Penn Center

The Penn Center is located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and historically distinct of the South Carolina Sea Islands, and at the heart of Gullah culture.

Several generations of the St. Helena community attended the historic Penn School, established as one of the first schools for freed slaves. In the 1950s and 1960s, the site served as a safe retreat for those involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other activists used the quiet refuge to plan the March on Washington, an event that helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Penn Center now serves as a resource center for those studying and protecting Sea Island communities.

Uncle Sam Polite | History Of SC Slide Collection
Uncle Sam Polite | History Of SC Slide Collection
Episode 11

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The crafts that Africans brought with them in their heads and hands to the new world were crafts that were important to carrying out everyday life--whether it be making baskets and pots, or keeping...
Ellen Murray | History of SC Slide Collection
Ellen Murray | History of SC Slide Collection
Episode 105

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Ellen Murray (1834-1908), with two young women from the Penn School. In 1862, Ellen Murray and Laura Towne (1825-1901), members of the Port Royal Experiment, established the first school for African...
Penn Center: A Legacy | Carolina Stories
Episode 1

Video

Located on St. Helena Island, some may remember it as Penn School, while others know it as Penn Center. St. Helena is one of the few places where you will see a living Gullah community. The history...