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Since the beginning of the semester, I've learned furthermore than I did about the importance of knowing what's around me. I already knew that Charleston was a historic place, but through BGS and just living in the city, I've found so many more points where I never knew were historically significant. I think that just being in the city and seeing it first hand helps to understand the readings easier. Being a white woman, I've seen how much of this history is brushed under the rug, specifically racial history, because many people like to sugar coat what took place. I've seen and learned about things that I've never had to deal with and it changes your perspective when you realize how many people try to fixate their attention elsewhere so that they don't have to go over this topic. In my opinion, that highlights how dark some of the history truly is and is all the more reason why it should be talked about.

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To better acknowledge Charleston's history, we should be open minded and ready to learn about the past. We should reach out and learn about the places that are no longer named or look like what they used to be.

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It definitely felt overwhelming. It's weird to actually know the racial history of Marion square since I've only seen it here as a place to walk through and see others sharing a picnic or playing frisbee.

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Charleston’s history can be better acknowledged in many simple ways, that when put together can make a difference. For example, the tourism industry is who tells much of Charleston’s history, leaving out the nitty gritty details that may harm the city’s reputation. I believe properly trained historians should have speeches or community outreaches where people, including tourists, can learn about the entirety of Charleston’s history. Also, plaques that specifically address the history of slavery and discrimination could be placed in sites such as Marion Square, or on the side of the embassy suites.

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Charleston’s history can be better acknowledged in many simple ways, that when put together can make a difference. For example, the tourism industry is who tells much of Charleston’s history, leaving out the nitty gritty details that may harm the city’s reputation. I believe properly trained historians should have speeches or community outreaches where people, including tourists, can learn about the entirety of Charleston’s history. Also, plaques that specifically address the history of slavery and discrimination could be placed in sites such as Marion Square, or on the side of the embassy suites.

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The old citadel building which is now an embassy suite that my family has stayed at while spending the weekend in Charleston is right next to Marion Square. I remember learning that it was the old citadel when I stayed there but no one ever mentioned that it was used as an armory to fight against slave rebellions. Much of Charleston’s history involves racism and slavery but is not usually mentioned upfront as to avoid controversy or a worse outward appearance. I think that it is necessary to explain the full history of buildings such as this embassy suites even if it harms or tarnishes the outward appearance of such buildings.

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The old citadel building which is now an embassy suite that my family has stayed at while spending the weekend in Charleston is right next to Marion Square. I remember learning that it was the old citadel when I stayed there but no one ever mentioned that it was used as an armory to fight against slave rebellions. Much of Charleston’s history involves racism and slavery but is not usually mentioned upfront as to avoid controversy or a worse outward appearance. I think that it is necessary to explain the full history of buildings such as this embassy suites even if it harms or tarnishes the outward appearance of such buildings.

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Marion square is a place that I have visited before beginning college but since I’ve spent more time in the square since starting this semester. I find it fascinating to learn about the extensive histories of the buildings around the square and the square itself. These sites have a complex relationship with slavery and racial discrimination while most people simply walk around the square throwing a frisbee or having a picknick. Despite the square’s history with protests, racism, and slavery, there is no plaque or statue to commemorate those enslaved or discriminated against which could easily be changed by the city.

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Marion square is a place that I have visited before beginning college but since I’ve spent more time in the square since starting this semester. I find it fascinating to learn about the extensive histories of the buildings around the square and the square itself. These sites have a complex relationship with slavery and racial discrimination while most people simply walk around the square throwing a frisbee or having a picknick. Despite the square’s history with protests, racism, and slavery, there is no plaque or statue to commemorate those enslaved or discriminated against which could easily be changed by the city.

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I have grown up visiting Charleston and learned a lot about the city before coming to start college this semester. The prior knowledge of South Carolina and Charleston's history helps me to understand the bitter hatred that often remains unseen in history books. Much of the ugly racism and discrimination that happened in the past affects the city of Charleston now and some of this hatred remains. Since I grew up in SC, I have learned a lot about the history of our state and I understand that the education system does little to educate students on the atrocities committed in the past and now.

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I have grown up visiting Charleston and learned a lot about the city before coming to start college this semester. The prior knowledge of South Carolina and Charleston's history helps me to understand the bitter hatred that often remains unseen in history books. Much of the ugly racism and discrimination that happened in the past affects the city of Charleston now and some of this hatred remains. Since I grew up in SC, I have learned a lot about the history of our state and I understand that the education system does little to educate students on the atrocities committed in the past and now.

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We can study its history more and visit more of its sights

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To best understand the nuanced past of Charleston, we must be willing to hear its history not from those who wrote it but those who built it. We must demonstrate an unrelenting desire to uncover the difficult truths of the city instead of accepting its beautiful surface. The past week has taught us how clear the line is between the history of the praised and the oppressed; only when we dig deeper into the implications of the locations which serve as modern tourist spots will we be able to bring the truths of Charleston to light.

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The arsenal in Marion Square demonstrates how deeply southern slavery penetrates the past and present of Charleston. Particularly, the links that the arsenal has to the Citadel prompted me to research a bit more into the history of the military school just across the river from my high school. A quick Wikipedia search provides the roots behind the founding of the Citadel: the desire of southern slaveowners to have an independent militia in the case of an uprising similar to the Vesey Rebellion of 1822. As I have many friends currently enrolled in the Citadel, this detail is extremely disturbing. Personally, learning these details about an institution that is revered and respected in the South illustrated how pervasive and damaging Charleston's past is even in the 21st century.

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Exploring the park that symbolizes the center of Charleston was an equally pleasant and disturbing experience. As a kid I have plenty of wonderful experiences running around the park and attending festivals, fairs, and other events; however, I never knew how both the park itself and the aged structures surrounding it symbolized the centuries of hate infused into the bricks of Charleston. I felt informed after class, however, I simultaneously felt ignorant that I had never stopped to research the park's history in the eighteen years I have been here.

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Throughout the first few weeks of BGS, I have certainly learned to dig deeper into the nuanced history of Charleston. Although I grew up in the area and was educated on the major role of Charleston in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, learning about how the city (and the College) was quite literally built on the backs of black Americans has been particularly shocking. Since my mother comes from a middle class white family deeply rooted in the South, reckoning the likely role of my ancestors in the dehumanizing institution of slavery has been challenging yet meaningful.

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In order to better acknowledge all of Charleston's history, it is of utmost importance that the history is never covered up or disregarded. History, no matter how unfortunate, should never be put aside because that is how we (the future generations) learn. We learn to never repeat the mistakes of the past and to grow with the wisdom passed down through the generations. Charleston's history is very rich and preserved, thankfully, but that just goes to show have valuable it can all be.

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The significance of the AME Church was definitely the one that stuck out the most to me. I remember years ago hearing about the shooting taking place on the news, but being here and walking by the church unknowing it was actually the spot where that horrific event took place was very eye-opening. The history was preserved for people to never forget the victims, and the way its history goes deeper into the past than that event was very interesting to hear about- such as the secret meetings that took place for years.

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It was an interesting, yet overwhelming, experience. I had walked through Marion Square many times in the past without knowing its history, but now that I do, I cannot think of it as the same pretty park that it appears to be. It is a place where history occurred and that history should be remembered. A very eye-opening experience, for sure.

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Being from the North, I had never witnessed or even learnt much on the matter of Southern United States history. Being here in Charleston / undergoing the various teaching from the Beyond George Street class has certainly opened my eyes to the way marginalized groups have been impacted over the years and how incredibly important it is to understand history / learn from it.

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We can better acknowledge Charleston's history by taking things at face value. It is much easier to remain comfortable in what we know, it is difficult to challenge ourselves with outside perspectives. But this is how we come to learn and grow. I believe we should have more plaques around campus that acknowledge the past that it was built upon.

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We all need to seek out information about the history of Charleston and not just stay ignorant of how this city operated in the past and in some ways continues to operate in regards to race. We need to make sure we are actively learning about the racist history of Charleston.

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I did not know how significant the AME church was before our tour. I learned about the shooting there when it happened, but the response from the church community was beautiful and I am glad they persevered. The history of it being one of the oldest black churches and having to meet in secret for years was also fascinating to learn about.

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It was interesting and disappointing to learn how these spaces were used in the past with regards to racial history. I spend a fair amount of time in Marion Square, so to learn the true history of it was eye-opening.

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Through my experiences here and before this semester, I have learned how valuable listening to marginalized groups is to understand their experience. The most valuable information about how a group is treated will come from members of that group.

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We need to listen. We need to search for the history and not just sit here in ignorance. It is a privilege to live in this city and we need to recognize the importance of this city in relation to US history but also while we remember slavery. There are plenty of resources we can use to get information on what happened here and how we can make it a better place, we just need to use them.
Maren

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I learned the significance of the AME Church. This church was a place of worship but also a place of safety and community for African Americans. The church now represents a place of resistance and the voices of all who got attacked.
Maren

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It felt pretty overwhelming walking through Marion Square and really realizing how much history happened there. I hangout in Marion Square a lot, and I've thought about how there is probably a lot of history I didn't know about. I got chills down my arms as we learned how important the square is. I was surprised and realized that practically every part of this city has a history tied to it and we need to be looking for it. Seeing the church in such close proximity to Marion Square and also just to wear I live made me really understand the historical significance of the whole city and college.
Maren

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In the past, I had not learned about anything we learned in the Charleston Syllabus readings or what we learned during our walking class on Tuesday. I find it really interesting that other students have learned about Denmark Vesey in public school. His story is so important to be understood by students everywhere, not just a handful. I had heard about the shooting at the church in recent years, but not in such detail. The readings helped me comprehend and try to digest what we talked about in class on Tuesday. Since the beginning of the semester I've learned the importance of listening and understanding the implications of certain landmarks and the whole city of Charleston.
Maren Stroup

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Mostly I think just treat the land with the respect and to an extent reverence it deserves. Visit museums, learn about the historical significance of the city from established and credible sources, listen to the city's inhabitants, those who are still impacted by all aspects of the city's history. And then, hopefully, write a future that attempts to remedy the past.
Alex Ford

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Learning about the significance of the Old Citadel was very interesting to me, and really hammered home the realization of the history contained everywhere in Charleston. That the building was originally built to defend the city yet is located in the middle of the city, as it defended against slaves, really struck me, especially as the building has gone on to have many uses expanding beyond that. To me, it feels like that should be a museum, something preserved, but it is instead now a Hilton hotel, and was for many years used as a college, whose students fired what could be considered the first shots of the Civil War.
Alex Ford

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Really focusing on specifically the historical impact of the square and those building surrounding it for the first time was really striking. Logically I of course knew that all sorts of racial history had occurred in that square and in the surrounding areas, this being Charleston, but for me that history has always been reserved for places like the City Market and the Slave Mart and the Battery, not the square that I now live a block away from. This made me really realize the historical significance of the College even within the city of Charleston, and also how close together everything is in cities--we could see the top of the AME church just standing on the corner of Marion Square.
Alex Ford

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My understanding of the readings included in the Charleston Syllabus was largely based off of what I have learned in class prior to now. The story of Denmark Vesey, while rarely discussed with such detail, was something that has been covered in almost all of my history classes in public schools up to this point. However, almost all of the information about the church shooting was new to me: it's never been covered in school that I can recall, and given that I was nine and also supremely uninterested in politics at the time of its occurrence I remember very little of the event. Looking at the parallels between the historical Denmark Vesey and the modern church shooting was very interesting, and taught me a great deal about the members' resilience. My background shapes the way that I understood those readings in that being from a town only an hour and a half from Charleston, reading about the occurrence felt like something that could easily happen at home, minus the historical significance of that particular church, and so I felt very struck really learning for the first time about what happened. - Alex Ford

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When we walked through Marion Square and learned about its history, especially involving protects for racial justice and the John Calhoun statue, it was very eye-opening. While it was interesting to think that we were standing in a place where so many important events have happened, it is also concerning that after all those historical movements of people fighting for what they believe in, it took so long to remove the imposing statue. Many people's stance is that it is a piece of history, but while those pieces of history are important to avoid repetition, they should not be memorialized in such a public space.  While I do believe the city should work hard to create recognition for those who worked hard to make the city a safer place, not just with little informational signs on certain buildings. All in all, it is nice to see Marion Square continues to be a place for congregation of friends and families.

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I thought the AME Church was a very significant site on the Discovering our Past App. The church provided a safe place for African Americans during the time and allowed them to freely practice their beliefs in a time where they had little freedom. The church is a symbol of their community and represents their strength and how far they have come.

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In believe that in order for us to better acknowledge all of Charleston's history is to personally devote time to study and research Charleston and the many monuments to learn more about it's history and beyond the surface level.

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Walking through Marion Square and learning about the racial history that occurred there made me realize the amount of progress we have made over the years. Though, we still have a lot more progress to make, it was comforting to see the area as a place of congregation for groups of friends and watching people play soccer together. It is sad to think, however, that many people are most likely not aware of the history.

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Since the semester began, I have learned a significant amount of information in regards to the history of Charleston. Learning about the enslavement and racism that occurred in this city has provided me with a new perspective and realization. Growing up, my knowledge about history has been developed solely from the information published in textbooks and taught by my professors. However, I have come to find out that a lot of the information is either too narrow or bias. This has caused me to react out of shock when reading these readings because many of the information presented is very new for me. 

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Since the semester began, I have learned a significant amount of information in regards to the history of Charleston. Learning about the enslavement and racism that occurred in this city has provided me with a new perspective and realization. Growing up, my knowledge about history has been developed solely from the information published in textbooks and taught by my professors. However, I have come to find out that a lot of the information is either too narrow or bias. This has caused me to react out of shock when reading these readings because many of the information presented is very new for me. 

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To better acknowledge all of Charleston's history, we need to question everything we are taught, and look further into the harder topics of our history and the generational pain that has been caused to so many black individuals. We need to listen to those who are trying to tell their stories and their history, and uplift them, instead of attempting to better tell their stories.

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In the past, I have learned a lot about Charleston's history, and taken field trips Downtown and to other major historical sites around the city. However, the most jarring thing would be that despite living here for my whole life, there are still moments where I learn new and critical information regarding Charleston's past that I was not taught throughout my public school education, or that was taught in a much more forgiving lens with regards to the racist white institutions that have been so significantly at play in this city. We learned about Denmark Vesey, however we never went in-depth as to truly talk about his life or the uprising he attempted with so many others, or even how important the Mother Emanuel AME Church was to our history. Only now am I truly realizing how important that church was historically and how it continues to stand as a symbol of community and hope for those today.

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Walking around Marion Square's perimeter through the lens of its history made me think more about this place that I had spent my whole life sitting in or walking around casually. I had never truly reflected upon its racial history and the site's significance, besides the moment where I saw the Calhoun statue finally coming down. Being able to think purely upon Marion Square's significance, both in the past and present, made me better appreciate the justice that so many people have been working for for generations, and how that fight lives on. Marion Square made me realize the importance of looking beyond the superficial and what one experiences in casual moments, to see into the true meaning of historical sites around Charleston and around cities that one visits as a whole. These places can be enjoyed, but must be looked upon with a critical eye, including examining our own places as we inhabit those spaces.

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The significance of the Old Citadel struck me as a symbol of how willing some people are to wash over the past and not talk about certain aspects of history. The building now functions as a hotel which does not do much work on educating those who stay there on its history, but rather choose to simply market the building as being in the center of Charleston. In order to do Charleston's history justice, there should be talks or at least information available to make people aware of what the building used to be as well as what beliefs it upheld. Wiping away the past to make room for modernity does nothing but a disservice for all.

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As someone who has lived here almost my whole life and has spend a lot of time in Marion Square, it adds a bit of gravity to the place and shows how far we've come, but also how there is still more to be done.

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I think we can better acknowledge Charleston's history through listening to those who know the stories and thinking who is trying to tell the truth and who is trying to twist the truth.
Mayli

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I believe the Francis Marion Hotel is very significant as it is a staple hotel in Charleston, and has always been, however African Americans could not stay there for more than half of the hotel's history. The very hotel that African Americans built did not allow them to enter it, and yet you would never know unless you looked back to the relatively recent 1960s.
Mayli

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Walking through Marion Square and learning the racial history made me feel slightly upset as it felt as if I was being deceived. In Marion Square there is nothing there denoting its historical, racial significance but yet there was a towering statue of John C Calhoun that stood on the same ground where civil rights and racial equality protests took place. It was upsetting to see that a stain of US history had been memorialized there for so long while the buildings and even the land's history that took part in something so important is ignored and silenced.
Mayli

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What really helps me understand these readings is having moved to Charleston and seeing the context in where the readings were based and being able to observe the demographic and historic background that shape racism and Charleston society today. My background shapes the way I understand these readings through a naïve film due to my growing up in a predominantly white town and not noticing passive aggressive and racist actions made normal in most of American society. In a way, recent social issues, oppressions, movements, and this class have opened my eyes on the inherent racism and oppression as shown in these readings.
Mayli

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I think we can better acknowledge Charleston's history by actively uplifting the voices of those who are already telling it.

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I think that the Old Citadel was very significant because there was more than what met the eye regarding this building's history. For example, the reason the Citadel/arsenal was placed in the center of the city was to prevent/fight off slave rebellions and/or uprisings.

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Learning about the racial history of Marion Square felt very important. I felt like I was learning things that I should have known, or at least have been aware of, for most of my life.

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The history of Charleston regarding slavery and Civil Rights that we have learned in BGS has helped me better understand the readings from the Charleston Syllabus because I now have much better context for the information that I would have had before taking this class. As I did not grow up in South Carolina all of the South Carolina/Charleston history we have learned is new information to me. I think that because of this background I am very shocked by the information I have learned and feel very naïve about the history of the city I live in.