Charlie’s Place. Charlie’s Place was a popular African American…

Brookgreen Gardens is a Grand Strand masterpiece on any day, but now, it’s especially exciting to visit as they are hosting an amazing art exhibit by internationally known artist Bruce Munro. Munro’s Southern Light exhibit opened on May 15 and it will run through September 12, 2020. I had the opportunity to visit Brookgreen and view the exhibit in mid-May, and I was blown away. The evening began with us watching a recorded Zoom call between Brookgreen’s marketing manager, Lauren Joseph, and Bruce Munro himself. He was supposed to be in…

Tickets for the first of the March Myrtle Beach history trolley tours are now on sale. This is the last of a three-month series that sold out every tour in both January and February. Locals and visitors alike have loved these local history tours that depart each Tuesday at 2 p.m. from in front of the Grand 14 Cinemas at The Market Common in Myrtle Beach—me included! Making a stop at the historic Pine Lakes Country Club, the Early Myrtle Beach & The War Years tour tells the city's origin story and what it was like during WWII with U-boat…

Hobcaw Barony, owned by The Belle W. Baruch Foundation is a sixteen-thousand-acre wildlife refuge research reserve and historic plantation that makes a great day trip for those looking to relax on the south end of the Grand Strand of the Myrtle Beach area. Discover a rich diversity of every common ecosystem found on the South Carolina coast - an unparalleled site for research in the environmental sciences. In addition, over 70 cultural sites on the plantation including cemeteries, slave cabins, and Baruch’s homes. See Hobcaw House, where…

Have you ever wondered what life was like on a living farm in the early to mid-1900s? Take a step back in time and discover the history and culture of the Horry County farm family during the 1900-1955 period. Larry Paul, a local businessman with a rich farming heritage in Horry County, offered to fund the construction of a family farm to help educate future generations by allowing guests and visitors to observe and participate in activities that would have been commonplace on traditional family farms. Events and live demonstrations change…

The Myrtle Beach area is known locally as the “Grand Strand” and includes 60 miles of pristine Atlantic coastline and is comprised of 14 communities and two counties. Myrtle Beach is a dynamic family destination chock full of fun attractions, restaurants, the world-famous Boardwalk with the Skywheel, amusement parks, and much more, but did you know there are numerous opportunities to explore the region’s unique history? Spend a couple of days away from the beach and immerse yourself in the rich unique history of coastal South Carolina. Did you…

Great music, dancing and fun were once a regular occurrence at Charlie’s Place in Myrtle Beach. Even in the puzzling days of Jim Crow-era segregation, both whites and blacks enjoyed each other’s company and reveled in the unifying sounds of jazz, Motown and beach music while they danced away. Today, an annual event is held to celebrate the music and the culture that thrived in the area in bygone days. The fourth annual Myrtle Beach Jazz Festival returns October 4-6, 2019 on historic Carver Street in Myrtle Beach! Charlie’s Place was an…

Fall is a great time to take a break from our hectic lives for a relaxing vacation in Myrtle Beach. And while you may want to spend the day blissfully resting along the area’s beautiful beaches, you don’t want to pass up the many activities in Myrtle Beach that stretch your mind and awaken your senses. From taking in beautiful art and natural beauty, to learning a new skill or watching amazing performers, there are many ways to stretch your mind in Myrtle Beach this fall. Here are just a few: Franklin G. Burroughs - Simeon B. Chapin Art…

Can’t You Sea? is a powerful new exhibit at the Burroughs and Chapin Art Museum running through September 8, 2019. Can’t You Sea? brings awareness to one of our world’s most immediate and biggest environmental problems--plastic ocean pollution—through artwork made from plastic found in coastal areas around the world. Six artists/activists, Dianna Cohen, Alejandro Duran, Sayaka Ganz, Pam Longobardi, Aurora Robson, and Kirkland Smith, employ discarded plastic as both an artistic medium and as subject matter. One of my favorite pieces was composed…