Day 1 — Arrive in Charleston, SC

Arrive in Charleston on individual flights and transfer independently to the Andrew Pinckney Inn, a boutique hotel in the city’s historic district. Gather this afternoon for a welcome orientation and introductory lecture from your expert. Take a guided tour of the newly opened International African American Museum, which traces the story of the Middle Passage through art and artifacts. The museum was built intentionally at Gadsden’s Wharf, a major port for slave ships arriving from Africa, and parts of the original wooden wharf were discovered during the buildling of the site. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner together at a restaurant that features Charleston’s seafood specialties. (D)

Day 2 — Charleston

Meet with a local historian for a private talk at  Mother Emmanuel Church, the oldest African Methodist Episcopalian church in the southern United States, founded in 1817. The church was the site of the horrific 2015 shooting that took the lives of eight congregants and a senior pastor. After lunch, visit McLeod Plantation Historic Site, a former plantation now devoted to understanding the experiences of historically enslaved people and their descendants and the evolution of plantation life. Once a Confederate hospital, the site was headquarters of the Freedman’s Bureau, where dozens of formerly enslaved people acquired land after 1865. The plantation played a role in the emergence of Gullah culture in the Lowcountry. Travel to Wadmalaw Island to learn about one of South Carolina’s early cash crops: indigo. At the Ibile Indigo House, meet with artist Arianne King Comer to watch a demonstration of age-old West African indigo-dying techniques. Return to Charleston for an evening at leisure. (B,L)

Day 3 — Hardeeville / Beaufort

Travel south this morning, learning along the way how the waterways that carve through the Lowcountry served as historic highways, connecting coastal communities. Continue to Hardeeville, where you’ll meet with rice farmer Rollen Chalmers. Rice was a major export in these tidal communities in the 1800s, with worldwide demand for “Carolina Gold” rice increasing the demand for enslaved people to work the rice fields. Hear how Rollen Chalmers has helped resurrect this long-grain heritage rice that was synonymous with Lowcountry cuisine until it nearly disappeared in the late 20th century. Over lunch, taste the unique, hazelnutty flavor of the Carolina Gold rice harvested at the farm. Arrive in historic Beaufort, and embark on a guided carriage tour, riding beneath moss-covered live oak trees and past stately homes and churches. Enjoy the remainder of the evening to discover this lovely town on your own. (B,L)

Day 4 — Mitchelville / Savannah

Begin the day at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. Trace the fascinating story of Mitchelville, which began as a Union Army camp and evolved into the first self-governed town of formerly enslaved people. Discover how the town developed and prospered during the latter years of the Civil War, and latter illustrated the difficulties of the Reconstruction era. Then set out on a heritage tour of Hilton Head’s historic Gullah neighborhoods. The Lowcountry Gullah communities are known for preserving a strong African and Caribbean linguistic and cultural heritage. Get acquainted with Gullah traditions and find out how these communities are working to protect their unique culture and adapt it to life in the 21st century. Travel to Savannah and check in to your hotel in the historic district. Take a trolley tour through Savannah’s storied squares and parks before dinner at leisure. (B,L)

Day 5 — Savannah / Ossabaw Island

During a tour of the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters with a private guide, learn about the history and social dynamic of the African American urban experience. View the living quarters of enslaved persons, slaveowners, and freed men and women on the grounds of this 1819 mansion, and delve into the realities of slavery and freedom in antebellum Savannah. At the Pin Point Heritage Museum, take a guided tour of an exhibition that tells the story of the history, traditions, and spiritual life of the Ossabaw Gullah Geechee community.

Take a pontoon boat to nearby Ossabaw Island, a Heritage Preserve and Georgia’s third largest barrier island. Focus on the rural experience as you hear a presentation about the African Americans who inhabited the island for more than 200 years, and their connections to Savannah and neighboring mainland communities. Gather this evening for a festive farewell dinner. (B, L,D)

Day 6 — Departure

Transfer independently to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport for individual flights home or extend your stay to explore Savannah. (B)