Shady Grove Camp Meeting, also known as “Black Paradise” to the first campers who worshipped there, has held its meetings the third week of October since 1870 with the exception of 1918 because of an influenza pandemic.   The history of the campground indicates that rice plantation owner S.M. Knight asked formerly enslaved, Ceasar Wolfe for his help in gathering his rice crop because a storm was approaching.  

In exchange for his help, Knight gave Wolfe a parcel of land to be used for worship services.