Gullah Geechee Project Wins Award, Sites Added to National Register

The Gullah Geechee Heritage Preservation Project (GGHPP) has won the South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association’s Outstanding Planning Project award in the Multi-Jurisdictional category. The honor follows the listing of two historic Black community sites, Scanlonville Cemetery and Sol Legare School, on the National Register of Historic Places.

Funded by a $75,000 National Park Service grant with matches from the City of Charleston ($25,000) and the Preservation Society of Charleston ($10,000), the project helped 23 communities and individuals across Charleston County lead their own preservation efforts through technical assistance, partnerships and a growing peer network.

“The recognition given by the South Carolina chapter of the American Planning Association to the Gullah Geechee Heritage Preservation Project is a well-deserved honor and recognition,” said Michael Allen, retired National Park Service official and GGHPP technical adviser. “This project marks a major milestone in the effort to preserve, protect and sustain Historic Gullah Geechee Settlement communities around Charleston County. The inclusion of these two historic communities on the National Register of Historic Places brings a level of recognition and appreciation to this valuable thread in our American fabric.”

Two sites added to the National Register

• Sol Legare School, listed Sept. 14: Built in 1948 on James Island, it is one of the few remaining schools built for Black children there before integration. It later served as a vocational school and community health site and is now the community center. The Sol Legare School nomination was prepared by BVL Historic Preservation Research and was partially funded by Historic Charleston Foundation.

• Scanlonville Cemetery, listed Sept. 18: Established by 1870 in Scanlonville, a Black farming settlement founded in 1868, it holds an estimated 600 to 2,000 burials and is the most tangible surviving link to the community’s Reconstruction-era origins. The Scanlonville Cemetery nomination was prepared by BVL Historic Preservation Research and was partially funded by the Preservation Society of Charleston.

“For this historical African American school, it is a great achievement to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is long overdue. The community is proud to have this special place receive national recognition as an important part of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area,” said Bill “Cubby” Wilder of the Concerned Citizens of Sol Legare Community Foundation.

“The Scanlonville Cemetery inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places is a long-awaited recognition of the souls and spirits of the ancestors that form the basis and inspiration of an African American Community’s quest to provide a true and complete knowledge, understanding and appreciation of all history and contributions,” said Edward Lee of the East Cooper Civic Club.

The project also established two lasting initiatives:

• Community Assistance Resource Program (CARP): A partnership with the College of Charleston and the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor that will continue providing technical support for community-led preservation.

• The "Planning in the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor" Community of Practice: A quarterly gathering of planners and community advocates to share lessons and develop best practices.