Rocky Magwood | Southern Foodways Alliance arrow left envelope headphones search facebook instagram twitter flickr menu rss play circle itunes calendar
Summer 2026—February 2027
2026 SFA Film Residency, with multi-city in-person experiences and monthly virtual workshops ⟶
Donate Join/Renew
Donate Join/
Renew
Summer 2026—February 2027
2026 SFA Film Residency, with multi-city in-person experiences and monthly virtual workshops ⟶

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

Rocky Magwood

C.A. Magwood & Sons

Rocky Magwood, a Fourth generation fisherman, says he was raised on a shrimp boat. He’d head out with his father, Clarence “Skipper” Magwood, before he could even walk. His grandfather Junior Magwood built a rich shrimping empire on the docks of Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant. Rocky followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, working as a captain of several shrimping boats, each one painted green, orange, and white – the signature look of the Magwood fleet. For years shrimp caught on the Magwood fleet was delivered and sold at Shem Creek at C. A. Magwood & Sons. The family sold the business in 2014.

Date of interview:
2014-09-14

Interviewer:
Sara Wood

Photographer:
Sara Wood

Download Transcript

“

"I grew up in a shrimp box and that’s where I fell in love with shrimping because I didn’t have no choice. I’ve been here my whole life. I feel like I was so rich and blessed." - Rocky Magwood

Other Project Interviews

Interview

William Baldwin

William Baldwin is a retired fisherman from McClellanville, SC. Today he works as a writer and poet.

Interview

Neal Cooksey

Neal Cooksey is a commercial fisherman based in Charleston, South Carolina.

Interview

Nathaniel “Danny” Manigault

Danny Manigault owns and operates Danny's Live Crabs in North Charleston, SC.

Interview

Kimberly Carroll

Kimberly Carroll owned and operated Kimberly's Crabs in Mt. Pleasant, SC before retiring in 2013.

Interview

Julie McClellan

Julie McClellan raises mariculture clams and picks oysters near McClellanville, South Carolina.

Interview

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.

Interview

Jamie White

Jamie White is an oysterman and crabber who lives and works on James Island in Charleston, South Carolina.

Interview

Fred Dockery

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

Interview

David Thomas

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

Interview

Anuruck “Lucky” Suttiprasert

Anuruck "Lucky" Suttiprasert runs a shrimp boat. He docks and sells at Crosby's Fish & Shrimp in Charleston, SC.

Interview

Andrew Magwood

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

WORKING TOGETHER

WE CAN CULTIVATE PROGRESS.

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.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

Alex Raij Txikito

Let’s Stay in Touch

Sign up for the SFA newsletter to have the latest content
delivered directly to your inbox.