This week, the South Carolina State Museum unveiled its latest acquisition: “Big Percy,” a sweetgrass basket made by renowned Gullah Geechee artist Corey Alston from Mount Pleasant.
This extraordinary piece not only enhances the museum’s folk and traditional art collection but also marks a significant step in preserving and showcasing the ongoing legacy of Gullah craftsmanship in the 21st century.
“I want the culture to love this, I want all of the matriarchs of the art form and the younger generation coming to see it to enjoy,” Alston said. “This is one of the proudest pieces of my career and will always have a special place in my heart.”
A fifth-generation basket weaver born and raised in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Alston is a direct descendant of enslaved Africans who helped shape the region’s unique cultural identity. His work continues the centuries-old tradition of sweetgrass basket weaving—a sacred and skilled artform passed down through generations. Mentored by legendary weaver Mary Jackson, Alston has emerged as one of the most respected stewards of Gullah Geechee heritage today.
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