The Legacy of Early African-Americans and the Gullah-Geechee People

The Gullah-Geechee preserved more of their African traditions than other groups of enslaved Africans in the U.S. As a result, the Gullah-Geechee people’s history, stories, beliefs, and traditions are central to the establishment of African American cultural institutions and practices, and therefore critical to understanding American society in general. The multicultural roots of the U.S. were influenced by Gullah-Geechee architecture, objects, faith, traditions, and individuals who collectively shaped our nation’s democratic self-understandings. This program exposes participants to the significant historical influences that Gullah-Geechee people have contributed to making America “A More Perfect Union,” even as they were excluded from its benefits.