New first lady of N. Charleston devotes her time to causes helping city thrive

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The wife of the first Black man elected mayor of North Charleston hopes her story will help inspire people who live in the city to keep their communities cleaner and safer.

Before she became Tracy Burgess, she was Tracy Riggins, a shy girl with a kind heart, reared by her grandparents in the Liberty Hill community of North Charleston.

“My grandmother would describe me as, she said I was always too free-handed. So I was always a giving person,” Burgess says. “I would give my cousins money and get in trouble for giving away all my money, always doing things for my friends, or giving things away, but, I was always a giver.”

A parking lot located at the corner of Lilac Street and Raven Avenue not far from Park Circle is where the house she grew up in used to sit. It’s right behind Royal Missionary Baptist Church, which bought the lot and uses it for parking space.

Burgess says life as a kid in Liberty Hill was good.

“We would ride our bikes from early in the morning to late evening, but when that street light came on you had to be in the yard but we had so much fun. Played kickball, half rubber, hopscotch, scully, I mean we just had fun as kids,” she says.

Burgess was a very outgoing student at Bonds-Wilson High School. She ran track, played basketball, was part of the history club and played in the marching band. In her junior year, she was homecoming queen. And that was the year a football player named Reggie Burgess asked someone if she had a boyfriend.

“So the next day after class, Reggie walked me to class, carried my books, and the rest as they say is history,” she says.

The two dated the rest of high school and all through college, getting married in 1989. While pursuing their careers, they started a family. They are the proud parents of two children, Reggie II and Kristen.

Burgess is an alum of then-Claflin College in Orangeburg. She used her sociology degree to land a job as a clinical counselor for the Medical University of South Carolina. She devoted her career to helping children dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety and abuse.

“Most of the time when the kids come they don’t want to be there, but when it’s time to leave, they don’t want to leave and to see the progress from the time that they come in and until the time they leave is just so rewarding,” she says.

Her dedication to her work was so impressive, she was named the MUSC Employee of the Year in 2007. After 30 years of service, she retired in 2021.

She continues to devote her time and expertise to causes that advocate for young people and the city as a whole.

“So what better way to make a change, than be the change you want to see,” she says.

She’s a board member for Project Home. Since 2017, it’s been providing a safe, stable place for young men ages 17 to 21 who have no home and want to get their high school diploma. Burgess says it’s helped many young men lead productive lives.

‘Absolutely, yes, we’ve had young men that came through the program through Project Home and have gone on to be successful, going to college, or in the military, so the program it works,” Burgess says.

Burgess and some other women who grew up in Liberty Hill started a group called Women of Change and Character. Their mission is to inspire people who live in North Charleston communities to keep their neighborhoods litter-free. The group put signs in several locations that read: “Share the love, stop the litter.” They encourage neighbors to come together to keep their community cleaner and safer.

In January, she became the first lady of North Charleston when her husband was sworn in as mayor. She admits the run for that office was no surprise. She remembers years ago when he was the North Charleston police chief, and he turned down a statewide position by the governor. She knew at that point, he wasn’t done with public service and had a bigger calling.

“I am extremely proud of him,” she says. “Reggie is so passionate about North Charleston, about the citizens, I don’t think there’s a better person to fill that spot than him.”

Burgess says she’s still not fond of the spotlight, but she gladly works beside her husband in his role as mayor, doing her part to serve the people of their beloved city.