Event
Harvesting Heritage: Midlands Reunion
This ongoing event series highlights the past and future of creativity, innovation, and artistry in Black foodways throughout South Carolina.
Event Date
Sat., May 17 | 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Rising culinary star Amethyst Ganaway, joins the museum for a series of events exploring foodways in the Palmetto State.
Harvesting Heritage: Midlands Reunion will be the final program of the 2024-2025 Harvesting Heritage season, focusing on the Black foodways of the Capital City and the surrounding communities. This program will feature a discussion of Midlands history, specifically the roles of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, civil rights activism, and Green Book businesses as contributors to our dynamic culinary scene.
Attendees will enjoy:
- A panel discussion featuring:
- Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President, Benedict College
- Dr. Bobby Donaldson, Executive Director, Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina
- Dr. Ramon Jackson, Curator of and History at the South Carolina State Museum
- Sample dishes from Railroad BBQ, A Peace of Soul, and Sweet GGs
- Specially-crafted cocktail, the Soda City Silva Sour, and a non-alcoholic option, the Palmetto Berry Tea from local mixologist Kari Lebby made with Siwani Spirit
The event will also feature a special message from Chef Amethyst Ganaway, music, giveaways, and superlatives for friends and supporters!
To complement the meal, beer and wine will also be available for purchase.
We look forward to celebrating a year of Harvesting Heritage programming - reuniting past participants, panelists, and guests, welcoming new friends and supporters, and announcing future events.
Tickets
Activities and food tasting included with ticket. Beer and wine available for purchase.
Gen. Public Adults: $60
*College Students: $45
Members: $45
Gen. Public AND STUDENT Tickets
*** Student ticket holders must present a valid student ID at check in. ***
About Amethyst Ganaway
Born and raised in North Charleston, Amethyst Ganaway has been featured in the New York Times, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun and more. Specializing in Southern and African American foodways and the foodways of the African Disapora, Ganaway also recently headlined the Charleston Wine + Food Festival. She uses her position as a chef and food writer to tell the stories of the region’s history, culture, art, cuisine, and environment.
About Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis
Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis made history in 2017 as the 14th and first female President of Benedict College. Prior to this, she served as the first woman President of Florida Memorial University. A passionate advocate for access and equity in higher education, Dr. Artis is nationally recognized for her leadership at minority-serving institutions.
Under her leadership, Benedict College was named the 2019 HBCU of the Year and received the ACE Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation. She was named “Female HBCU President of the Year” in 2018 and “President of the Year” by Higher Ed Dive in 2020.
Dr. Artis holds a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University, a Juris Doctorate from West Virginia University, and a B.A. in Political Science from West Virginia State University. She also holds certificates in Fundraising Management and Prior Learning Assessment.
Dr. Artis serves on numerous national boards, including the American Council on Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2021, she was appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, she has earned more than 300 awards for her work in education.
About Dr. Bobby Donaldson
A native of Augusta, Georgia, Dr. Bobby Donaldson is a historian of the American South and African American life and culture in the 19th and 20th centuries. He earned his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. in American History from Emory University, where he worked with the Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project. He has held prestigious fellowships at Dartmouth College and Harvard University.
Dr. Donaldson’s research explores Black intellectual thought, print culture, education, and religion. He has served as a consultant for museums, oral history projects, documentaries, and historic preservation efforts, including the restoration of Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia. His work on the Ward One community earned the Helen Kohn Hennig Prize from the Historic Columbia Foundation.
An award-winning educator, he received the Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award, the John N. Gardner Inspirational Faculty Award, and the MLK Jr. Social Justice Award. He served as Faculty Principal of Preston Residential College and was named Trustee Emeritus at Wesleyan University in 2015.
Currently, Dr. Donaldson directs the Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina and leads Columbia SC 63: Our Story Matters. He is completing two book projects focused on Black intellectuals and civil rights history.
About Dr. Ramon Jackson
Dr. Ramon Jackson is a Curator of History at the South Carolina State Museum. He completed the doctoral program in History at the University of South Carolina in 2019. He served as co-historian of Columbia SC 63: Our Story Matters, a landmark public history initiative that commemorated South Carolina’s Civil Rights Movement and its dramatic impact on our nation’s broader freedom struggle. Prior to joining the South Carolina State Museum in May 2023, Dr. Jackson worked as the African American Heritage Coordinator at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, where he assisted the agency and the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission (SCAAHC) with a host of public programs, exhibits, and historic preservation initiatives. He also was an Assistant Professor of History at Newberry College, where he taught survey courses in 20th century American History and special topics courses on Black student activism, South Carolina civil rights, and African American sport history.
About Bakari Lebby
Bakari Lebby is a multidisciplinary artist and director with a background in performance, music, branding, and design. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Lebby's work often digs into themes like identity, conflict, and comedy with a sharp, creative edge.
With years of experience in both hospitality and entertainment, Kari blends mixology know-how with a strong sense of storytelling. They’ve led bar teams, created cocktail menus, and built branding that connects. For this event, Kari is behind the bar—and behind the custom craft cocktail made just for the night.
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We strive to host events that enable all individuals, including those with disabilities, to engage fully. Please let us know if you have any requests that may make your experience with us a better one. Click here to view our accessibility offerings. If ASL interpretation is needed, please email publicprograms@scmuseum.org at least two weeks prior to attending this event.
Event Partner
Harvesting Heritage Event Series
Chef Amethyst Ganaway and the State Museum present a new event series exploring South Carolina foodways.