The site of the 1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike

The building at 701 East Bay Street in Charleston, South Carolina, began its life in 1881 and opened in 1882 as the Cotton Mill of Charleston. In 1912, the American Cigar Company purchased the building and converted it into a cigar factory. During the 1930s, the factory served as the largest private employer in Charleston.

Between 1945 and 1946, the building was the site of the Charleston Cigar Factory strike. It was during this strike that the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome" emerged. The building's significance was recognized when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and eventually designated a National Historic Landmark in 2024.

A $30 million redevelopment of the structure began in 2014, and by 2017, the factory was mostly leased. Today, the historic industrial building houses a variety of modern businesses, including restaurants, salons, an event venue, and an ophthalmologist's office.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons