Slave Dwelling Project: A Lecture At The Old Exchange Building

CHARLESTON, SC – February 6, 2013 – The Old Exchange Building (122 East Bay Street) will hold a lecture by Joseph McGill, Jr. on the Slave Dwelling Project on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. as part of the Black History Month programming.

The Slave Dwelling Project brings much needed attention to extant former slave dwellings throughout the United States. Joseph McGill, Jr., the project’s founder, has spent a night in 38 different slave dwellings in 12 northern and southern states, over the past three years. The concept is simple—sleep in them and leverage the attention to bring needed attention to those dwellings in need of restoration. Of the 38 dwellings slept in to date, six of them are located in Charleston County. This lecture will chronicle all 38 stays.

Mr. Joseph McGill, Jr. is a Field Officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He works in the Charleston, South Carolina Field Office. Prior to his current position, Mr. McGill was the Executive Director of the African American Historical Museum and the Cultural Center of Iowa located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His responsibilities included seeking funds from grant making entities to support the capital and operating budget of the museum/cultural center and developing programs that interpret the history of African Americans.

Mr. McGill is the former Director of History and Culture at Penn Center, St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Penn School was the first school built during the Civil War for the education of recently freed slaves. As Director he was responsible for the overall development and implementation of the Center’s program for collecting, preserving, and making public the history of Penn Center and the Sea Island African American history and culture.

Mr. McGill was also employed by the National Park Service, serving as a Park Ranger at Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina. As a Park Ranger, Mr. McGill was responsible for giving oral presentations on Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie on and off site. He was also responsible for supervising volunteers and participating in living history presentations.

The lecture is part of the Old Exchange Building’s 2013 nine part lecture series. Admission is $5 at the door for each lecture; or, purchase a series pass for $25 for Friends of the Old Exchange Members or $30 for General Admission. All proceeds benefit the Old Exchange Building, a 501 (c) 3 museum. Payments may be called in, mailed or made in person at the museum. For more information, call (843) 727-2165 or visit http://www.oldexchange.org.