The Lincolnville: Winter 2023

Our Health - Our History - Our Faith Don’t Miss the Reading Corner

The Me I Choose to Be

By Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

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Lincolnville IS Black History

By Pernessa C. Seele

As the world focuses on February as Black History Month, in Lincolnville, SC, every day is a celebration of Black excellence and history. The parcels of land that sit on the border of Charleston and Dorchester Counties as the nucleus of surrounding Summerville and Ladson subdivisions are an extraordinary gem of American history.

Like the pristine waters of the ebb and flowing creeks from the Ashley River through Lincolnville, the town’s journey travels through many eras of American History. The Charleston-Hamburg Railway was the longest track of rail (136 miles) in the world when it was completed in 1833. The Charleston-Hamburg Railway ran straight through Pump Pond, which would be renamed ‘Lincolnville’ by Bishop Cain 34 years later. On October 3, 1832, these rail tracks carried the first steam engine locomotive as well as the first passenger train in America. The train ran from Line Street in Charleston

Mayor Dickerson Gives State of the Town Address

Mayor Dickerson gave his first Annual State of the Town Address on January 4, 2023 » page 3

to Summerville. Today, the history of the pre-Civil War, innovative railway system can be heard thundering through Lincolnville four times daily 191 years later. The Charleston-Hamburg Railway was central to the growth of South Carolina’s economy in the 1800s; and vital transportation for the Confederate Army during the Civil War. No doubt the builders of these tracks and locomotive operators were enslaved men who perhaps lay at-rest in Lincolnville’s historical cemeteries, namely Bible Sojourn and Hamburg Cemeteries.

Two years after the Civil War ended and the beginning of the Reconstruction Era, Lincolnville was founded in 1867 and incorporated in 1887, making it one of the oldest African American towns in the State of South

Julius Rosenwald & Booker T. Washington

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Rev. Jamal Bryant and Congressman James E. Clyburn

Lincolnville IS Black History (continued

Carolina. The town’s founder, Bishop Richard Harvey Cain, was among the first elected African Americans from South Carolina to the US House of Representative in 1872 during Reconstruction. It would be 98 years later in 1970, during the Civil Rights Era when Herbert U. Fielding would become the first African American elected to the South Carolina House of Representative since the Reconstruction Era. Herbert Fielding, son of Julius and Sadie Fielding, spent many of his childhood days in Lincolnville at his family home. His father, founder of Fielding Home for Funerals in Charleston purchased land and built a home in Lincolnville. Located on the corner of Dunmeyer Hill Road and Lincoln Ave (across from the Community Garden), the Fielding

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home was the gathering place for many strategic meetings hosted by the Honorable Herbert Fielding for South Carolina Democratic members, including young Congressman James E. Clyburn, now serving in the US House of Representative as the Assistant Democratic Leader. One of the many crown jewels of history in Lincolnville is the Rosenwald School, now operating as the Charles Ross Municipal Building located at 141 W. Broad Street. Julius Rosenwald, son of a German immigrant who rose to become

Our Health - Our History - Our Faith

The Balm In Gilead, Inc., The Lincolnville Preservation & Historical Society, and The Town of Lincolnville on October 18, 2022, launched Our Health! Our History! Our Faith! – A community-wide campaign designed to bring awareness to the intertwined relationship of health, history and our faith. The citizens of Lincolnville have some of the highest rates of hypertension in the Lowcountry region. All are invited to get involved in the Bishop Harvey Cain Community Garden located on 112 Dunmeyer Hill Road as a first step to making life-style changes to better health.

president of Sears & Roebuck in 1908 partnered with his dear friend Booker T. Washington, Founding President of Tuskegee University, to build schools throughout the South for African American children. During the Jim Crow Era, education was not provided for African American children in the rural South. Julius Rosenwald provided funds for over 5,357 school buildings – one of those schools was Lincolnville Elementary School built in 1923.

Black History IS Lincolnville! For more information, visit: www.lincolnvillesc.org

Lincolnville Elementary School, a Rosenwald School

Herbert U. Fielding

Standing with Congressman James E. Clyburn and Pernessa Seele at the Charles Ross Municipal Building are featured presenters: (right): Drs. Gerald Wilson, MD, Valinda Littlefield, Jonathan Jackson (Left) Rev. Demett Jenkins, Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant; Tendaji Bailey.

Bishop R.H. Cain

Mayor Dickerson Gives State of the Town Address

At the first Town Council Meeting of the year, Mayor Dickerson gave his first Annual State of the Town Address on January 4, 2023. The Mayor began with a heartfelt thank you to the members of the Town Council, administrative & maintenance staff, consultants, men & women of the fire department, town attorney, and citizens of the Town of Lincolnville for working with him over the past year to make Lincolnville the BEST place to live.

The Mayor applauded the Department of Park and Recreations and all persons who worked to make the first Christmas Parade a big success. The parade was held on Saturday, December 10, 2022. It was the first Christmas parade held in Lincolnville in 27 years!

A few highlights of the Mayor’s State of the Town Address:

• With new funding sources, Lincolnville has a new fire engine

• The Charles Ross Municipal

The Reading Corner: The Me I Choose to Be

By Natasha Anastasia Tarpley Available on Amazon.

About the Book:

What will you choose to be?

A Free Sprit?

A weaver of words?

A star dancing across the night sky?

Building has a new telephone system, security system and computer system

• American Refuge Funds have granted Lincolnville $481,000 to assist with the restoration of the Charles Ross Municipal Building

• Over the past year, $215,386 was paid in past due bills, including late fees, from the previous administration. These funds were paid to prevent a bombardment of debit challenges to the Town.

As the 44th mayor of the Town of Lincolnville, Mr. Dickerson shared his vision of bringing back “community” to the community of Lincolnville. He promised to restore

activities which support and show appreciation for the town’s seniors and for Lincolnville’s children from kindergarten to college graduates.

The Mayor invited the next generation of young people to get involved with the Town – for they are the future and must be encouraged and taught to lead.

Lastly, Mayor Dickerson acknowledged and thanked Dr. Pernessa Seele, President/ Founder of the Lincolnville Preservation & Historical Society for her support and commitment to advance the historical preservation of the town.

Lincolnville’s Town Council meets the first Wednesday of every month at 7 PM at the Charles Ross Municipal Building, 141 W. Board Street, Lincolnville, SC.

A limitless galaxy?

The possibilities are endless in this uplifting ode to the power of potential. With lyrical text by bestselling author Natasha Anastasia Tarpley and images by Regis and Kahran Bethencourt.

2022 Winner Coretta Scott King Book Award.

Mayor Enoch Dickerson, III

The Lincolnville Preservation & Historical Society Inc. aims to grasp and preserve the legacy of Black men and women who, during the era of reconstruction, brought and owned land so that Black families could be free to pursue and secure the blessings and rights of freedom for themselves and their posterity. The Lincolnville Preservation & Historical Society, a 501.c3, not-for-profit organization, works to enrich and preserve the cultural heritage and intangible attributes of Lincolnville, one of the oldest African American towns in the State of South Carolina. The organization offers community development activities designed to improve the health, economic and social determinates of residents living in Lincolnville today.

I invite you to join and donate to The Lincolnville Preservation & Historical Society. If you grew up in Lincolnville or know someone who did, please share your stories, artifacts and photos at www. lincolnvillesc.org. Please support our work with a donation.

Abiding Gratitude and Joy!

Pernessa C. Seele President & Founder

ACTIVITIES

April 1st

Community-Wide Easter Egg Hunt and Fish Fry!

Charles Ross Municipal Building

ON-GOING

Town Council Meeting

141 W. Broad Street, Lincolnville, SC

The First Wednesday of Every Month

Church Services

Ebenezer AME Church

124 E. Pinckney Street

Worship Service: 10AM

New Vision Cathedral Church

128 Hamilton Street

Worship Service: 10:30AM

Wednesday Bible Study: 7PM

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church

360 Dunmeyer Hill Road

Sunday School: 10AM

Worship Service: 11AM

Nazareth Holiness Church

805 W. Carolina Ave.

Wesley Church

736 W. Front Street

Worship Service: 10AM

Historic Ebenezer

AME Church Has A New Pastor!

Rev. Jack Lewis is excited about his next assignment –The Supply Pastor of Ebenezer AME Church in Lincolnville. Rev. Lewis was enjoying a short-lived retirement after 14 years of pastoring at White Hall AME in Green Pond, until his “parking lot meeting” with Bishop Samuel L. Green Sr., the Presiding Prelate of South Carolina’s 7th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. During the “parking lot meeting”, Bishop Green, asked Rev. Lewis to continue his pastoral journey, which started 41 years ago.

Rev. Lewis is excited about being a “hands on community pastor” and strives to be an approachable Man of God for all persons in Lincolnville and vicinity. As a “hands on community pastor,” Rev. Lewis will be both a leader and follower, willing to meet the needs of his congregation and community in the service of God.

Rev. Lewis Jr. finds tremendous joy in being present and engaged during worship and fellowship at Ebenezer AME. “As long as God allows me to serve, I am committed to reminding members, of all ages, the importance of faith in overcoming adversity,” shouts Rev. Lewis.

Dating back to 1878, Rev. Richard H. Cain built a meeting house for prayer, bible classes and town organizing meetings. Ebenezer AME stands as the cornerstone of faith and reminds us of the values and vision of the original settlers of the Town of Lincolnville.

Rev. Jack Lewis