By Luana M. Graves Sellars
Generally soft spoken and quite in her demeanor, when her passion for the Gullah culture ignites, Louise Cohen brings the voice and character of her ancestor’s back to life. It was only within the recent past that Louise’s calling motivated her to follow her dream of documenting, preserving and sharing the Gullah culture.
Known island-wide as the Hilton Head Storyteller, Louise, who, at 73 years old, passionately and tirelessly breathes life into Gullah stories, while fighting to keep the history and culture of Hilton Head’s native islanders alive. As the curator of the Gullah Museum, Louise dedicates her life to collecting, protecting and preserving Gullah stories and artifacts for future generations.
Photo Credit: Rob Kaufman
The Gullah Museum is in a house that was handed down to Louise from her uncle, William “Duey” Simmons. Known as the “Little Blue House” on Gumtree Road the house is part of a collection of buildings that will eventually be part of a campus.
Cohen works tirelessly towards her vision for the museum; to demonstrate how life on Hilton Head was for native islanders before outside influences came across the bridge and how Gullah traditions continue to live on today.
The Gullah Museum Historical Marker
Photo Credit: LMGS
Louise was born on Hilton Head and is a direct descendant of slaves who were brought to Sullivan Island and eventually being held at Rose Hill Plantation, where her great great grandparents, Cesar Kirk Jones and Moriah Jones are listed in a frame on the wall of the plantation. Her great great grandparents refused to stay in bondage, and like her, were visionaries who made a daring escape with their three children across the Harbor River to Hilton Head in search of freedom.
A mother of four and grandmother of 5 grandchildren and 2 great grand-children, she is building a legacy of dedication and commitment to traditions and culture by involving her family in her work at the museum and in raising funds to keep the museum alive.
For more articles on the Gullah Museum.
Visit the Hilton Head Gullah Museum site here.
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