Jack Sewell (pronouns: He/Him) speaks mostly of his life in Charleston, the various businesses in which he was engaged, and gay life, characters, and bars in the city. Born as a twin in Oklahoma, he grew up in Texas, was raised in a conservative Southern Baptist household and joined the Navy, which brought him to Charleston in 1966. While mostly closeted, to stay in the service, Sewell nevertheless visited many gay clubs, despite their being banned by the Shore Patrol, and he mentions the Navy investigating sailors for homosexual activities. In reply to questions, he names and describes many of the bars in town including The Wagon Wheel, The Ocean Bar and Grill, Pat's Lounge, the Stardust Lounge, the Bat Room, and "the Tiltin' Hilton" on Folly Beach, among others, including a gay bar he and his partner tried to open on Market Street, but which failed due to the curfew imposed by martial law during the 1969 Hospital Worker's strike. He also describes homophobia, vice squad raids, pay offs, cruising on the Battery and makes mention of the YMCA and bus station and other bathrooms. Out of the Navy, he first had odd jobs, including working as a debt collector, which led to visiting Dawn Langley Simmons. He and his partner began working as carpenters, building cabinetry for many businesses, bringing them in contact with many Jewish merchants and building owners whom he describes. The couple first opened "head" shops named A Different World, catering to a hippy clientele, in Charleston and Orangeburg and later opened a series of restaurants called The Hungry Lion in a variety of locations in the city, with the main location being near the College of Charleston on George Street. Sewell, who eventually bought out his partner, worked long days, often as the chief cook, as well doing numerous other tasks, eventually commuting from McClellanville, SC to where he retired in 2014. In the course of the interview he mentions? the Davis building, site of the Hungry Lion and the owners, a Jewish family in London, Jules Garvin, Bobby Tucker, Clifton Harris, Jr., whose murder on the Battery in 2006 is still unsolved, Joe Trott and other colorful gay characters. He also explains the coded vocabulary he and his friends used, mentions later bars such as the Garden and Gun Club, Les Jardins, and working at the Arcade Club and the restaurant Spanky's associated with it. He ends speaking of life in McClellanville and the man who means so much to him, Dewey Williams, a partner of 39 years, whom he married at the Lincoln Memorial in 2010.?
Roseanne Keeley Wray?s parents immigrated to America as a couple in 1926. Prior to her parents moving together to the Bronx. Roseanne shares the experience her mother had with coming to Oklahoma as a single woman. Roseanne offers a wealth of knowledge of both life in Ireland as well as the life of an Irish individual living in America. She shares memories of living in the Bronx as a child and housing young, single Irish immigrants in her family home. She shares stories that her parents would share with her siblings during childhood that told them stories of life in Ireland. To this day, Roseanne?s family still owns a family farm in Ireland, which Roseanne plans on leaving to her children and grandchildren.
Announcement from the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, PA relaying to members that Rabbi Dr. Jacob S. Raisin will be visiting and occupying the pulpit.
Letter from David Henry Mordecai to his father regarding his travels. The letter discusses regret to have to leave Heidelberg, plans to travel around Europe, and receiving cigars sent from home.
Handwritten letter from Jane Lazarus Raisin to husband Jacob Salmon Raisin, where she discusses her infant daughter walking, Jacob's potential travels to Pittsburgh, as well as other travels in winter. Jane also notes instructions given to "Dah."
A letter from Thomas S. Grimke to Philadelphia bookseller Thomas Kite, asking his opinion of Mr. Price, an attorney, but also giving details on military preparations and a fear of violence over the nullification issue in Charleston.
Letters of Mary Smith Grimke, wife of John Faucheraud Grimke, to her daughter, Anna Rutledge Grimke Frost (1795-1882), in Philadelphia, regarding the drowning death of her son, Benjamin (1798-1825) and his child, her grieving daughter-in-law Mary Augusta Barron Grimke (1806-1843).
A short letter from George Reid, Secretary of the Society of the Cincinnati, to John F. Grimke regarding starting a society chapter in South Carolina. Reid notes that a meeting will be held at "William's Coffee House" to discuss the matter further.
