Art By Sonja Griffin Evans
One of my favorite parts about being from and living in Lowcountry is exploring the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. From exploring the food, culture, history, and landmarks of my culture, I wake up every day knowing I am in a special place. One of the groups doing the work to preserve this every day is the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. I am so excited to share some news from this great organization.
The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation has just awarded the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission $95,000. The new funding will be used to help the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission become better advocates for Gullah Geechee heirs property owners around land ownership preservation and conservation challenges.
Executive Director, Heather H. Hodges says “We’ll also be investing heavily in our ability to partner with Gullah Geechee communities and heritage sites to systematically grow sustainable, Gullah Geechee heritage tourism in our National Heritage Area.”
I implore you to take time to visit the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor and also support the work of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission. This award is special to me as I am a product of the benefit of having heirs property and dedicated to seeing this land preserved for future generations.
About The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is a federal National Heritage Area and it was established by the U.S. Congress to recognize the unique culture of the Gullah Geechee people who have traditionally resided in the coastal areas and the sea islands of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida — from Pender County, North Carolina, to St. Johns County, Florida. Throughout the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor today there are vibrant and historic Gullah Geechee communities.
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission is charged with helping to achieve the goals of the Corridor designation which are to recognize, sustain, and celebrate the important contributions made to American culture and history by the Gullah Geechee; to assist state and local governments and public and private entities in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida in interpreting the story of the Gullah Geechee and preserving Gullah Geechee folklore, arts, crafts, and music; and to assist in identifying and preserving sites, historical data, artifacts, and objects associated with Gullah Geechee people and culture for the benefit and education of the public.
Our programmatic work involves cultural documentation and preservation project such as our Watch Night and Emancipation Proclamation Linked Observance initiative. On an on-going basis, we also provide interpretive assistance to a range of organizations from National Parks to museums. We directly encourage and facilitate on-going research and creative production through our Gullah Geechee Researchers Consortium and our Gullah Geechee Creators Collaborative.
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Michiel is a Black Southern Belle living a lowcountry life. I love all things fashion, home decor and southern! When I am not running around doing fun stuff for Black Southern Belle, I live in antique stores and have a minor obsession with historic homes :)
