Telephone (843) 763-7551
FAX (843) 225-7551

Comments About Our Tour

"Recently my wife and I and our two kids took on your tour around Charleston and was fascinated with the gullah language because it is very similar to our native patwah spoken in Jamaica. This experience has thought us about the similarities of both our people not just in language, but also in food and physical appearance. We found that your trip was very educational.However, my wife and I felt that your tour could be a lot better if you were to stop and visit some of the important sites such as the "slave market" this would have served to connect us more with the past. It was interesting to learn about the iron works in Charleston, this too reminded us about our native Jamaica where the same iron art work can be seen on all the houses.

Again thanks for the tour, we will be telling our friends about it. The next time we are in Charleston we will be very happy to take the tour again."

- Angela & Chris Baptiste, Sierra Leone, West Africa

"My wife, Joan, and I were the couple from Bellevue, Ky, near Cincinnati, on your afternoon tour last Saturday. We are both professors at Northern Kentucky University and we wish we lived close enough to bring all of our students on your tour. Our University is creating an Institute of Freedom Studies in anticipation of the opening of the National Underground Railroad Museum Freedom Center in Cincinnati in 2003 and we hope to develop in our students and community the kind of historical insight and contemporary consciousness that you demonstrated in every minute and mile of the tour of Charleston you gave to us and our fellow passengers. Thanks for a most memorable, meaningful experience, even BEFORE the extrarodinary opportunity to meet with Philip Simmons in his shop.

Keep up the good work. We look forward to seeing you again, and we are recommending you to all of our Freedom Studies friends. We had to leave Charleston before we could find a copy of your book, A Guide to Gullah Charleston. Please send us information about how to order it. Many thanks."

- Bob Wallace and Joan Ferrante, Bellevue, KY

"Hi Alphonso,
Thanks again for the entertaining tour. Our friends the Riches' really enjoyed it and learned a lot. I was able to absorb more of the info this time. We even bought a sweet grass basket. I'll continue to tell people about the tour and facts you don't get on the European tour. Have a great summer."

- Juanita Newsom

"Mr. Brown,
My wife and I took your tour a few weeks ago (the couple from Durham) and I wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed it. I am even considering taking it a second time when we visit again. There was just so much information that I couldn't take it all in. One thing you might consider is selling an annotated map of the areas we toured (points of interest, good restaurants, etc.). We tried to find some of the locations you showed us and, for the most part, got lost (but that was fun too.)

We also has the opportunity to go back and visit Mr. Simmons. What a treat!!! He is a very special man with a wonderful testamony. While we were talking with him, he mentioned that he was sorry that no one was able to come to the house to help him clean up like a (university???) group had done in the past. I told him that I would relay his request to you. Perhaps you could "encourage" a few young people in your congregation to spend a Saturday helping Mr. Simmons and some of the other Seniors in your congregation.

Take care and continue to bless our Lord."

- Greg Sampson, Durham, NC