South Carolina History From A University of Georgia Graduate
It’s not often that you meet a University of Georgia graduate who loves writing and talking about South Carolina culture and history. This is the case with Ken Burger. If the name rings a bell, that’s because Mr. Burger was a South Carolina journalist for over four decades.
He loved writing about sports, especially college football. I remember reading his columns in The Post and Courier in Charleston, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I discovered that he had penned several novels, including one in 2011 titled, “Baptized In Sweet Tea.”
I had the opportunity to meet Mr. BurgerĀ in May of that year while shopping with my wife in Charleston. He happened to be in one of the small shops along King Street. I overheard him mention Allendale, SC. This immediately got my attention. Allendale is only 15 minutes from my hometown of Hampton.
Our conversation blossomed from causal small talk about the food and culture of Charleston, to some of the memories back home. While our age was separated by a few decades, we knew some of the same people, listened to the same music, and swam in some of the same watering holes.
We also talked about his book, “Baptized In Sweet Tea” and he asked if I would like him to sign a copy. He was a gentleman andĀ a kind soul. I was lucky enough to be in that particular shop on King Street on that spring day in 2014.
Mr. Burger passed away in 2015. You don’t have to be from South Carolina to enjoy this book. The stories and landscapes resonate and celebrate our southern way of life. If you like hugs, college football, nature, front porches, southern manners, small towns, mama, and sweet tea, I highly recommend “Baptized In Sweet Tea.”
