State Highway 462, south of Coosawhatchie, Jasper County, SC

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words.

There’s a popular Rebel Flag bumper sticker in these parts that says, “Heritage, Not Hate.” While one could argue the merits of that message, at least there’s an effort being made to say, “Hey, we’re not racists, we just love the South.” But “Never Forget” does not achieve this. Rather, it reinforces in a stark manner what happened here, namely slavery and the War of Northern Agression (which forever put an end to the plantation economy). While sentiments like “The South’s gonna rise again” are common in some parts, it is rare to see the defiant but dreamy message so plainly displayed as it is on this outdoor board.