A Living History

The story of Charleston is ever-evolving. Alongside our academic and community partners, we’ve gathered a series of milestones that define important moments in the city’s history, but the work doesn't end there. This timeline will continue to grow, as more critical stories emerge and ask to be shared.

From the Precolonial and Colonial periods through the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and Civil Rights eras to modern day Charleston, explore a still-expanding selection of events in which the enslaved, their descendants, and today’s Black community profoundly shape and influence Charleston’s identity.