Charles Brown, a man who never learned to read or write, was the son of a Virginian slave owner and a slave who wanted to start a new life in Texas after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed in 1863. After arriving in Texas, Brown soon discovered the town of West Columbia. Although the fields were not suitable for planting cotton, he fell in love with the landscape of the area.

With a limited amount of resources, given to him by his father (who doubled as his master) Brown began purchasing land little-by-little over the years, which resulted in him owning approximately one-third of the land in West Columbia. Ultimately, Brown was even able to purchase the Dance Plantation home, where his wife had been a slave.

On this episode of the Oil Rig, Columbia High Schools student-led podcast we will explore the life and legacy of Charlie Brown. This is the third installment of a series of podcasts that looks at how Charles Brown's life effective in our community, how he started the now Juneteenth celebration, and the push for this celebration to be a national holiday.