Black History in the Beaufort District Collection

As Wilbur Cross noted in his book Gullah Culture in America (Praeger, 2008) [print, e-book], Beaufort County Library "has one of the South's largest collections of materials on the Gullah language and the sea island culture." Many of the materials are of permanent research value and therefore are under the care of the Library’s special local history collection and archives unit, the Beaufort District Collection (BDC). Please note: We also stock the local history sections at the branch libraries with some titles, but the BDC is the main repository for Gullah-related materials.

The term "Gullah" or "Geechee" describes a unique group of African Americans descended from enslaved Africans who settled along the Atlantic coast, often on sea islands, between what is now Wilmington, NC, and Jacksonville, FL. Gullah is a broad culture embracing the political, social, economic, linguistic, and artistic life of native African-American Sea Islanders. The Gullah people have made and continue to make a lasting impact on our local culture and history.  Therefore, the BDC is home to an extensive Gullah/Geechee historical collection of books, manuscripts, pamphlets, vertical files, videos, and more!

During Black History Month in February, the BDC tries to highlight local history resources related to the Gullah people and the yearly theme selected by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The 2026 theme is "A Century of Black History Commemorations." To mark this year’s celebration:

• The BDC’s Research Room’s display case features materials about local Black History.

• The BDC’s Wednesday Black History Notes Facebook posts will discuss BDC materials about Decoration Day, Heritage Days, the Gullah Festival, and the Gullah Celebration. 

• We will visit some of the burial sites of Black Civil War soldiers during our Field Trip to the Beaufort National Cemetery on February 7.

You can take a deeper dive into other Gullah-related topics on the BDCBCL: Links, Lists and Finding Aids blog:

• Praise Houses in Gullah Religious and Social Practices

• Understanding Hags in Sea Island Culture

• The Legacy of Dr. Buzzard: Rootwork in South Carolina

• Sweetgrass Baskets in the Lowcountry

• Penn School 

• Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid, 1863   

• Rice Culture in the Carolina Lowcountry ... and many more

BTW: You’re sure to find more than 6 hours of reading's worth of choices to complete the Winter Reading Program with any of the above.

Set up an appointment with us by calling 843-255-6468 or emailing bdc@bcgov.net to research these archival records related to Black History:

• Hillary Barnwell Research Files about local Black History

• Geneva Betties Collection of African American Funeral Flyers

• Woodrow Strock Collection of Oyotunji African Village Slides

• Beaufort County Library Records contains 4 ledgers from the segregated J.I. Washington Library for Black residents

• St. Helena Cemetery Inventory Records

• Caldwell Collection of Sam Doyle Materials … and more 

If you prefer to watch videos or look at pictures online:

• View Beaufort History Moments about the Gullah Language, Gullah Food, and Marsh Tackies on YouTube.

• Explore the BDC’s online collections of photographs and postcards, particularly the Donner Collection and the Civil War and Reconstruction Era Stereoscopes of the Port Royal Region Collection.

There are even more Black History-related posts on the BDC’s Connections blog to survey:

• Gullah Folktales 

• Did you know that the “the best-known surviving 18th century depiction of slaves in America" was painted in Beaufort District?

• African American Spirituals

• Essays and images of past Black History displays: Gullah History and Culture; African Americans and the Arts; Black Resistance and the Reconstruction Era.

• … and many more

If you have questions about our holdings about Black history, Gullah history, or would like to set up an appointment for a visit to the BDC Research Room, please reach out to us via email to bdc@bcgov.net or give us a call at 843-255-6468.