Woodcutter "Lorse" Anderson - Duke University Archives
From
1800 to 1990, Beaufort's black residents numbered at least 25% of the
total population, with that number rising to as much as 50% during and
immediately after the Civil War.
Despite
such large numbers, the African-American society of this historic
coastal port town has remained largely unknown and undocumented.
Few
of the thousands of tourists who visit the town's historic waterfront
every year are aware that blacks have been a vital part of Beaufort's
maritime culture since the 18th century.
