Gullah History

Earthworks Fortification at Fort Howell | Hilton Head, SC

June 23, 2019

Fort Howell is nominated as a military site. It also complements the commemoration of Mitchelville, a destination site for freedom seekers. For visitors, this site builds upon the history of the origin and activities of Mitchelville residents — i.e., service in the U.S. Navy and the formation of the first U.S. Colored Army, whose troops were instrumental in the Union’s overall victory. Fort Howell is an ideal site to serve as a future commemoration of the thousands of freedom seekers who served valiantly in the US military.

The ‘1870s Slave Wall’

June 23, 2019

Most black people doing research get frustrated when they hit what I referred to as the “1870’s slave wall.” The “slave wall” is sometimes the end of most family tree searches, because most slave owners often did not record their slaves’ names or information because of their status as property prior to the abolishment of slavery in 1865.

Mitchelville: America’s First Self-Governed Town for Freed Slaves

May 23, 2019

By Luana M. Graves Sellars Cover artwork American Gullah By Sonja Griffin Evans “Good colored

The Little Blue House

May 23, 2019

Inside the Little Blue House lives a great mission to preserve and protect artifacts, stories and a culture. When you walk into the Little Blue House, you’re greeted by a voice that sounds like warm maple syrup that envelopes you and takes you on a journey back in time to when Africans on Hilton Head began to adapt to living free in America. If you want to learn about the history of Hilton Head before the bridge, you have three points on your journey. “Honey Horn represents slavery. Mitchelvile represents freedom, and the Gullah Museum represents independence,” said Louise Cohen curator of the Gullah Museum.

The Surprising History of Rice in the US and the Gullah People Who Made it Possible

May 23, 2019

The gift of rice to South Carolina was pivotal in several different ways. Slavery brought African people to Hilton Head who were from several West African countries. Their descendants were known as Gullah. The Gullah brought a variety of skills with them; they were skilled at farming a variety of crops, especially rice.

Rice Production and the Gullah Cuisine

May 23, 2019

By Luana M. Graves Sellars Harvest Time By Sonja Griffin Evans The Carolina’s and Georgia’s

HILTON HEAD’S GULLAH HISTORY | The Birthplace of Freedom

May 23, 2019

Hilton Head’s social and cultural history dates back to the early 1700’s, and from the beginning, the Gullah people were central to the story. Enslaved, and then abandoned by plantation owners fleeing the Union army, they not only endured their circumstances, they displayed the intelligence, fortitude and survival instincts to maintain and develop a culture and a community that is vibrant, and rich in traditions that are alive today.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND | The Heart of the Gullah Geechee Corridor

May 23, 2019

Other than documenting the culture, the Corridor’s mission is to be a resource for all of the corridor’s community development organizations and their leaders in an effort to provide information and support to issues that have been prevalent within the Gullah communities, such as the erosion of the land to development and developers.

HILTON HEAD FISHING CO-OPERATIVE | A Notable Piece of Lowcountry History

May 23, 2019

The Hilton Head Fishing Co-Operative consisted of a fleet of shrimp trawlers piloted by a group of men who took on the challenges of the waters everyday, and delivered hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish yearly. In addition to the challenges on the water, the fisherman faced other obstacles from corporate initiatives that would infringe on the fishing industry. The Hilton Head Fishing Co-Operative consisted of a fleet of shrimp trawlers piloted by a group of men who took on the challenges of the waters everyday, and delivered hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish yearly. In addition to the challenges on the water, the fisherman faced other obstacles from corporate initiatives that would infringe on the fishing industry.

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