Journal; Black Owned Land

The. Rapid fire development. On the rich barrier islands of Buford County on the south east coast of South Carolina. Has spawn new and ever changing lifestyles. Spearheading the burgeoning growth has been the resort island of Hilton Head on the Atlantic Ocean. In other areas like private Dr. Lynn in St. Helena township have been quick to follow. Recreation and retirement have become the dominant lifestyles in an area once dependent on farming and fishing. But the surge of growth countywide threatens the survival of small black landowners who trace ownership of their small tracks to the reconstruction period following the Civil War. Once isolated homes now lie in the midst of commercial property and forcing land values to increase and correspondingly taxes to rise. By the year 2000 more than 150000 people. Are projected to inhabit the county. A mere two fold increase above the current population.

Whether on this strip of highway 278 when Hilton Head. For Highway 21 on St. Helena. Many black landowners who typically control less than 50 acres are struggling. To keep their property. This tract of land on tiny Wausau island in the central part of the county has been home to Joe Hayward all of his 84 years. Hayward is a throwback to the days when his now overgrown fields were once finally cultivated farm lands providing its primary source of food and income means a lot. Yeah mine. Everything that that I'm going to rent your own his own some might as Graham would bid for water. Dale. And I were in long prayers and he's really doing right amount wrong IMO. Or just him you know as a guideline that it pays taxes gotten a certificate from.

Taxes are the primary burden for small landowners like Hayward over the years he would have subdivided his land from 13 to four acres. He complains about how his annual tax bill for the 13 acres once had been less than $100. His current levee for four acres is three hundred dollars. Him Community Services in St. Helena historically has advised small farmers like Hayward about such matters as taxes deeds in wills established one hundred twenty five years ago to educate freed slaves throughout the Sea Islands one of pin's primary missions has been stimming black land loss. Biggest threat now is small and I would say try to hang on to their land so they can have a place for that kid same Greinke used to Leo when they start coming back from up north. I maintain that most of our folks who are living up north is going to have to come back south one day. And we are not

careful we now don't have any place for those kids to come. When indomie has served as director of the land of attention program at Penn since the early 1970s he says blanks must take immediate steps to ensure they will protect their lands. What we're finding out is that if you don't survey it out you don't end up with less rather than more one. So it's important now to make wheels and to educate the kids as to the importance of owning land because it is a part of our heritage. Nowadays it once weren't a part of our here but it is now since the older people bought the land after it came out of slavery. Among black landowners the failure to prepare wills is considered acute. Without wills land ownership reverts to multiple heirs who all have an equal interest in the property. A high concentration of A is property and B for county blacks has contributed to the not sharing in rapid economic growth over the past 15 years. There is no Buford

attorney Scott Graber has assisted black landowners in property title search. If that black landowner wants to build a hotel or wants to sub divide the land and sell lots I wants to borrow money to improve his home then he's got a problem. Then he's got to get the family together and work out some sort of arrangement where ownership is brought down to all more manageable number of people like heirs property entanglement has kept this 40 acre tract on the north end of Hilton Head Island from reaching its full development potential valued in the millions of dollars. The property is bounded on the north by highway 278. Hilton heads primary traffic artery and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean where beach front condominiums have been built. Both sides. 10 years ago. Thirty five years of the Ferguson family were confronted by a decision of whether or not to sell taxes were ever

increasing. And most of the Ferguson heirs didn't live on the land and they sold. Sam Bolden was married to one of the heirs says that decision has created long standing turmoil in the family. It creates a problem when the property for a lot of time because many members of the family will not be putting their efforts into the scene of the tax to be inflated to shift from one part of the family. And that creates a problem they could augment in a family and a split in the family. Ferguson is sold the crack for 2 million dollars upfront in three and a half million deferred with interest. But the deal soured when a local development firm that bought the property succumbed to financial troubles. He is still away the remaining proceeds in a pursuing the matter in federal court. Bowden says there were options such as leasing the land that the family could have considered.

I'm against this just selling out. If you got to say. One I would work within the family first before you go out abroad because there you never know there might be some people in the family that could come up and and work out a plan with you. But we've got to trust each other. There again we have to go back to trust you as property. Prairie to believe is not as bad as we think. I maintain that because of various property we still have land left in the hands of small land owners and especially black land owners. Madame it says multiple ownership prevents quick decisions to sell mortgages the land for as property is so in that first must be made to gain approval from all of the owners. The federally subsidized apartments on Hilton Head affords a look at a black landowner who defied the pressure to sell and develop his land

in three and a half eco complex lies adjacent to the grounds of the Port Royal plantation and owner Thomas Bongo says he often receives offers to sell wine with his family owns 50 acres in the vicinity of the plantation. And he says black landowners have to ask themselves some hard questions about the landing. Each individual family will have to evaluate the question as to exactly what to do with their land. Land is something that. You. Are not going to find anymore being made. And. Their family is on Hilton Head that have been here for four to five generations and there are families that are still growing and people will always need a place to live. BARNWELL says black developers face a multitude of problems that stem from a lack

of economic clout at Barnwell had to provide the roadway rudder lines and septic tanks for the complex at a cost that approached one hundred thousand dollars. The town of Hilton Head operates on a limited service concept and developers must provide most of their own essential services. Isolation and the lack of services in the 1920s prompted a group of 30 black St. Helena landowners to join forces to purchase this prime tract of land. The aim of the group simply was to provide firewood to heat their homes estimated to Kompas three hundred twenty eight acres. Part of it facing the Intracoastal Waterway. The property is known as the lands in woodland club and it remains controlled by St Helena blacks today. Some of them heirs of the original owners were brown as a member of the

group which totals more than 100 residents who maintain the property and pay the taxes on the farm or even. Cooperate in the co-operative. You take them you have gone past. And I still believe that. And I could do anything by yourself so I think in order not to do a job then you've got to unite. Unity is the give you the strength. And I think the people. Got to become united property somehow has become a liability for a lot of blacks. We need to turn that property into good. Yes it really it started making the property more productive. And that's where education comes in and I think it's important that we go out and make sure that not only did you thought educated authentic members in our family are educated but that when they are educated they come back and we'll apply that education to making the land more productive and have the older ones there to make sure that

their experience their wisdom is given and the guidance is given. Glover grew up and still lives on St. Helena. His ancestors bought land out of slavery and he has seen firsthand how increasing land values and the pressures that come with changes have altered the lives of Sea Island blacks. Black landowners he says must begin to view their land as a valuable resource one that can uplift them and their families.