Edwards College hosts fundraiser for Joyner Institute
by Bell
On a recent Saturday night in April, the Edwards College held a fundraiser, called “Shared Traditions,” to support the recently established Charles Joyner Institute for Gullah and African Diaspora Studies. It was no ordinary fundraiser, however.
Because the public memorial service for Joyner (1935-2016) was held during the Christmas break when many CCU faculty members were away, the event on Saturday in the Edwards Courtyard and Recital Hall was in many ways a memorial tribute led by Joyner’s Coastal family.
Highlights of the event included reminiscences by colleagues, a video tribute, presentations detailing the purpose of the Joyner Institute, and musical performances by students and faculty.
Wink Prince, director of the Waccamaw Center for Cultural and Historical Studies, described his friend Chaz’s life and legacy, which in Joyner’s own words “stubbornly resists synthesis.” Joyner was a polymath who is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking book on slavery in All Saints Parish, “Down by the Riverside” (1984), but it was the personal way in which he combined his deep scholarship with his many talents (folklorist, musician, singer, artist, cross-stitch designer, puppeteer) that made him such a memorable and beloved figure. Prince said that Joyner did research on “every continent except Antarctica—probably because there was no barbecue or bourbon there.”
Gillian Richards-Greaves, assistant director of the Joyner Institute, outlined the goals of the organization, describing the collaborations CCU has undertaken with institutes of higher learning in the West Indies and in Africa to develop experiential learning activities relating to many aspects of the African diaspora.
Veronica Gerald, the director of the Institute, reminisced about the friendship that developed through the scholarly interests she shared with Joyner. Referring to the adage that a library closes at a person’s death, she said that one of the advantages of the Joyner Institute is that it will “capture the next generation of libraries before they close.”
Dan Ennis, dean of the Edwards College, said that one of Joyner’s great contributions to scholarship was the emphasis he placed on listening. “… Joyner argued that sometimes the attention of scholars and students is too often attracted by the written record.… But he knew that to tell the story, he had to take a different path, and listen. In works such as ‘Folk Song in South Carolina,’ ‘Down by the Riverside,’ ‘Shared Traditions,’ and ‘Remember Me,’ in his many essays, forewords and articles, we see evidence that Joyner listened—and then, eventually, wrote…. We honor Joyner by listening and teaching others to listen, and by telling the story and teaching others how to tell it as well.”
Stirring performances were given by students and faculty members of music that was particularly meaningful in Joyner’s life and career. Bassist Steve Bailey, CCU artist in residence, spoke about Joyner’s affinity for the work of Dizzy Gillespie, with whom Bailey worked as a sideman. Bailey and music faculty members Matt White and Tim Fischer performed a Gillespie tribute, and a group of talented students offered renditions of the spirituals “Heaven is a Beautiful Place,” “Down by the Riverside,” as well as one of Joyner’s compositions, “Carolina Lowcountry on My Mind.”
The video tribute, produced by Sara Sobota of the Department of English and directed by Michael DiGiorgio of the Edwards College Digital Studio, offered rare glimpses on Joyner at work and in performance, and included spoken tributes by President David DeCenzo, President Emeritus Ron Ingle and faculty and staff members Wink Prince, Stephanie Freeman, Richard Aidoo, John Navin, Jack Roper, Richard Aidoo, Eric Crawford and Veronica Gerald.
For more information on the Joyner Institute, call 843-349-2421, email joynerinstitute@coastal.edu or visit coastal.edu/joynerinstitute. To make a donation, text JOYNER to 51555.
