Saving the Avery and the Formation of the Avery Institute of Afro American History and Culture

Hosts:
Georgette Mayo – Processing Archivist at the Avery Research Center
D’Aujai Kelley – Education Coordinator, Avery Research Center

Guest:
Dr. Millicent E. Brown – Director of Education and Exhibits, Educator, Activist, and former Education & Public Programs Specialist at the Avery Research Center; Author of Another Sojourner Looking for Truth: My Journey from Civil Rights to Black Power and Beyond

Contributors:
Nate Hubler, Veer Mehta, Georgette Mayo, Sasha Bozanic, DaNia Childress, and D’Aujai Kelley
Sponsor:
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Episode Summary
This episode explores the final years and closure of the Avery Normal Institute in 1954, its legacy, and the transition that led to the founding of the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture. The hosts discuss what happened after the school closed, the fight to preserve the historic building, and the evolution of the institution into today’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture.
The episode includes an in-depth interview with Dr. Millicent E. Brown, who shares her personal connection to Avery, insights on its alumni (“Averyites”), the founding of the Avery Institute, and the challenges of preserving Black history and community memory.
The episode also features collection highlights showcasing early exhibits and archival materials from the Avery Research Center.

Timestamped Breakdown
[00:00:00 – 00:01:03] Introduction and Episode Overview
[00:01:03 – 00:01:53] Hosts' Personal Reflections
[00:01:53 – 00:04:40] Historical Overview: Closure of the Avery Normal Institute
[00:04:41 – 00:09:21] Protests, Merger Attempts, and the Fate of the Building
[00:09:21 – 00:14:18] Who Are Averyites? Notable Alumni & Formation of the Avery Institute
[00:14:18 – 00:46:10] Interview with Dr. Millicent E. Brown
[00:46:19 – 00:49:27] Collection Highlights
[00:49:27 – 00:50:46] Final Clarifications & Closing Remarks

Key Themes
Preserving Black educational institutions
Jim Crow era education
Civil rights activism
Institutional memory & legacy preservation
Charleston’s racial and cultural history
The transformation from Avery School → Avery Institute → Avery Research Center

Keywords
Avery Normal Institute, Avery Research Center, African American history, Charleston history, civil rights, desegregation, Black education, Averyites, Gullah Geechee, archival preservation, NAACP, Brown v. Board, Black Power, Lowcountry history, museum education, American Missionary Association

Hashtags
#AveryNormalInstitute #AveryResearchCenter #AfricanAmericanHistory #CharlestonHistory #CivilRights #BlackEducation #Averyites #GullahGeechee #SouthCarolinaHistory #BrownvBoard #NAACP #BlackPower #BlackHistory #MuseumEducation #LowcountryHistory

References & Resources
Initiative, Paternalism, and Race Relations: Charleston's Avery Normal Institute — Edmund L. Drago

South Carolina Equalization Schools — scequalizationschools.org (Research by Rebekah Dobrasko)

Another Sojourner Looking for Truth — Dr. Millicent E. Brown

Avery Research Center — avery.charleston.edu

Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture — averyinstitute.us

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