Exposing Jacksonville's Gullah Geechee Heritage

[Adam White]

Being largely under Spanish control until 1821, Florida's history isn't as well known and we've done ourselves no favors by ignoring our own story. As such, many elements of our African American history are commonly associated with SC and GA instead. In reality, slavery had no boundries and the enslaved from Africa's rice coast ended up in coastal Florida as well, both via slavery and escaping from SC and GA plantations on the underground railroad. Of those who escaped that didn't want to be Catholic or trust the Spanish, they went further south into Florida, establishing their own isolated settlements, and taking their culture and traditions with them. Today, we simply loop everything up as black history but even within that storyline, there's a Gullah Geechee component, which is why many of the things assumed to be Carolina-based through branding and marketing (ex. mustard based bbq sauce, lowcountry boils, etc.) are also here.

My point, mainly, was that 'low country' has been used as a geographical designator in SC - in contrast to the piedmont, for example. The term generally hasn't been used to refer to a geographical region of FL, as the state is pretty much all "low country" (I am not even sure if we have a fall line).

But as a cultural or anthropological designation, it makes perfect sense and there can't be - or shouldn't be - any question that as far as Gullah culture is concerned, the region certainly is part of the 'low country'.

[thelakelander]

Oh yeah, I get your point but I wouldn't get too much caught up on the 'lowcountry' term itself. It may have been originally defined by some as the area below the fall line but in recent decades the term has been used to brand a select area more on the natural environment, cultural heritage and traditions of the Sea Islands, which extend between FL and NC. This area is now federally recognized through the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Florida's story and contributions just haven't been exposed, promoted and marketed as such.

[Adam White]

Oh yeah, I get your point but I wouldn't get too much caught up on the 'lowcountry' term itself. It may have been originally defined by some as the area below the fall line but in recent decades the term has been used to brand a select area more on the natural environment, cultural heritage and traditions of the Sea Islands, which extend between FL and NC. This area is now federally recognized through the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Florida's story and contributions just haven't been exposed, promoted and marketed as such.

You're not getting any argument from me!

I was just trying to offer an explanation to CityLife why he/she might not have heard the term applied to NE FL.

[Charles Hunter]

This article from Atlas Obscura appeared on my FB feed today (although it was first published almost a year ago).
"What the Color 'Haint Blue' Means to the Descendants of Enslaved Africans " - it focuses on Lowcountry South Carolina, but is interesting.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-haint-blue-means-to-descendants-enslaved-africans?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-page&fbclid=IwAR1mj2Hv-KgcVue6onOn38MCrQhAYgCuxClzb77jBtHBY2zqzlY8tA09YrA


I noticed the other day that the proposed Gullah Geechee / Veterans Park at the fork of Fort Caroline Road and McCormick Road, near Cosmo, is making progress. It looks like the land work has been done, but the historic panels are yet to be installed.

[thelakelander]

Actually working on the historic panels with the Cosmo community now. Helping them secure high resolution historic photography and the narrative for the panels. Stay tuned!

[thelakelander]

This article from Atlas Obscura appeared on my FB feed today (although it was first published almost a year ago).
"What the Color 'Haint Blue' Means to the Descendants of Enslaved Africans " - it focuses on Lowcountry South Carolina, but is interesting.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-haint-blue-means-to-descendants-enslaved-africans?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-page&fbclid=IwAR1mj2Hv-KgcVue6onOn38MCrQhAYgCuxClzb77jBtHBY2zqzlY8tA09YrA

Really wished they would have acknowledged that the history isn't limited to South Carolina and Georgia. This same history and story can be found here as well since technically the Lowcountry and Sea Islands include NE Florida.


A picture of blue glass bottles, a haint deterrent at American Beach

Good read though. Heather Hodges knows her stuff. Was really sad to see her step down from the commission a few weeks back. Also, for those who don't know, my family is Gullah. My great grandfather was also a root doctor like those described in the article. He migrated into Florida from where my mom's family was enslaved in Wampee, SC (present day Myrtle Beach), during the 1890s. Following the railroad expansion into the Bay Area, he practiced in Eatonville, Plant City and St. Pete where he operated a sanitorium until his death in 1925. That side of the family refers to spirits, ghosts, etc. as haints but I don't really recall anyone painting haint blue anywhere on their houses.

With that in mind, a couple of the historic panels that will be installed in Freedom Park will be dedicated to Northeast Florida's Gullah history, heritage and culture.

[bl8jaxnative]

Good stuff.  Thank you.