Charleston’s Greek Heritage

Since the arrival of Maria Gracia Dura Bin Turnbull, the first female Greek settler in North America, Charleston has long embraced a vibrant Greek community, which has in turn continued to enrich the area for centuries. As an eastern seaboard city, Charleston was a magnet for great numbers of Greek immigrants, most from the island of Cephalonia. They journeyed to the city during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, bringing with them a rich cultural heritage, shared values and a devotion to hard work and industry. Those early settlers operated small businesses, predominately grocery stores and restaurants, and emphasized education, ensuring that their descendants would help to weave the professional and civil fabric of the city. Their stories encapsulate the American immigrant experience, offering a portrait of where Charleston has been and where it can go. Longtime Charleston resident George J. Morris, an active member of the local Greek community, has collected primary documents and photographs that illustrate the unique development of Greek culture in the city.