Giving Tuesday is right around the corner and I would love to suggest a cause near and dear to my heart for supporting. As a resident and native of the Lowcountry, I love attending Gullah Geechee festivals and visiting heritage sites. With social distancing in place, these festivals and landmarks are looking for innovative ways for support and I want to be a part of the solution. Check out a few of my favorite sites listed from the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission. Be sure to share images of your favorite Gullah art and travels on social media using the hashtag #blacksouthernbelle
The St. Simons African American Heritage Coalition mounts the annual Georgia Sea Islands/Taste of Gullah festivals and operates the Historical Harrington School. Learn more and give here.
Dating back to the Reconstruction Era, Penn Center on St. Helena Island host the annual Penn Center Heritage Days and year-round provides historic and cultural programs. Learn more and give here.
The Gullah Museum on Hilton Head Island has been committed to maintaining Gullah customs, traditions, language, stories, songs and structures on Hilton Head from its location in an historic and preserved Gullah house. Learn more and give here.
Geechee Kunda in Riceboro, Georgia has long been a community center for sharing Gullah Geechee culture in coastal Georgia through festival and educational programs. Learn more and give here.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park is the site of an annual Juneteenth Festival that draws attention to the work being done to preserve the history of, and educate the public about, the historic Mitchelville freedmen’s settlement. Learn more and give here.