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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶
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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶

Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: The Saltwater South: Charleston

ORAL HISTORY

Jamie White

Jamie White grew up on Sol Legare (pronounced Sol Le-gree) Road in James Island. Sol Legare holds a long history of African American fishing traditions. Jamie grew up with marshes and rivers as his backyard. Going out to pick clams and oysters was a daily part of his life. He learned from his uncles, George and Richard Brown. Jamie moved to Atlanta and sold cars then retail clothing but returned home after the 2008 recession. He decided to always have several sources of work to steady his income, so he started crabbing with his uncle Richard, then began picking oysters for Bowens Island Restaurant, right next to Sol Legare. Jamie also owns taxi cab and hopes to someday open his own restaurant.

Date of interview:
2014-09-12

Interviewer:
Sara Wood

Photographer:
Sara Wood

Download Transcript

“

"With the way people are picking oysters, I don’t think this is going to last long. That’s why I keep all my avenues open; so that way when I can’t drive down one, I can go down another." - Jamie White

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Nathaniel “Danny” Manigault

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Kimberly Carroll

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Julie McClellan

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Joanie Cooksey & Ellie Berry – Crosby’s Fish & Shrimp

Sisters Joanie Cooksey and Ellie Berry own and operate Crosby's Fish & Shrimp, a seafood market in Charleston, SC.

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Fred Dockery

Fred Dockery is a crabber living and working on James Island in Charleston, SC.

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David Thomas

David Thomas is a commercial fisherman who sells his catch at Crosby's Fish & Shrimp in Charleston, SC.

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Andrew Magwood

Andrew Magwood is a retired third generation fisherman. He shrimped with his brother, Junior Magwood, who owned C.A.…

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The Southern Foodways Alliance drives a more progressive future by leading conversations that challenge existing constructs, shape perspectives, and foster meaningful discussions. We reconsider the past with research, scrutiny, and documentation.

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