State Museum to showcase Black Culinary Traditions with Harvesting Heritage event series

After-hours events launch this August, featuring local chefs, special tastings and more

The South Carolina State Museum is excited to announce the Fall series of Harvesting Heritage events. In partnership with award-winning Chef Amethyst Ganaway, this series of three after-hours events will highlight the past and future of creativity, innovation and artistry in Black foodways throughout South Carolina.

“I’m so excited to share our fall series of programming with the state of South Carolina and those beyond our borders to tell the stories of Black communities here,” says Chef Amethyst Ganaway. “We’ll have lots of delicious food that represents our coastal regions and the Upstate, made from people from those places, and we’ll also have engaging conversations with panelists and an opportunity to let all of the regions of our state shine.”

The series will launch with Harvesting Heritage: Coastal Connections on Saturday, August 17th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The special event will focus on seafood and sustainability, explore the health of our local ecosystems and highlight the stories and experiences of Black workers on our waterways and coastlines. Guests will enjoy a crab crack reception with crabs and ingredients from Black farmers and fishermen. The evening will also include a special conversation with Tia Clark, owner of Casual Crabbing with Tia (the number one Air BNB experience in the world), and Terrell Brown, owner of Brown Oyster Supply Co., and fourth-generation Gullah oysterman.

More Upcoming Harvesting Heritage Fall Events

Harvesting Heritage: Upstate Fusion (September 21st)

Featuring an exploration of indigenous and African American culinary traditions, a discussion of “third spaces” for Black communities in the Upstate such as the Keese Barn restaurant, a cooking demonstration and an opportunity to sample food from various culinary exports from South Carolina.

Harvesting Heritage: Black Appalachia (November 16th)

This event will offer a showcase of Black foodways, music and cultural traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as a panel discussion with a focus on techniques like canning and the preservation of farmed ingredients grown in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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 Diaspora, 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. In recognition of her work, she was named the 2024 Chef of the Year at the Wine and Culture Fest Roses and Rosé Awards.

Tickets for each upcoming event, including August 17th’s Harvesting Heritage: Coastal Connections, are $60 for the general public and $48 for museum members. A series ticket is also available, which includes all three upcoming Fall Harvesting Heritage events, for $150 for the general public and $120 for museum members. Tickets include event activities, food and a drink voucher. Tickets are now on sale at scmuseum.org.

About the South Carolina State Museum

Since opening in 1988, the South Carolina State Museum has been committed to collecting, preserving and showcasing the rich culture, art, natural history, technology and innovation of the Palmetto State. Through a comprehensive collection of over 1.1 million objects and four floors of stimulating exhibitions and displays housed within the historic Columbia Mills Building, the State Museum provides educational environments that entertain, inspire and enrich the lives of millions of visitors and students from across South Carolina. For more information about the museum, visit scmuseum.org.