‘Enough is enough’: Mount Pleasant family’s fight for land persists
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - A Mount Pleasant family is continuing to fight for land that’s been in their family for more than 100 years.
Henry Bailem says John Ballam Road has been in his family since 1893.
“Our forefathers left this property for us to maintain for future generations, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Bailem says.
The family says they have deeds and documents that prove the road belongs to them, but Charleston County and the Town of Mount Pleasant dispute that.
The dispute came to a head when a developer bought a piece of property across the way in 2017, and the road all the sudden became public.
“We feel like we’re being disrespected to the highest,” Bailem says, “The days of the local government taking advantage of the black folk are gone, we’re the new generation, and we’re not going to take it anymore, enough is enough.”
The family filed a lawsuit against Charleston County and the Town of Mount Pleasant and are now working to add the developer.
But another family member, Diane Jefferson says the county and town are dragging their feet.
“They demanded we get an attorney, we got an attorney, so why are they running now?” Jefferson says, “Why don’t we just go ahead, keep going and get this over with. Let’s take it to the court system.”
While they wait for their day in court, the family has taken matters into their own hands, holding protests and even once blocking off the entrance to the road.
“We’ve got to make a move and do what we need to do, and if they arrest us, then arrest us, we’ll get our day in court,” Jefferson says.
They’ve also connected to others who are in similar fights, and hope that their story encourages them to remain steadfast.
“Keep it for your children and your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren, god’s not making any more property,” Bailem says.
The Town of Mount Pleasant and Charleston County filed responses to the family’s lawsuit.
Both entities say they cannot comment on ongoing litigation.
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