Gullah Film Series 2012

Date: February 6, 2012
Contact: Bill Martin, [phone] x 11

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site invites the public to a free film series on February 12, 19, 26, and March 4, 2012. At 2:00 p.m., rangers will introduce documentaries about Gullah culture and history in the Lowcountry. These films complement the Gullah heritage programs that are presented at the park each Saturday during the same period. Allow about an hour for each screening.

February 12: When Rice Was King (SCETV, 1990). As a colony, South Carolina's role in rice production led to unprecedented wealth and increased dependence on the labor of enslaved Africans. This documentary traces the rise and fall of rice cultivation and its effects on life in the Lowcountry.

February 19: Family across the Sea (SCETV, 1990). In a pioneering study during the 1930s, linguist Lorenzo Dow Turner revealed the African origins of the Gullah dialect. This film brings Turner's study up-to-date, showing the modern cultural connections between the Gullah people of South Carolina's Sea Islands and the people of Sierra Leone.

February 26: Stay in de Boat (College of Charleston, 2011). This student-made film documents the enduring presence and relevance of Gullah-Geechee culture. Lowcountry interviewees discuss West African heritage, kinship networks, traditions, language, place, and history.

March 4: Saving Sandy Island (SCETV, 2006). Located on South Carolina's coastline, Sandy Island has no roads connecting it to mainland. When development threatened the local culture and ecology, residents of Sandy Island fought to preserve it. This documentary takes an unflinching look at the sensitive issue of development from the perspectives of major players in the debate.

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site preserves a 28-acre remnant of Snee Farm, the Lowcountry plantation of Charles Pinckney, a framer and signer of the United States Constitution. Located at 1254 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, the park is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. For more information, call [phone].