Another way that Penn helps to remember the culture is through the Heritage Days Celebration. The event was rekindled in 1981 but has its roots in the old harvest day celebration.
Heritage Days are like a homecoming, a time of celebration, for all of the families on the island. Penn Center Heritage Day started as one day, but is now a three-day weekend celebration including an educational symposium, a day of community folks participating, and then an all-day Saturday event, which includes performers, cultural presentations, food, craftspeople, an art show. The Heritage Days Celebration always wraps up on Sunday with special services held at the local churches. Faith has always played an important part of Penn Center since it was founded.
In 1974, the United States Department of Interiors designated Penn Center as a National Historic Landmark District which covers the 50 acres of the campus. It also covers the historic Brick Baptist Church that was built by slaves in 1855.
Most landmark sites are designated because of the significance of the buildings. Penn has some significant old building, but most of all the events that took place at Penn are considered historical. Penn is only one of three National Historic Landmark sites in South Carolina.
Another way that Penn helps to remember the culture is through the Heritage Days Celebration. The event was rekindled in 1981 but has its roots in the old harvest day celebration.
Heritage Days are like a homecoming, a time of celebration, for all of the families on the island. Penn Center Heritage Day started as one day, but is now a three-day weekend celebration including an educational symposium, a day of community folks participating, and then an all-day Saturday event, which includes performers, cultural presentations, food, craftspeople, an art show. The Heritage Days Celebration always wraps up on Sunday with special services held at the local churches. Faith has always played an important part of Penn Center since it was founded.
In 1974, the United States Department of Interiors designated Penn Center as a National Historic Landmark District which covers the 50 acres of the campus. It also covers the historic Brick Baptist Church that was built by slaves in 1855.
Most landmark sites are designated because of the significance of the buildings. Penn has some significant old building, but most of all the events that took place at Penn are considered historical. Penn is only one of three National Historic Landmark sites in South Carolina.
Resources
Penn Center: A Legacy of Change Learning Activity
This program tells the story of the Penn Center’s inception in 1862 as a school for freed slaves to its involvement in the Gullah community today. Today the center collects, documents, preserves, and...
View Asset
