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New York Times
3 days ago
- New York Times
Class and Identity in Hilton Head: The Gullah v. Wealthy Landowners
When Galen Miller wants to visit the South Carolina cemetery where much of his ancestry is buried, he must get permission to enter Hilton Head Plantation, a private, gated community on the north end of Hilton Head Island, where the wealthy jostle for tee times between trips to the beach and sips of gin and tonics. On a recent July morning, a guard waved Mr. Miller through the gate. He meandered past multimillion-dollar homes and lush green fairways to the Talbird Cemetery, now squeezed between a scenic creek and a luxury condominium. 'To be able to come here and visit my family from time to time, it really touches your heart,' Mr. Miller said. 'It also saddens you to see what's happening.' Mr. Miller is Gullah Geechee, a community descended from enslaved West Africans who were forced to work the cotton and rice plantations of the Carolina Lowcountry. The Gullah Geechee are now struggling to preserve sacred traditions as wealthy northerners swallow up valuable waterfront property. A lawsuit filed this spring is accusing the mostly white newcomers, spilling out of gated golf havens in the original Hilton Head developments, of impeding access to burial grounds in a clash of tradition vs. economic development, with racial undertones that date back centuries. 'Oh my God, we went through enough,' said Arlene Covington, 67, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. 'Now we can't even get to the cemetery. What else do you want?' For decades, Mary Mack, 73, would visit the Big House Cemetery on St. Helena Island, S.C., home to one of the region's largest remaining Gullah populations. But in 2023, a newly arrived local resident, Theresa Aigner, placed a gate around her property, blocking access to Everest Road, which leads to the cemetery. Ms. Aigner provided a gate access code to the Gullah and to funeral homes that needed to get to the Big House Cemetery. But in May 2024, when several Gullah families arrived for the annual Mother's Day cleanup, the code had been changed, according to the lawsuit, filed by the Bailey Law Firm and the Center for Constitutional Rights, on behalf of Ms. Mack and several other Gullah. 'It was kind of shocking,' Ms. Mack said. The Gullah tried, to no avail, to persuade Ms. Aigner to give them access. 'So if I want to go see my mom back there I have to talk to you?' Ms. Covington asked rhetorically. 'I'm not a child.' The tipping point came later that month, when five local Black residents died in a car crash. With their families unable to reach the cemetery, some of them were interred 20 miles away. The public and private acrimony that followed captured a larger debate over land use and gentrification raging on St. Helena Island as developers look to expand beyond an almost saturated Hilton Head. In one email exchange between a land preservation activist and Ms. Aigner, the new landowner referred to the local Gullah Geechee as 'a bunch of ungrateful, ungracious, self entitled, hard headed and ignorant people' to whom she owes nothing, according to the legal complaint. The lawsuit, filed April 30 in the gracious old city of Beaufort, S.C., also names two other defendants, Robert Cody Harper and Walter Robert Harper Jr., who erected a gate on property that abuts the cemetery. Ms. Aigner has said that she put up the gate to protect her property after a funeral procession left it damaged. 'I'm so tired of being villainized,' she told The Island Packet, a local outlet, last year. She also insisted that there were other ways to reach the cemetery besides going through her property, including through property owned by a plaintiff in the case. Indeed, her attorney, Gregg Alford, filed a motion on July 18 to dismiss the lawsuit. The motion states that the individual plaintiffs already 'have direct platted and judicially protected access to the cemetery parcel which they claim to own and control.' (Sheila Middleton, another plaintiff, owns the property on which the cemetery sits, according to the lawsuit.) Mr. Alford also argued that Everest Road was not the most convenient route to the cemetery. 'We look forward to resolving this matter,' said Mr. Alford, who also represents the Harpers. 'We want them to be able to honor their ancestors.' While not a part of their official legal complaint, lawyers for the Gullah descendants say county officials are trying to prevent the types of cultural clashes exemplified by this lawsuit. 'Beaufort County, which includes St. Helena Island, has actually enacted provisions as part of its cultural protection overlay that prohibits putting up fences and gates around communities to block access to the cemeteries on the island,' said Emily Early of the Center for Constitutional Rights. These gates can disrupt generations-old practices of visiting and caring for burial grounds, preventing families from performing important spiritual and memorial traditions. For Black South Carolinians, the Lowcountry is a place of unfulfilled promises. Its land fell under Gen. William T. Sherman's Jan. 15, 1865, Special Field Orders 15, made famous by the pledge of 40 acres and a mule to freedmen. The order 'reserved and set apart for the settlement of the negroes now made free,' as a result of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, 'the islands from Charleston, south, the abandoned rice fields along the rivers for thirty miles back from the sea, and the country bordering the St. Johns River, Florida.' Before that year was out, President Andrew Johnson had pardoned the region's white landowners, who then kicked Black people out. During the Civil War, St. Helena became a staging ground for Reconstruction. In 1861, Union troops occupied the Sea Islands, and enslavers fled. A group of idealistic Harvard-educated Bostonians arrived to educate the formerly enslaved and prove they could thrive as free people. It was known as the Port Royal Experiment. The freedmen 'worked these same fields as enslaved people, and they came to own these lands during the Civil War,' said Robert L. Adams Jr., director of the Penn Center, a cultural site on St. Helena in what was once a school for the formerly enslaved. But in the 1950s, a developer named Charles Fraser had a vision for Hilton Head Island as a top tourist destination. It would become a developer's paradise. Through a combination of underpriced sales, property tax hikes and unfavorable property inheritance rules, the Gullah lost most of their land. Gullah families once owned more than 3,500 acres on Hilton Head Island, according to the nonprofit Lowcountry Gullah. They now own less than 700. Dr. Adams said he sees the Gullahs' fight as part of the larger battles over race, identity and wealth that are roiling the country. 'Democracy is not just about who has the most money,' he said. 'Too often, public policy has relegated African Americans to being placeholders of land. So we occupy land that's considered unuseful' until 'people find a way to make it useful again, or they can buy it really cheap.' Earlier this month, Taiwan Scott, 49, who has a real estate license but considers himself more of a Gullah activist, gestured to a set of beachfront houses on Hilton Head Island. 'Pretty much where all these oceanfront homes are was all Black land,' he said. 'They used to have a couple nightclubs down here.' Many of the Gullah who were once there now live inland in neighborhoods dotted with trailer homes. But Mr. Scott has complicated feelings about development. Newcomers on Hilton Head Island are increasingly professing their own anti-development sentiment, he said, pulling up the drawbridge just as Gullah people are becoming aware of their property rights and how to make money from the few plots of land they still own. Efforts are underway to educate more Gullah about land rights, said Alex Brown, a Gullah who sits on the Hilton Head Island Town Council, so that if development does come to the islands surrounding Hilton Head, such as St. Helena, they can take advantage. For instance, instead of selling their land outright, Mr. Brown recommended that Gullah with valuable waterfront property lease it to developers and share in the profits. Mr. Brown recently stood in the middle of the 18th fairway at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island under a blazing high-noon sun. The 18th is the final hole of the RBC Heritage Classic, a PGA Tour event held the week after the Master's tournament in Augusta, Ga. The fairway sits less than 100 yards from a Gullah gravesite. Newcomers arrive with little understanding or respect for the island's deep Gullah cultural roots, he said, which are the 'heart and soul' of the island. Some residents are unaware that Gullah people even exist on the island. 'Unless it's us, from the Gullah culture, telling the story,' Mr. Brown said, 'there's no mention of the significance of a burial ground that goes back two centuries.' But others still question how any development would benefit the Gullah. They've been burned before. 'Many of our new neighbors come in, and they're about the friendliest group of people you'll ever want to meet until they get settled,' Ms. Mack said. 'And as soon as they're settled in, in come the gates and the locks, and they don't want to speak to you anymore.' She added, 'Enough is enough.'
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Williams: 4 random thoughts on Reds, Bengals stadium, Hilton Head, Camden Yards
Back from a few weeks – and more than 3,100 miles logged – on the road. Lots of thinking time driving to Baltimore, New York and Boston a few weeks ago and then to Hilton Head and back last week. Here are four summertime thoughts I had while everyone else in the car snoozed: 1. The Cincinnati Reds are boring Not necessarily boring in how they play the game. I'm a pitching-and-fielding guy, and they're decent at both. If your Reds fandom started in the 1980s, then you know how big of a deal it is that the Reds finally have pitching. Nonetheless, they're treading water. They're just another team that the logjammed wildcard standings suggest has a shot. Not good. Not bad. Stuck around .500 (like last year at the All-Star break) and no one knows what's next other than the tease of a short winning streak followed by the madness of a short losing streak. Wake me when the Reds fall out of love with some of their prospects and make a big splash for a run producer at the deadline. 2. Hilton Head is boring – and that's why I love it My family has been vacationing on the Southernmost Point of Ohio since 2010, and we've never had a bad experience. Last week was no exception. I love that place so much, the HHI Chamber of Commerce needs to put me on payroll. A buddy recently asked why I love it so much. Simple answer. No drunk college bros. No trashy beachwear shops on every corner. The beach is never overcrowded (except for the first big, we're-free-to-live-again weekend post-pandemic). And I know where everything is located (which is a big deal in a place that doesn't have street lights or big glaring road signs telling you where Kroger, Starbucks, Walmart and every store is located). Perfect. Only downside is everyone else from Ohio vacations there, and I'm tired of being asked if I'm a Buckeyes fan. 3. It's frustrating that there's not more outrage about the Bengals' Paycor Stadium deal It's such a Cincinnati mentality to say: Well, it's better than the last deal. Play nice and settle instead of fight. Take the moral victory and be fine with it. Just be happy to have an NFL team rather than hold the Bengals accountable for how they do business. So predictable. So Cincinnati. It doesn't behoove someone who writes opinion for a living to say this too often, but I told you so. I wrote last summer the commissioners 'will cave and pay way more for the stadium upgrades than local government should.' Some of us in the media like to call the county-Bengals stadium saga 'the gift that keeps on giving.' And whoa buddy, that's going to be manna from media heaven when the Bengals and county officially tell us the team wants (not needs) a new stadium. In the seventh year of this 10-year deal, the Bengals and county are going to assess whether Paycor Stadium is still functional. By putting it in the contract, it means the assessment is essentially already done. Taxpayers are going to pump $350 million more into the stadium in the coming years only to be told in 2032 – right about the time the original stadium debt is paid off – sorry, time for a new stadium. 4. Camden Yards is a baseball bucket-list visit If you could only visit one baseball stadium, my recommendation has long been Dodger Stadium. The energy in that place for a night game is unlike anywhere else in baseball. And MLB's third-oldest stadium still feels retro-new. It's so clean, you could eat a Dodger Dog off the concourse floor. If you could pick a No. 2, it should be Baltimore's Camden Yards. I covered a series there 20 years ago, but didn't walk around. This was the first stop on a three-stadium tour I did with my two sons and a close friend and his son. We're trying to visit as many ballparks as possible before the kids are grown up. History is so important to baseball, and the Orioles celebrate it right. The statues of their great players are inside the stadium gates. There's a marker for every home-run ball hit in the air onto Eutaw Street, between the right-field stands and the iconic warehouse. This offseason, they'll place a permanent baseball-sized plague in the concrete to commemorate Reds outfielder Jake Fraley's mammoth home run in April. For now, it's marked with black paint, and we got to see it. The outfield standing areas are fantastic. Great sightlines and the area in center field allows fans to practically stand in the visiting bullpen. The ballpark workers are incredibly nice and helpful. There's a gentleman who sits on a stool at a podium in front of the warehouse who'll give you the history of the Eutaw Street home-run balls and the stadium, which remains the best of the wave of retro ballparks that began popping up in the 1990s. He also gives gifts to kids who are visiting for the first time – a button badge with the game date, postcards and a City Connect compression arm sleeve (some of the 'drip' the kids wear nowadays). Meanwhile at Yankee Stadium, they tell kids to scan a QR code to download a digital certificate to mark their first time to a game there. That stadium is corporate and sterile. Want that $25 bucket of chicken strips and fries at the concession stand? You can only buy it if you have a MasterCard, something you don't learn until after you've waited in line for 20 minutes to order it. Contact columnist Jason Williams at jwilliams@ This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Summertime thoughts: Reds, Hilton Head, Bengals stadium, Camden Yards
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's the best ice cream shop in Hilton Head, SC? Vote now to choose your favorite
On the hunt for the best ice cream in Hilton Head? No matter if you're craving something sweet, searching for a treat after your beach day or just looking to escape the summer heat, we've rounded up a list of local favorite spots and top-rated shops by Google reviews. Whether you like hand scoops, soft serve or sundaes, we want to hear from you. Remember: This poll isn't scientific or an exhaustive list of every location in Hilton Head serving ice cream — it's for fun! For this polling, we included locally owned ice cream places and smaller chains. We did not include locations specializing in popsicles, frozen yogurt and frozen ice treats. You have until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 17, to cast your vote. The locations are listed in alphabetical order. Simply click on your favorite spot to vote. For more information on these locations, you can visit each website below: Captain Jax Frosty Frog Cafe Frosty's Ice Cream Frozen Moo Gr8 Bites Hilton Head Ice Cream Kilwins Milkshake Factory Palmetto Dunes General Store The Cinnamon Bear The Ice Cream Cone The Salty Dog Ice Cream Shop Is there a spot we may have missed or another poll you'd like to see? Email amiller@ with your suggestion for a chance to be added to future polling.
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Travel + Leisure
08-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Resort Right Outside of Charleston Was Just Named No. 1 in South Carolina—and It Has a Marshfront Pool, Carolina Coastal Cruising, and Southern Hospitality
Travel + Leisure readers have long loved the Palmetto State. And while there are plenty of vacation-worthy places across South Carolina, from the marshy Lowcountry to the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, one region is a clear winner this year. Eight of our readers' 10 favorite South Carolina resorts can be found along the coast; three winners are located on Hilton Head Island (with another just off the island in Bluffton), and four are located in the communities surrounding the reader-favorite city, Charleston. Of course, the Upstate is home to a couple of standout properties as well—two of this year's winners are in Greenville, a blossoming city in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below: Rooms/facilities Location Service Food Value For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses. It's clear the South Carolina Lowcountry has captured our readers' hearts. Both Hilton Head Island and Kiawah Island, frequently voted among the top islands in the continental U.S., are home to some of our readers' favorite coastal resorts. Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, voted No. 8 this year, offers a family-friendly escape in a scenic natural setting (far from Disney's famous theme parks), while The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (No. 4) is a prime golf getaway with world-renowned courses just minutes away. Of course, no matter which of these hotels you pick across the Palmetto State, one thing remains consistent: the dedication to that warm Southern hospitality the region is known for. Of Hotel Hartness, which made No. 2 this year after winning the top spot in 2024, one reader commented, 'This hotel continues to provide excellent and bespoke service, as well as a truly unique experience.' While there are several returning favorites, the top property for 2025 is a luxe newcomer—but more on that below. The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection Lounge chairs on the lawn at The Dunlin. Elizabeth Rhodes/Travel + Leisure One of South Carolina's newest luxury resorts is also the state's best, according to T+L readers. The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection opened last summer in the new Kiawah River development on Johns Island, about 20 miles from downtown Charleston. The WBA newcomer has 72 rooms and suites spread across several buildings that feel like a Lowcountry home away from home. The luxe property features a marshfront pool lined with mint green loungers, an elevated take on Carolinian coastal cuisine at Linnette's, and guest rooms decked out in gingham and pastels. One reader described it as a 'new gem just outside Charleston' with 'incredible interior design.' 1. The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection: Johns Island, South Carolina Reader Score: 97.92 2. Hotel Hartness: Greenville, South Carolina Reader Score: 97.27 3. Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, Autograph Collection: Greenville, South Carolina Reader Score: 92.82 4. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort: Kiawah Island, South Carolina Reader Score: 91.73 5. Montage Palmetto Bluff: Bluffton, South Carolina Reader Score: 91.67 6. Beach House Hilton Head Island: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Reader Score: 88.13 7. Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Reader Score: 88.06 8. Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Reader Score: 87.81 9. Sweetgrass Inn at Wild Dunes Resort: Isle of Palms, South Carolina Reader Score: 87.75 10. The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Reader Score: 87.16
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Beachgoer airlifted after South Carolina suspected shark attack
A beachgoer in South Carolina suffered serious injuries in what local first-responders are calling a suspected shark attack. The incident, in which local officials said the victim suffered major injuries to her leg, happened in waters off the south end of Hilton Head Island, a local dispatcher confirmed to USA TODAY Thursday, June 19. The island is about 45 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia. "The incident involved a patient with a leg injury consistent with lacerations typically associated with a shark bite," a Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue official wrote in press release obtained by USA TODAY. Crews responded at 12:07 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, to a medical emergency near beach mile marker 24 in Sea Pines Beach, according to the release. Lifeguards and firefighters treated the victim at the scene before she was transported to Hilton Head Island Airport, the release continues, where a medical helicopter flew her to a Savannah facility for further treatment. The victim's age, name and condition were not immediately known on Thursday, June 19, but first-responders at the scene determined the injuries to be non-life threatening. Shark siting: Massive great white shark resurfaces off North Carolina coast The incident marked the first reported likely shark bite of Hilton Head's summer season, Shore Beach Service director Mike Wagner told USA TODAY. The agency, which provides year-round beach patrol for 13.5 miles of the island's beaches according to its website, also responded to assist the victim. Local charter captain Chip Michalove, The Island Packet reported, said Hilton Head beaches see two or three shark attacks each year, "occasionally seeing spikes of up to a half-dozen." USA TODAY has reached out to Hilton Head fire officials for more Carolina suspected shark attack: Warning issued toa beach visitors If confirmed, the attack could be the state's first reported shark encounter with a human in 2025. According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), 47 people were bitten in unprovoked attacks last year. Four of them died, including one person in the United States. Each year, according to ISAF, the world averages about 65 documented shark attacks. On average, six fatal attacks are reported each year. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shark attack reported in Hilton Head, victim suffered major leg injury
