From Fugitives to Freedom: African American History in the Congaree Landscape, 1730-1880

In celebration of Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of millions of enslaved African-American men, women, and children at the end of the Civil War, join park ranger Jon Manchester on a guided hike to learn about the first 150 years of African American history in the Congaree floodplain and the land surrounding the park. This guided hike will take participants from the early settlement of this area and the arrival of the first enslaved workers in the 1730s, through the antebellum years when cotton was king, to the years of Reconstruction and the beginning of Jim Crow era segregation that would eventually be the catalyst for the Civil Rights Era of the mid-20th century. Participants will hear about how those who were enslaved became familiar with this landscape as they worked to clear and cultivate fields for crops, learned to use it to their advantage to flee slavery and find freedom in the wilderness as maroons, and how they sought to use that familiarity during the Reconstruction era to establish themselves as free landowners. 

Program should remember the following:

• This program will begin at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.
• Wear clothing suitable for forecasted weather and temperatures.
• Bring enough water for each person in your group.
• Wear comfortable, sturdy footwear and be ready for a walk of approximately 2.5 miles on the boardwalk.
• Insect repellent and sunscreen are recommended to protect you from biting insects and sunburn. 
• Dogs and other pets are not permitted on this program (service animals are welcome).

Fees

This event is free to attend.

Location

Program will start from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and travel around the boardwalk trail, ending at the starting location.

Latitude and Longitude 34.000000, -81.000000

Schedule

Event Type

• Guided Tour
• Talk
• Walk