Coastal Carolina University will host their third “Gullah Geechee Community Day” on Saturday, February 25, 2023 in downtown Conway. The event will feature performers, presentations, workshops, genealogy research assistance, vendors, food trucks, and more. SC Humanities supported this program with a Major Grant.
Gullah Geechee Community Day highlights the significance of Gullah Geechee cultures and the wider African diaspora to both Horry and Georgetown counties. “Gullah Geechee” refers to the descendants of enslaved individuals, predominantly from West Africa, who retained many of their African traditions and cultures because of the relative isolation of their plantations from the rest of the world.
Gullah Geechee Community Day runs from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at a variety of venues in Conway such as the Horry County Museum, the Horry County Memorial Library, and the Horry County Historical Society (Bryan House). There will also be vendors and food trucks.
A sampling of the planned events include:
10:15 – 10:55 a.m. – Lemme Tell Ya Wha Gullah Geechee Da!
Ron Daise
Horry County Museum Audiorium
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Gullah High Tea
Jacque Williams
Bryan House
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Adrinka Stamp Workshop
Tendaji Bailey, Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
Horry County Museum Classroom
2:00 – 2:45 p.m. – Guided Genealogy, Assisted Research
Tendaji Bailey
Horry County Memorial Library Classroom
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. Amplifying Black Businesses Through Photography
Freda Funnye
Bryan House
4:00 p.m. – Participatory Closing Cypher/Ring Shout
Horry County Museum Auditorium
The full schedule is available here: https://gullahgeecheeday.com/schedule/.
The event website also provides helpful information about locations and directions and other detailed information: https://gullahgeecheeday.com/.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c) 3 organization is governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually.
