It was created in 1922 by the Fox-Cross Candy Company, founded by stage actor Donley Cross and his friend Charlie Fox.

[3] The candy was named after the Charleston, a popular dance at that time.

Although Munn did not invent the Charleston Chew, he did change the candy's original form, chocolate-covered vanilla nougat.

[6] "Mini Charleston Chews" are a bite-sized, similarly-shaped version of the candy bar, introduced in 1998.

Charleston Chew candy bars have been used to demonstrate rheology to students in North American university geology labs.