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138 years is not a slogan, it’s proof of a mission that keeps showing up. From Savannah Grove Baptist Church, we talk with Mrs. Mary Alice Graham, president of the Women’s Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina, and Dr. Sarah Simmons, second vice president, about how this statewide women’s ministry keeps Christian education and missionary work alive across generations.

We get into the real mechanics of the convention: the history of leadership, what it takes to host thousands of women, and how the three departments create a pipeline from youth (up to 17), to Young Women’s Auxiliary (18 to 45), to senior women (45 and up). You’ll hear stories that feel joyful and practical, from youth-led worship and performances to traditions like corsages, district colors, and the energy that comes when the room is full.

We also dig into impact you can measure. The convention supports HBCUs in South Carolina, including Morris College and Benedict College, with scholarship opportunities and major contributions. Then we shift to a powerful community health focus: mental health training through Hold Out the Lifeline, including a free class that can certify participants for three years and equip churches to recognize needs and respond with care. Add in women in ministry, scholarship fundraising like the Rainbow Tea, and a canned-goods service project that leaves help behind in every host community, and you’ve got a blueprint for faith in action.

If you care about church leadership, women’s ministry, youth development, HBCU scholarships, and mental health resources for congregations, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find Native Drums.

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A big church week can feel confusing fast, so we brought in the perfect guide: our sister Antoinette “Sister Toni” Muldrow, longtime leader in Baptist women’s work across South Carolina. She helps us map out what’s happening day by day as the Women’s Baptist E&M Convention of South Carolina convenes at Savannah Grove Baptist Church in Effingham, just outside Florence, SC. If you’ve been searching for a clear schedule and a warm invitation to a meaningful South Carolina church conference, this conversation keeps it simple and practical.

We talk through the 130th annual session from the first registration hour to the final benediction. Monday includes registration and a powerful welcome night featuring guest speaker Lithonia Barnes, mayor of the city of Florence, plus the debut of the Region 6 Women’s Choir. Tuesday brings youth focus and fellowship, a Women in Ministry service, and a unity program led by Kippy Brown, with a community-wide request to wear red (and blue on Monday). Wednesday spotlights YWA fellowship, the president’s annual address, and a Spiritual Life Ministry service where each district represents with color, including District 6 showing up in purple.

We also get into the details that make the week feel like home: food trucks on campus so folks can stay close, vendors traveling in from multiple states, college displays, and yes, the popular sparkly sneakers. The invitation stays wide open: you don’t have to be Baptist, and it’s not just for women, men and youth are welcome to come worship, learn, and connect.

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Summer break can quietly undo months of progress, especially when kids lose daily reading practice. We sit down with Dr. Fraronda Green, executive director of the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School at Savannah Grove Baptist Church, to talk about a summer literacy program designed to fight summer reading loss while building pride, confidence, and community. Dr. Green connects the program’s purpose to the legacy of Freedom Summer, reminding us that literacy has always been about voice, access, and possibility. 

We get specific about what families want to know: what a typical day actually looks like. Dr. Green breaks down Harambe (“let’s pull together”), the high-energy morning gathering filled with chants, music, and movement that helps scholars start the day connected. From there, the program moves into integrated reading, where students work through structured curriculum with discussion, questions, and hands-on activities that make books feel alive. We also talk enrichment, from art and singing to photography, and why creative exposure supports academic growth, not distracts from it. 

A standout feature is mentorship. Servant leader interns, current college students, help lead reading and activities, creating a real intergenerational pipeline of encouragement. We also share key logistics: Freedom School runs June 15 through July 17, with limited spots remaining for rising 6th through 8th graders, plus how to apply through the church office and social media. If you care about youth development, reading motivation, and practical community-based education, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a parent, and leave us a review.

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Voting gets complicated the moment bad info hits the group chat. So we brought in Delcinia Murchison, a retired postmaster and experienced elections worker, to give clear, practical guidance that helps you walk into the polls confident, calm, and prepared.

We start with the question we keep hearing: “How many IDs do I need to vote?” Delcinia lays it out plainly for South Carolina voting rules. You only need one photo ID, and she explains which ones count, including a driver’s license, passport, military ID, concealed weapons permit, or a voter registration photo ID card. We also clear up the confusion around the mailed voter registration card (often described as the little blue card). It’s useful for your precinct and districts, but it’s not enough to vote without a photo ID.

Then we move to the best tool for cutting through rumors: scvotes.gov. We talk about how to check your voter registration, confirm your address and precinct, view your voting history, find candidate information, and pull up a personalized sample ballot you can print and bring with you. We also go over early voting dates and hours, plus where to vote early, so you can make a plan that fits your schedule.

If this helped you, share it with one person who has questions, subscribe for more community conversations, and leave a quick review so more voters can find accurate South Carolina election info.

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A political map can look like harmless lines on paper right up until it changes who gets heard. We’re joined by South Carolina Representatives Robert Williams (House Seat 62) and Roger Kirby (House Seat 101) for a candid breakdown of the state’s mid decade redistricting fight and why the timing alone raises alarms for voters, candidates, and election officials. We talk through the gerrymandering debate, how Supreme Court decisions shape what lawmakers can do, and why the real-world impact lands on communities long before it reaches a courtroom.

We also get specific about the proposed changes to South Carolina’s congressional districts, including how the Sixth District tied to Congressman James Clyburn could shift north and pull in new counties across the Pee Dee region. The conversation goes beyond politics into process: maps that appear to be decided before public input, rule changes during debate that restrict amendments, and a Senate path full of procedural moves like cloture votes and potential extended debate. If you care about voting rights, election integrity, and government transparency, these details matter because they set the ground rules for everyone else.

Then we dig into the costs and consequences people feel locally: divided cities, fractured “communities of interest,” and the price tag of extra primaries and runoffs that counties may have to cover. We close with practical ways to stay engaged, why turnout is the ultimate counterweight to manipulation, and a Memorial Day reminder about the service behind the freedoms we often take for granted. If this conversation helps you see your ballot differently, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review with one question you want answered next.

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Your career doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else for it to work and Shemeka Cusack is living proof. We talk with Shemeka about what it looks like to pivot from early college plans and radiology coursework into hair school, salon ownership, real estate, and ultimately a calling in pediatric speech therapy. The through line is growth: every job teaches a skill you can reuse, especially when you’re building a life that includes entrepreneurship, family responsibilities, and real-world constraints.

We also dig into what Shemeka does now as a speech-language pathologist and business owner. She explains early intervention services for children who are delayed in milestones, what therapy can look like in a natural environment, and why play-based methods matter when you’re serving pediatric patients. If you’ve searched for early intervention, pediatric speech therapy services, or how speech therapy supports school-age children, you’ll hear a grounded, local perspective on how care is delivered and how families can get connected.

Business Awareness Month gives us the perfect reason to get practical. We talk about using a business incubator for free training, networking, marketing support, and SBA guidance for grants and loans. Then we switch to the details many founders miss: home office tax deductions, when a CPA is worth it, and how to form an LLC and get an EIN without paying ridiculous fees. Shemeka even shares how free tools like ChatGPT can help you research faster and ask better questions.

If you like honest stories, clear steps, and real small business advice you can use today, subscribe, share this conversation with a friend who’s building something, and leave a review so more listeners can find Native Drums.

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160 years doesn’t just mark time, it marks sacrifice, pride, and the kind of education that reshaped families across generations. We sit down with Bryant Moses, chairman of the Wilson High School 160th anniversary committee, to share what’s coming and why this celebration belongs to the entire Pee Dee region, not only Florence locals or recent grads. If Wilson touched your family through parents, grandparents, church ties, or the old freedom school legacy, you’re already part of the story.

Bryant walks us through the full Wilson High School anniversary weekend lineup: a parade that leads into a community block party with vendors and music, the return of the Purple and Gold Gala, and a Sunday that honors the school’s roots through Cumberland United Methodist Church followed by a gospel concert featuring Vickie Winans. We also talk history that too many people never hear, including Wilson’s earliest locations and how students once traveled in from surrounding towns like Johnsonville, Hemingway, Marion, Pamplico, and Lake City. The message is simple: purple and gold runs deep, and “you’re a Tiger” whether you realize it or not.

Then we get real about the future. Bryant shares why he’s concerned for today’s students, what mentoring should look like now, and why listening matters as much as advising. We push one core takeaway again and again: education is the legacy, and nobody can take it from you once you’ve earned it. We close with practical details on tickets, packages, committee contacts, and how to attend the Vickie Winans show at the Francis Marion Performing Arts Center, including the note about no online service charge for Wilson Tigers.

Subscribe to Native Drums, share this with a Wilson Tiger, and leave a review to help more alumni find the celebration. What does Wilson mean to your family?

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A lot of people imagine superintendents as “career administrators” who climbed a neat ladder. Bernard McDaniel’s story is messier, more human, and far more useful. From teacher and football coach to principal, district leader, and now Superintendent of Lee County Schools, he breaks down the real moves that shaped his leadership and the hard moments that tested it.

We talk about how athletics and education leadership overlap in ways most people miss. Bernard shares why being named South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association Superintendent of the Year matters to him, and how coaches can become mentors, disciplinarians, and steady guides for kids who need a strong example. He also makes the case that small rural school districts deserve the same respect and fair opportunities as larger systems, especially when it comes to student athletics, resources, and visibility.

Then we get practical about one of the biggest K-12 challenges right now: teacher recruitment and retention. Bernard explains Lee County’s Grow Your Own program, including alternate certification pathways, Praxis and Principles of Learning and Teaching support, and why “building from within” creates continuity and commitment that outside hiring often can’t match. If you care about rural education, building a teacher pipeline, or preparing for roles like principal or superintendent, this conversation lays out what “being ready” actually looks like.

If this resonated, subscribe to Native Drums, share the episode with an educator or coach who leads with heart, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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A single deed can hold a whole world. We talk with Terry James, founder and executive director of the Jamestown Foundation, about what it takes to protect Black family land and turn it into a public place of learning. Terry walks us from the foundation’s start in 2007 to the annual Jamestown celebration, where storytellers, craftspeople, Tuscarora artists, and historical reenactors help visitors understand life during Reconstruction and beyond. 

We also dig into the award-winning attention Jamestown has received, including major news recognition and an Emmy win for “Our Family’s History: The Story of Jamestown.” That visibility sparks something bigger than headlines: it draws people from across the country who are hungry for African American history that is specific, documented, and rooted in place. Terry shares the gripping story of Irvin James buying 109 acres in the 1870s, signing with an X, and pushing forward when the odds were designed to stop him. 

From there, the conversation widens into genealogy research and civic engagement. We talk DNA testing, archives, census and estate records, and the emotional moment when family history becomes proof. Terry also brings practical voter registration guidance for South Carolina, including how to check status on scvotes.org, what “inactive” really means, and why voting rights history still shapes what happens today. If you care about genealogy, Reconstruction-era history, African American landownership, and voter registration facts, this one connects the dots. 

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The version of the Bible most of us grew up with had a quiet message baked into the pictures, the movies, and even the way history got taught: Black people were missing from the sacred story. That claim doesn’t hold up when you read with a map open and the text taken seriously, so we invited Dr. Antonio Black, pastor of Green Hill Baptist Church, to walk with us through what scripture actually says about Black presence in the Bible. 

We start with the foundation, Genesis and the family of Noah, then follow the lineage tied to African nations and the names that keep showing up across the Old Testament: Cush, Mizraim, Put, Canaan. From there we connect the dots through biblical geography, intermarriage, and the ancient world surrounding Egypt and North Africa. We also dig into major figures people think they already know: Moses and Zipporah, Joseph’s life in Egypt, Judah’s Canaanite marriage, and what those details imply about the look of the people at the center of biblical history. 

Then we bring it home. We talk honestly about why so many young Black minds feel pushed away from Christianity, especially when the Bible was weaponized to defend slavery and dehumanization. We explore what changes when representation is truthful, when teaching tools match history, and when we rebuild connection through study, research, and better visuals, including graphic novels and modern technology. 

If you care about Black history, biblical scholarship, Christian faith, and reclaiming identity through truth, press play, then share this with someone who’s ready to read deeper. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what passage you want us to unpack next.

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