The Georgia Sea Island Singers
HOW
TRADITION
TOOK ROOT
The Golden Isles’ African-American Heritage
T
he tidal marshes in the Golden Isles created an ideal location
for rice and cotton production and made these barrier islands a
major player in both industries. After the Revolutionary War
victory, plantations flourished in the South, and the Golden
Isles area was no exception. On St. Simons Island alone, there were up to
14 different plantations sustained by slave labor.
Slaves from West Africa had valuable knowledge about rice farming and
were brought to the area to transform the marshy swamps into cultivated
rice and cotton fields. These groups brought with them a deep heritage,
language, and perhaps most famously, songs. After the Civil War and
emancipation, former slaves settled into their lives while keeping their
African customs alive.
Many of the songs sung by laborers have been both preserved and
documented by the local Georgia Sea Island Singers. This talented group
of performers have been in existence since the 1920s and have performed
at the Library of Congress, Carnegie Hall, and the Newport Folk Festival.
The group continues to tour the world today, sharing their songs and
memories. Be sure to plan a visit to the Golden Isles in June to enjoy the
Georgia Sea Islands Festival, a spirited celebration of African-American
food, music and art.
The Golden Isles is part of a larger cultural area known as the Gullah-
Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which stretches from North Carolina
to Jacksonville, Florida. Designated by Congress, one of the core missions
of the corridor is to sustain and preserve the land, language, and cultural
assets within the coastal communities of South Carolina, Georgia, North
Carolina, and Florida. To learn more, visit gullahgeecheecorridor.org .
Today, in the preservation and celebration of customs and cultures,
there is great recognition of the African-American contributions made to
our collective heritage. The African-American cultural experience is
heightened and continually enhanced through the talents and works of the
African-American writers, artists, performers and business owners who call
this area home.
DEACONESS ANNA E.B. ALEXANDER
A stained glass window
dedicated to Deaconess
Alexander can be seen
at St. Ignatius Chapel on
St. Simons Island. The
church was originally
built in 1886 for the
former slaves on
St. Simons. It was rebuilt
in 1898 following a
hurricane. It is still an
active church and is
part of Christ Church.
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In 1894, Deaconess Alexander became the first African-American ordained
as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. She founded Good Shepherd School
and Good Shepherd Church, where she faithfully ministered for 53 years
and taught African-Americans to read and write. The school and church are
located in historic Pennick community in northwest Glynn County.
ROBERT ABBOTT
Born to former slaves on St. Simons Island in 1868, Robert Abbott grew up
in nearby Savannah. He pursued an education and career as a lawyer. But
as he experienced difficulty in landing a job because of his race, Abbott
turned instead to journalism. He founded the Chicago Defender which
quickly became the nation’s most important African-American newspaper.
Abbott used his platform to urge fellow African-Americans to fight for
equality. The Defender is believed to have significantly contributed to
the Great Migration and the development of a national African-
American culture.