Help Save Historic Gullah Land
August 14, 2021
Photo Credit – LMGS | This plaque is posted at the front door of the Bligen’s, a Gullah home on Hilton Head Island. The loss of historic Gullah land is
Gullah Bottle Trees
July 30, 2021
By Luana M. Graves Sellars Yard after yard, in the front of Gullah homes, variations of beautifully colored bottle trees dot the neighborhood. Today, it’s considered a Sea Island decoration
What is Haint Blue?
July 15, 2021
Sometimes called robins egg blue or carolina blue, haint blue is more than just a popular Lowcountry color. Used on porch ceilings or a home’s front entrance, haint blue is rooted in Gullah tradition and represents a deeper spiritual meaning.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park | What’s the Master Plan?
June 29, 2021
“We believe that Mitchelville is a once in a lifetime story,” adds Ahmad. It’s a place “where African Americans had the opportunity to become citizens and create institutions that continue to exist today,” such as compulsory education “which was a priority.”Names like Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton, Robert Smalls, Secretary of War, Simon Cameron and Abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison all spent time in Mitchelville. “Folks don’t know who was here and the type of VIP’s who came to Hilton Head.”
Following the Past’s Footprints | The Honey Horn Slave Project
June 19, 2021
During the process of repairing the damage, FEMA found a slave site and unearthed artifacts and imprints of slave dwellings on the Coastal Discovery grounds. Previously, the museum didn’t have any slave records regarding the property. Once the discovery was made, Matt Sanger, an archeologist from SUNY Binghamton who has been working on other local digs at the Zion Cemetery and Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, made an interesting find. Two years ago, Sanger found what he believed to be slave cabins on a 1850s map in the National Archives. After additional research and using remote sensing, Sanger was able to find an outline of cabins on the property.
Juneteenth | The Birth Of Freedom
June 10, 2021
As important as the 4th is, June 19th, otherwise known as Juneteenth, is Black Independence Day; the day that the last enslaved people of Texas finally received word that they were free.
Recognized as the longest continuous holiday in the US, join in an exciting journey though the origins of Juneteenth and the Birth of Freedom from 1865 to where we are today.
The Story Of Lowcountry Gullah
May 14, 2021
People are starving for historic information, as well as a genealogical connection to their heritage on a local and global level. For the Black community, especially, having a tangible connection to the Gullah culture provides a priceless sense of identity. In a time where ancestry research and identifying one’s “self” is a significant part of our society, it is the perfect time to promote the Gullah culture and its relevance to our society to a broader audience.
First Families of Hilton Head | The Simmons
May 4, 2021
When you drive down Spanish Wells Road, on Hilton Head, you are sure to go over the bridge that was named after Charlie Simmons, Sr., also known as “Mr. Transportation.” The story of how he used his boat to connect the native islanders to the mainland is a well-known one. He established a ferry business that enabled native islanders to bring their crops to the markets in Savannah. Not only did his transportation business impact the lives of the individual islanders, it was also instrumental in increasing the economic strength and overall development of the island. This makes his life and work an important part of Hilton Head’s history.
Digging Up the Past | Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
April 21, 2021
“Enslaved people came with the knowledge of how to produce ceramic. Finding the ceramics was unexpected. We had thought that we would find other types of daily life like; nails, glass bones or other types of cooking ware and scattered pieces. So far, the Mitchelville dig has showed a serious intention or effort when one object, in particular, was found. As the dig was progressing, they realized that that area “was not only special, but also religious.” The types of ceramics that have been found where used in religious ceremonies and could have been bought or traded in the 1800s.
A Greater Sense of Self
April 1, 2021
It’s stories like these that have really brought Caesar’s experiences to life. He is no longer just a name that was passed down through my family. In addition to his life as a soldier, I have learned a lot of other fascinating information about my background, including confirmation that I AM GULLAH. My ongoing Gullah “education” has given me new perspectives while living on Hilton Head Island, as well as experiences that I would have never expected, on things like the language and culture.