Congratulations to Mr. David A. Williams & The Williams Muscadine Vineyard and Farm in Nesmith, SC for winning the 2009 organization/Group Award in the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission’s ‘Preserving Our Places in History Awards’. The South Carolina African American Heritage Commission held its fourth annual ‘Preserving Our Places in History Awards’ at the Brookland Baptist Church Banquet & Conference Center in West Columbia, SC. The Commission’s annual meeting was held January 22-23 with the awards being made at the Awards Banquet on Thursday evening. “The awards recognized individuals, organizations and groups, and projects that have made major contributions to the preservation of African American history and culture in South Carolina during the past year”, said Jannie Harriot, past Chairperson of the Commission.

This year’s winners list:

Individual Award- Harlan Greene of the Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston

Organization/Group Award- David Williams & The Williams Muscadine Vineyard & Farm

Project Award- Carolina Atlantic World Program at the College of Charleston

Lifetime Achievement Award- Penn Center, St. Helena Island

At the Williams Muscadine Vineyard and Farm, school children and others see the operations of the old black farm. You can go back in history 50 + years and relive the farm experience. There are old plows and farm tools. As for household chores, kids have washed clothes in the old wash tub, big black pot, and used lye soap and a wash board. There is a sausage grinder, flour sifter and other old kitchen utensils. Plans are underway to restore the approximately 80 year old farm house where 20 family members have lived at once. The interior will look just like it did when the Rev. Gabriel and Mary Williams family lived there.

Mr. Williams and his family are very pleased to be the recipient of this very prestigious and noteworthy award and will continue to preserve the African American history in Williamsburg County, South Carolina and the US.

2nd Award:

Mr. David A. Williams named Agriculturalist of the Year by the Williamsburg HomeTown Chamber.

Recognition:

The vineyard and farm, and the Williams family were featured in the October 2009 Greater Pee Dee/Grand Strand Business Journal magazine where they made the front cover, also.