Sweetgrass Baskets and the Gullah Tradition

The ancient African art of Sweetgrass basket making has been practiced for more than 300 years in the Christ Church Parish of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Seen on the roadways of Charleston County and in museums and galleries worldwide, these unique handmade baskets are crafted from Sweetgrass, bullrush, pine needles, and palm leaves. Traditionally, artisans use a piece of the rib bone of a cow and a pair of scissors as their only tools for construction.

February Book Display

In honor of Black History month and South Carolina's Gullah and Geechee communities and people, the book display focuses on the Gullah communities and their relationships with rice, cooking, language, poetry, arts, and crafts, including sweet-grass basket making.