BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – The Daniel Island Historical Society Is working to ensure that the stories of the past remain part of the present and are shared with future generations. The non-profit organization has partnered with the College of Charleston’s Department of History to launch a new oral history project on the Cainhoy Peninsula called “The Cainhoy Collective.”
The endeavor is the first of its kind on the Cainhoy Peninsula, with the specific mission of collecting oral histories from individuals whose families have called this historic area home for generations.
“Time is of the essence,” said Lee Ann Bain, DIHS community outreach coordinator. “If we don’t capture these important stories now, they could be lost forever.”
The Daniel Island Historical Society has awarded College of Charleston student Riley Conover an internship/research assistant position to lead the Cainhoy Collective through an independent study this semester. In addition to conducting interviews with elders in the community, she will study the history of the region, learn oral history techniques and archival research methods, and present her findings at a public community presentation offered by DIHS on April 19, at 7 p.m. at Church of the Holy Cross on Daniel Island. Conover is currently a senior, double majoring in communications (humanities and social science) and international studies (language, culture, and world affairs with a concentration on Africa).
“Riley is incredibly enthusiastic about this project,” added Bain. “And her passion for history is contagious. We are delighted to have her leading this effort!”
“I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to sit down with residents and capture their life stories,” stated Conover. “I think stories are one of the most important catalysts for human connection, and through these oral histories we are able to better understand the shared experiences, culture, and history of the Cainhoy residents. After hearing these stories, I think it’d be difficult for anyone not to empathize with the Cainhoy community and desire the preservation of their culture and land.”
Through the life-histories of interviewees, the project is designed to create an archive of the past that will serve as an important and needed resource for understanding the communities of Cainhoy, Huger, Wando, Jack Primus, and others on the Cainhoy Peninsula. DIHS is exploring possible repositories for the digital interview files and written transcripts, including the Avery Research Center for African American Culture and History, the Keith School Museum, and the Berkley County Museum and Heritage Center.
The Daniel Island/Cainhoy Peninsula area, once a vastly rural community located “Behind God’s Back,” as described in the book of the same title by Herb Frazier, is now home to more than 15,000 residents. The area is rich in family history with ties to both the Revolutionary War and Civil War, along with generations of African American community members whose ancestors were once enslaved on plantations on the peninsula.
“Cainhoy remains a largely undeveloped and pristine area of enormous historic, cultural and ecological importance,” noted Bain. “This project fits squarely into our mission to preserve and promote the rich and unique history of this area for the benefit of the community and beyond.”
Fred Lincoln, a longtime member of the Jack Primus community on the Cainhoy Peninsula, was Conover’s first interviewee. Lincoln serves on the board for the Keith School Museum and sees the Cainhoy Collective project as an important learning tool.
“As we go forward, I think it’s going to be such a value to the community to have a written history,” he said. “We would like to use Keith School in conjunction with Philip Simmons and Cainhoy Schools to bring kids in occasionally and go over this history, but if we don’t have any oral history it’s difficult to get a lesson plan…We have kids who know nothing about the history of this community and they are descendants of this community and I think that (this project) would be a valuable asset.”
The Cainhoy Collective oral history project is seeking elders who grew up in the community to be interviewed. If you would like to participate, or if you have a friend or family member who would be a good candidate, please email Bain at [email protected]. All participants in the program will receive a CD containing the audio recording of their interview, plus a written transcript.
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