Preserving Gullah Geechee stories, culture, and legacy.
Rooted in Georgetown County, South Carolina Gullah Geechee Cultural Preservation Oral History Initiative
The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of West and Central Africans whose knowledge, traditions, and cultural practices took root along the coastal regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Across the Sea Islands and coastal communities, generations preserved distinctive ways of speaking, worshiping, cooking, creating, and caring for one another, building a culture that remains vibrant today.
South Island is part of that living story. For generations, Gullah Geechee families have maintained deep connections to this place, working the land and waterways, building communities, raising families, and passing knowledge from one generation to the next through stories, faith, music, food, and lived experience.
The South Island Gullah Geechee Project exists to help document, celebrate, and share those stories. Through oral histories, written narratives, and community storytelling, we create opportunities for elders to preserve their experiences and for younger generations to engage with the cultural legacy they will inherit.
We do not speak for all Gullah Geechee people. Ours is not a monolithic culture, and no single voice can represent the experiences of every community across the corridor. Instead, this project focuses on the people, families, and communities connected to South Island and the surrounding Lowcountry, recognizing that every community's story is both unique and valuable.
By connecting generations through storytelling, we help ensure that the voices, memories, wisdom, and lived experiences of the Gullah Geechee community remain accessible, valued, and carried forward for generations to come.
The South Island Gullah Geechee Project was founded to help preserve, document, and share the stories, traditions, and lived experiences of Gullah Geechee people connected to South Island and the surrounding Lowcountry.
We believe storytelling is one of the most powerful forms of cultural preservation. The stories carried by our elders hold more than memories — they contain family histories, community knowledge, values, faith, humor, resilience, and lessons that deserve to be passed forward. By recording oral histories and encouraging written storytelling, we help ensure that these voices remain part of the historical record and the cultural conversation.
Our work is rooted in a simple belief: preservation is strongest when it happens within community. We seek to build connections between elders and youth, creating opportunities for younger generations to learn directly from those who came before them. In doing so, we strengthen not only the archive, but the relationships that sustain culture across generations.
We are not outside observers documenting a community from a distance. We are members of the community, descendants of the people whose stories we seek to preserve, and stewards of a living heritage that continues to evolve. Every interview, photograph, story, and conversation contributes to a growing body of work that honors the past while helping future generations better understand who they are and where they come from.
Our goal is not simply to remember. It is to create a lasting record of Gullah Geechee life, wisdom, and culture that can educate, inspire, and serve future generations for years to come.
"We are not simply documenting stories. We are carrying them forward."
Elevating the voices of Gullah Geechee elders through recorded interviews and personal storytelling.
Building a lasting archive of stories, photographs, and cultural memories rooted in community.
Bridging generations by empowering young people to help document and preserve their heritage.
Showcasing the traditions, creativity, and everyday experiences that shape Gullah Geechee life.
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is changing. Development, migration, and the passage of time have transformed communities that have existed for generations. Elders who carry invaluable knowledge, memories, and traditions are aging, and many of their stories remain undocumented. At the same time, younger generations are navigating what it means to carry their heritage forward in a rapidly changing world.
The question is not whether Gullah Geechee culture will survive. It has endured for centuries. The question is how we ensure that its stories, voices, and lived experiences remain accessible to future generations.
What is lost when stories go untold? It's more than just history — we lose connection, context, identity, and the lessons embedded in generations of resilience, creativity, faith, and community. The South Island Gullah Geechee Project is an act of preservation, stewardship, and above all else love. The mission is clear: we are creating opportunities for elders to share their experiences while empowering younger generations to listen, document, and carry those stories forward.
Cynthia Harbor is a writer, storyteller, and proud daughter of Georgetown County, South Carolina.
Her love of storytelling began early. As a journalism student, she interned for a local Georgetown newspaper, where she learned the importance of listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions, and preserving the stories that help communities understand themselves. Those lessons have stayed with her throughout her career and continue to shape her work today.
Raised among the people, traditions, and stories that shaped the South Island community, Cynthia understands that culture is not something preserved behind glass. It lives in the memories of elders, in family gatherings, in church pews, in recipes passed from hand to hand, and in the stories people tell about who they are and where they come from.
A writer, speaker, and advocate for cultural storytelling, Cynthia believes that the people who live a culture are best positioned to tell its stories. Through the South Island Gullah Geechee Project, she works to create opportunities for community members to document, share, and preserve their own experiences while helping younger generations connect with the heritage they will one day carry forward.
While no one person can speak for all Gullah Geechee people, Cynthia hopes this project will help preserve the voices, memories, and perspectives of the people connected to South Island and the surrounding Lowcountry. Her role is not to speak for the community, but to help create space for the community to speak for itself.
She believes that the people who live a culture are best positioned to tell its stories — and that preserving those stories begins by listening.
"The story of the Gullah Geechee people is more than a story of survival. It is a story of continuation, of traditions carried forward, stories shared across generations, and communities choosing again and again to remember who they are."
Cynthia Harbor, Founder
If you’ve spent any time online, you’ve probably seen posts urging people to “support the Gullah Geechee community.” What you don’t see as often is how. So I made a video breaking that down. None of this requires a grand gesture. Gullah Geechee culture is not an aesthetic, we are a living people, proud of our heritage.
Greetings Family! I’m so proud to launch South Island Gullah Geechee Project on Juneteenth. This project began with a photograph, more specifically, it began with…
Every family has stories worth preserving. If you are a member of the Gullah Geechee community or a descendant with memories, photographs, family history, or traditions to share, we would be honored to hear from you.
Share Your StoryOur elders carry knowledge that cannot be found in books. Help us identify community members whose stories, experiences, and wisdom should be recorded and preserved for future generations.
Recommend an ElderWe welcome partnerships with schools, community groups, cultural organizations, researchers, and institutions that share our commitment to community-centered storytelling, cultural preservation, and intergenerational learning.
Partner With UsEvery story recorded, every elder heard, every piece of history documented takes time, care, and resources. The South Island Gullah Geechee Project runs on community support — and every contribution, large or small, helps ensure these voices are preserved for generations to come.
We are currently raising funds through our Bonfire campaign to support oral history recording equipment, community outreach, and the development of our story archive. Your support makes this work possible.
Support Our CampaignYou will be taken to our Bonfire fundraising page.
Receive updates on new stories, community events, and preservation milestones from Georgetown County and beyond.
Whether you have a story to share, an elder to recommend, or a partnership to propose — we want to hear from you.