Africa to America

The Plantation Culture of Early South Carolina

Exhibit Highlights

While the riches of colonial South Carolina relied upon the physical labor of enslaved Africans, those same people contributed technical knowledge, cultural depth, and an appreciation of resources that distinguished lowcountry plantation life. This exhibit traces the origins, lifestyles, contributions, and struggles of enslaved people in Colonial South Carolina.

Colonoware
This locally-made, hand-crafted, low-fired, unglazed earthenware is closely connected to Native Americans and enslaved African Americans and often uncovered in archaeological excavations throughout coastal South Carolina and other locations. Similarities in the composition of colonoware recovered from various sites indicate the formation of a new cultural community using skills from African and Native American traditions. Artifacts are courtesy of The Charleston Museum.