Charleston was the first chapter of the Links in South Carolina, followed by Columbia (1952), Greenville (1953), Orangeburg (1964), Spartanburg (1975), Aiken (1989) and Hilton Head (2017).

Early projects included the purchase of a life membership in the NAACP, support of the Jenkins Orphanage, the YWCA of Greater Charleston, the American Cancer Society, the Trident Urban League, and United Way. In response to destruction caused by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the chapter organized the Hugo Relief Fund with the distribution of donations of almost $10,000 from chapters and individuals from across the country. Lumber, food, household items, clothing, utilities and Christmas gifts were given to people living in the Awendaw, McClellanville, Lincolnville and Hollywood rural communities. 

Other projects of the chapter have included the following: establishment of the annual Mayme B. Massey Scholarship in 1985 which provides an annual donation of $2,000 to local African-American high school seniors who plan to attend college and was named for our chapter’s founder. The scholarship is intended to assist with first-year college expenses. Also, the contribution of over 200 books to the Sanders-Clyde Elementary School, assisting with the organization of the city of Charleston’s first Black Arts Festival (now called the MOJA Arts Festival), support of the YWCA’s international programs, sponsorship of the Musica de Camera Series during the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, sponsorship of the Another Means to an End project that offered insight into career choices for children who had no plans to attend college, and the annual Links Project Walking Feet (in support of sickle cell research).