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Daufuskie Day is a celebration of the Daufuskie Island culture. It began in 1976 with Miss Frances E. Jones, a long-time educator and principal at Mary Fields School, and island natives. It's continued annually for native islanders, their families and friends to gather. The "Day of Culture" is set for June 22, 2013.

Foods available include many traditional Gullah items and of course the famed Daufuskie deviled crabs. Vendors are invited to access an application via the website.

Visitors to the event can buy boat ride tickets from Hilton Head or Savannah.

Daufuskie is an eight-square-mile island, off the coast of Hilton Head and not connected to the South Carolina mainland. The entire island is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its Gullah history and Civil War history.

The Daufuskie Island Foundation which assists with the annual event is a group of Daufuskie natives who work to preserve the heritage and legacy of the island. The group also focuses on cultural and land preservation and economic development opportunities for islanders.

Penn Center's York W. Bailey Museum

Exhibit continues through February

Cecil Williams' photography of the South Carolina events that changed America will be exhibited at Penn Center's York W. Bailey Museum. Mr. Williams is most well known as the chronicler of the civil rights era. His historic photographs are considered the most comprehensive collection of the civil rights era and have been featured in 135 books, 31 newspapers, and 22 television documentaries. Cecil Williams is a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina. He began taking documentary photographs of his community after he acquired a hand-me-down camera when he was nine years-old. By fifteen, he was working professionally as a freelancer for Jet, the Afro-American, and the Pittsburgh Courier, and he was a stringer for the Associated Press.

A Beaufort family's private collection of silhouettes of southern life and lands by early 20^th century lowcountry artist Carew Rice will open at the Verdier House, 801 Bay Street, Saturday, February 2^nd and run through the end of May. Historic Beaufort Foundation is the exclusive venue for this personal collection which has never been shown in its entirety.

Rice's uncommon hand-crafted work captures the lowcountry world in black and white and provides a matchless glimpse of South Carolina culture in the first half of the 20^th century. Created from his youth after the turn of the 19^th century until his death in 1971, his work is sought by collectors worldwide. While he worked and traveled throughout the south with occasional trips to Europe, he lived primarily at Brick House Plantation deep in the ACE Basin near Green Pond between Charleston and Beaufort.

Most of his work is dedicated to lowcountry scenes and it places him squarely in the era of the simultaneous Charleston Renaissance, a dynamic period, 1920 - 1945, of modern southern artistic and literary history which led to Charleston's transformation from a faded southern port city to a city restored to architectural glory.

Rice's bold style of silhouette cutting was previously unseen within his medium. Through his refined technique and almost limitless range of subjects, Rice claimed his place as "America's greatest silhouettist," according to the poet Carl Sandburg, one of his subjects.

In addition to featuring Rice's work and a display of his scissors and family memorabilia, the exhibit will include a program and cutting demonstration by Clay Rice, Carew's grandson, who inherited the skilled artistry of his grandfather. Clay Rice has been described by author Pat Conroy as a "great talent who combines soul and passion." The date of the event featuring Clay Rice will be announced later. He performs songs and storytelling in addition to his cutting demonstrations.

In his 1961 book, "A Selection of Songs & Scissor-Cut Silhouettes: Low Country Artistry by Carew Rice," Rice wrote about his realization that a small pair of scissors purchased for 25 cents led him to "cut out a billygoat and a jaybird." He immediately knew he "had found the thing I had been seeking to find: a way to clearly and definitely, and most of all, quickly, express my ideas in art." The shop at the Verdier House will have a limited number of Rice's out-of-print books for sale as well as prints of "Oyster Boat: Beaufort, S.C."

Sponsored by Derek Gilbert Law Firm, Regions Bank and the SC Humanities Council, the flora and fauna of Rice's lowcountry will be open for viewing by the public at the Verdier House, Mondays-Saturdays, Feb. 2 - May 31. Admission is free for HBF members and children and $10 per non-member. Call Isabella Reeves at 843-379-3331 for information or Sandy Patterson at 843-379-6335 to arrange group tours.

• The President recently met with small business owners to discuss the importance of preventing a tax increase on small businesses before the end of the year. Given the holiday shopping season and that consumer spending is roughly 70% of our economy, the President also heard from these small business owners about how they would be affected by a tax increase on middle class families.

• The President's second term plans to invest in small businesses to create jobs and spur innovation so hard work pays off. The President's plan jumpstarts small business job growth by cutting taxes for businesses that hire more workers or pay higher wages.

• But before the end of the year, we face a set of deadlines and Congress needs to act. The President is working to find common ground to keep taxes low for 98 percent of American families and 97 percent of small businesses. Here are two big reasons why that's good news for every small business:

• Taxes will stay low on every business owner's first $250,000 of income. But if Congress fails to act, a small business owner making $120,000, for example, could see up to a $4,600 tax increase

• Taxes won't go up by $2,200 on middle class families, preventing a hit to consumer spending which is roughly 70% of the U.S. economy. As we move into the holiday season, Democrats and Republicans should come together to renew middle class tax cuts so families and small businesses have a little more certainty at this critical time for our economy.

• The President's plan targets Main Street small businesses, not folks like hedge fund managers and Donald Trump. Small businesses create two out of every three net new private sector jobs, helping spur economic development in communities across our country and giving millions of families and individuals the opportunity to achieve the American dream. If we keep taxes low for 97% of small businesses, more jobs can be created.

• From the mom-and-pop storefront shops to the high-tech startups that keep America on the cutting edge, small businesses are the backbone of our economy. In his second term, the President plans to build on the 18 small business tax breaks he already signed into law, but first we need to find common ground and compromise to keep taxes from going up on 97% of small businesses on January 1, 2012.

Are you social? Do you have a business stragegy for using social media to further your goals? See research and tips here and get connected with us too with the links at the top of our web page.

The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (BCBCC) is now providing financial help to small-business owners by lending from $5,000 to $50,000 to "micro-enterprises." Small-business owners can get financial help - but not a handout - through the BCBCC as a Micro-Lender. The loans can be for start-ups, expansions or material costs. The BCBCC can only fund 75 percent of a given project, and 25 percent must come from a non-federal source

To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following criteria:
1. Must have income at or below 80% of the area median family income.
2. Must be current clients or graduates of an approved microenterprise or business training program. Graduates must have completed a business training course before submitting an application.
3. Must be the business owner and have collateral in the business.
4. Start-ups and existing businesses must provide an approved business plan.
5. Businesses must submit a balance sheet and income statement from the previous two years of operation.
6. Must be located in the Beaufort County, South Carolina area.
7. Must have five or fewer employees, one or more who is the business owner.
8. Businesses within the non-incorporated areas will be given priority.


For more information call 843-986-1102.

Are you falling behind on your

Mortgage

or worried about

FORECLOSURE?

Assistance may be available from

SC Help

Monthly payment assistance while you seek employment and a return to self sustainability

Direct loan assistance to pay arrearages to bring the loan current

Property disposition assistance with funds to help transition families from homeownership to rental housing

apply online at www.scmortgagehelp.com or call 843-986-1102 or email president@bcbcc.org

"Decoration Day"
A Broadway Back in Da' Woods Production
Starring
Aunt Pearlie Sue & Gullah Kinfolk
Saturday, July 21, 2012 @ 4:30p.m.
Tabernacle Baptist Church
907 Craven Street * Beaufort, SC
FREE and open to the Public (Goodwill offering will be accepted)
Contact information 843-263-5229
Sponsored by
Beaufort Gullah Festival, Inc.

Live entertainment by recording artist Mahoganee is a new feature of the Artist Showcase in Beaufort May 25-26. The art will include dolls, gourds, jewelry, clay, books, fabric, stamps, graphics, oil and acrylic paintings and more in the exhibits by almost two dozen local and regional artists.

The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce will present the tenth annual event at Sea Island Best Western in historic downtown Beaufort. The showcase is free and open to the public Friday, May 25 from 12 Noon until 8 pm including a reception with refreshments and door prizes from 5 pm until 7 pm when artists will be introduced and Mahoganee will entertain. Showcase hours continue Saturday, May 26 from 10 am until 6 pm. All work will be for sale.

Exhibitors include these popular artists: Hank D. Herring, Claudette Humphrey, Patricia Wells, Marquita Willis, Rose Willis, Marie D. Lewis, Mary Anderson, Gwen Williams, Bridget Murray, Geraldine Smith, Patrice Cole, Patricia Bee, Saundra Renee Smith, Serena G. Hall, Charles Coleman and Richard White.

Mahoganee is a singer and songwriter with extensive performance and collaboration history who is described by the sound of Lauren Hill with a twist of Minnie Ripperton and a cup of Janis Joplin. Her name means rich in strength which she strives for as an artist using her music in a special program to provide positive outlets for women and girls to achieve dreams.

For more views of sample art follow us on Twitter @BeaufortBlack and the Facebook page Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce.

The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce welcomes local and visiting exhibitors to the Artist Showcase 2012 scheduled for May 25-26 at Sea Island Best Western in historic downtown Beaufort. The tenth annual showcase is free and open to the public Friday, May 25 from 12 Noon until 8 pm with a free reception from 5 pm until 7 pm featuring live entertainment by recording artist Mahoganee. Showcase hours continue Saturday, May 26 from 10 am until 6 pm.

Applications still are being accepted to join these prominent artists who have confirmed their participation: Hank D. Herring, Claudette Humphrey, Patricia Wells, Marquita Willis, Rose Willis, Marie D. Lewis, Mary Anderson, Gwen Williams and Bridget Murray.

A wide variety of media already is represented including fabric, jewelry, gourds, oil and acrylic painting plus unique stamps and graphics created from found and rescued materials.

Additional information with more artist details and visuals is posted regularly on the web page, and we invite you to follow and connect on Twitter @BeaufortBlack and the Facebook page Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce. Email beaufortblack@gmail.com or call for application to exhibit or for sponsor and catering details: 843.986.1102 or 843.902.4799.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices.

Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

Contact the chamber for details: Larry Holman, president/CEO, 843.986.1102

Black history has been recognized nationally in February since 1926 when "Negro History Week" was established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The child of former slaves, Woodson progressed to earning a Ph.D. from Harvard University and recognized the lack of historical documentation of Blacks.

February was noted for the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas who were prominent in influencing the course of history. Numerous additional dates during February relate to noteworthy events and accomplishments in the timeline of African American history.

Black History Month is especially important here because of the significance of Black history in the shaping of our cultural landscape. Freed slaves established the village of Mitchelville in what is now Hilton Head. It had its own government and the first mandatory education system, and this was even before the president had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Check our calendar of events and celebrate this and every month in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce announces the Artist Showcase 2012 scheduled for May 25-26 in historic downtown Beaufort, SC. Artists must submit their application by April 1 to secure exhibit space which is limited to 20.

The 10^th annual event is open to local and visiting exhibitors presenting original and print work in a range of media to include paintings, folk art, basket weaving and mixed media. The show is free to the public, and all work will be for sale.The objective of the show is to promote the arts as a viable and important economic contribution to life in the Lowcountry and to support emerging and professional artists in pursuing their artistic goals and developing their talents.

The Artist Showcase will be open at Sea Island Best Western, 1015 Bay Street, Beaufort, on May 25 from 12 Noon until 8 pm. A free reception from 5 pm until 7 pm will feature popular recording artist Mahoganee with her new Beethoven-inspired solo program. The show will be open May 26 from 10 am until 6 pm. Artists and their representatives will be available to meet the public during the entire show. The chamber of commerce is pleased to welcome student artists from Broad River Elementary School grades 1-5 as a showcase feature.

Artists may obtain an application from the chamber office or via emailed request to BeaufortBlack@gmail.com. Details and ongoing updates also are available on Twitter @BeaufortBlack and the Facebook page Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce.

The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce (BCBCC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that was organized in 1999. The purpose of the BCBCC is to perform entrepreneurial, developmental, educational, housing and other communitiy services. The BCBCC is working to expand and promote the economic empowerment of our disenfranchised communitiy by expanding business opportunities, increasing education via our financial literacy program, community development, housing counseling, small business training and encouraging advancement through entrepreneurship for underserved small businesses including women-owned businesses.

It is against this background that we proposed our project to purchase an abandoned property located at 711 Bladen Street in Beaufort. The property has been empty and an eyesore since 2004. Our plans are to demolish the existing structure and build our new office, training facility and communty center. This property gives ius the opportunty to expand our current training facility for our small busiuness training, financial literacy training, housing counseling and community development programs. We will also showcase our collections of African American art works which are owned by local artists and are samples of their work which will be available for viewing by the community.

The total square footage of the building will be about 11,000 to include offices, meeting rooms, training rooms, small business incubator start-up office space and local artist showcase.

You are always welcome to contact us to discuss your ideas.

Sincere thanks to these key sponsors who supported our recent Business Conference & Expo! We appreciate you!

Cuthbert House Inn

Best Western Plus Sea Island Inn

Beaufort County Council

Law Office of Bernard McIntyre, Esq.

Murr Printing

Our thanks to the volunteers who conducted workshops during our Business Conference & Expo! Experts in their field, they are to be commended for their contribution to assisting our small business community.

Edra Stephens, director of the Beaufort County Business License Department, prersented Working with Local Government.

Paul Futterer representing SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives, presented Developing a Business Plan.

Roy Gordon presented Business Structure. He is a retired U.S. Army officer who now assists small business with developing business plans.

Gary Littlejohn presented Business Taxes. He is the owner of Jackson Hewitt tax preparation company with several locations in the Beaufort area.

Our recent Business Conference & Expo opening was highlighted by special guest Ron Busby, president/CEO of the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce.

Keynote speaker Rev. Kenneth Hodges, well known SC House of Representatives leader, minister of Tabernacle Baptist Church and owner of LyBenson Gallery in Beaufort, closed the conference with a powerful presentation about the power of thinking small.

The Business Conference & Expo presented by the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce Nov. 4-5 is made possible by the generous support of these businesses and individuals:

Product Sponsors

• Law Office of Bernard McIntyre
• Beaufort County Council
• Best Western Sea Island Inn
• Cuthbert House Inn
• Barefoot Farms
• Jimmy John's
• Roastfish & Cornbread
• Organo Gold Coffee - Isaac Fripp
• Sue Yearwood
• Marie Lewis
• Huberspace Web Design

Working Together We Can Make A Difference!

Working together we can make a difference!

Meet these featured exhibitors showcasing their products and services at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Comerce Business Conference & EXPO November 4-5 at TCL in Beaufort. The EXPO is FREE and open to the public Friday Nov. 4 from 5-9 pm with wine, hors d'oeouvres, door prizes and networking opportunities. The FREE EXPO continues Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8:30 am - 2 pm with registration required to attend the workshops, speaker sessions and luncheon.

• NATIVE MAGAZINE
• BEAUFORT COUNTY COMPLIANCE OFFICE
• ALIGN EDUCATION CONSULTANTS
• 5LINX
• HELP OF BEAUFORT
• PERSONALIZED PORTRAITS
• MARINE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
• ISLAND GIRL ART & JEWELRY
• SCORE
• CAPTURED MOMENTS
• EXPERT LASER
• ORGANO GOLD COFFEE
• GREEN FISH GALLERY
• INDEPENDENT LEARNING NETWORK
• BEAUFORT COUNTY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
• MURR PRINTING
• SPEAKERS INTERNATIONAL
• THE MITCHELL GROUP MARKETING CONSULTANTS

The Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce Business Conference & Expo is set for November 4-5 at the Sea Island Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort. Worskhops are scheduled, and registration is open.

The event will open on Friday, November 4 with exhibits at 5 p.m. and a networking reception beginning at 6 p.m. Exhibits, educational workshops and a guest speaker will be featured on Saturday, November 5 from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Workshops are designed especially for small businesses. Gary Littlejohn will present Business Taxes. He is the owner of Jackson Hewitt tax preparation company with several locations in the Beaufort area. Bernard McIntyre, a Beaufort attorney for more than 30 years, will present Business Structure explaining the basics and benefits of different types of incorporating or setting up a small business. Edra Stephens, director of the Beaufort County Business License Department, will discuss Working with Local Government.

Waatch for announcement of these additional workshops: Social Media, Basics of Bidding and Contracting, Marketing on a Shoestring, Bonding and Licensing, Developing a Business Plan and Certifications through Education.

Conference registration is $39 for members of the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce and $59 for non-members which includes a choice of two workshops, gift bag and attendance at the expo, the reception, continental breakfast, coffee break and luncheon featuring special guest speaker. Exhibitor opportunities are available with fees at $50 for chamber members and $75 for non-members. Sponsor packages range from $250.

Download agenda, exhibitor application and registration forms here. For additional info connect on Twitter @BeaufortBlack and the Facebook page Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce.

Contact Liz at 843.902.4799 or email beaufortblack@gmail.com to discuss sponsor opportunities and benefits or for exhibitor or registration assistance.

The chamber's Business Conference & Expo 2011 set for November 4-5 is an important event with a variety of opportunities to present your business to the community. Exhibitor space, workshop presentations, sponsor and advertising invitations will be announced soon for the expo at the Sea Island Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort.

Plan on direct selling to consumers from the exhibit floor, networking with other business owners and community leaders, learning from experts with business advice and enjoying a popular keynote speaker. Let us know if you have requests for specific topics to be covered in the workshops or if you would like to present.

Watch for registration rates, sponsor and advertising packages and more details to be posted here soon, or contact us to be on the email list for immediate notice: beaufortblack@gmail.com

Working together we can make a difference!