Latest news with #Gullah
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- General
- Boston Globe
A Tufts alum completed a fellowship. Lesson learned: he's related to his alma mater's founder.
In a way, the genealogical discovery has reinforced his career goals. He's pursuing a master's in history at the University of Virginia in the fall, with a focus on African American life during the Unlike many African Americans, Mosley grew up knowing some things about his family roots. He has many fond memories visiting the Lang Syne Plantation in South Carolina, where descendants of the people who labored on and around the land gather every other year to recognize their ancestors' legacies. Here, the seeds for his lifelong interest in genealogy were planted. Advertisement 'I was always interested in who my ancestors were, what their experiences were,' Mosley said. One branch of his family tree is somewhat documented. The Lang Syne Plantation is a historic landmark. Some characters in Scarlet Sister Mary , a 1929 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the Gullah people, are loosely based on a handful of his ancestors. Advertisement Mosley gained some research skills to supplement his family tree through the Within the program, students receive opportunities to learn about the communities that contributed to Tufts' legacy. 'That kind of place-based learning is really phenomenal, and creates all sorts of connections and opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable,' Field said. As a descendant of enslaved people in America, Mosley had a hunch that white people made up some branches of his family tree. But the documents available to him couldn't explain how. 'If you're doing African American genealogy in America, it's very difficult to get past that wall of slavery,' said John Hannigan, archivist and project manager for the SCL initiative. DNA filled in the gaps, Hannigan said, and 'opened up the entire realm ... back to the 17th century.' Mosley took an Jabez Weeks, a white overseer on the Lang Syne Plantation where Mosley's enslaved ancestors labored. Jabez Weeks and Mary Green, an enslaved woman, had a son, Mosley's fourth great-grandfather James. Once Mosley corroborated this, he worked backwards. He followed the paper trail of census records, estate records, and written genealogies his white ancestors left behind. He traced Jabez's lineage into North Carolina, into Falmouth, and finally landed with the Tufts family. Advertisement Mosley's family tree, like so many others, is long and hard to follow. But it goes something like this: Mary Lynde is Mosley's 12th great-grandmother. Sometime in the 17th century, her brother, Thomas Lynde, married Elizabeth Tufts, whose father is Peter Tufts Sr. Some 200 years later, Charles Tufts, one of Peter's descendants, would donate 100 acres straddling Medford and Somerville to a group of members from the Universalist Church to build what would later become Tufts University. Photo of Mary Weeks Bryant taken from a family album. A character from the 1929 Pulitzer-Prize winning novel Scarlet Sister Mary was loosely based on Bryant. (Jaiden Mosley) Jaiden Mosley Thus, 'the Tufts family are like my cousins,' Mosley said. When he made the connection, Mosley looked at his computer in shock. 'I'm caught up in my Blackness and my 'southerness,'' Mosley said. 'I didn't think I had any type of relation to New England, Boston, or Tufts.' Mosley's genealogical discovery adds more nuance to Tufts' legacy, said Heather Curtis, the director of the Center for the Humanities at Tufts. 'There's this sense that any school founded in the 1850s in the North would have nothing to do with slavery except for opposing it,' Curtis, a professor who is also a principal investigator for SCL, said. But 'just because we are in the North doesn't mean that the school and the Tufts family were not intricately intertwined with the slave trade and the slave economy.' Mosley's family story, Curtis said, is an 'incredible story' that captures some of these complexities. As Mosley pieced together his Tufts roots, he said he's had to grapple with shameful parts of his ancestors' pasts. One owned roughly 40 enslaved people. When the Civil War broke out, Jabez Weeks enlisted in the Confederate Army. Advertisement A pedestrian walked on the Tufts University Campus in Medford. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff On top of this, Mosley had to face a harsh reality: his connection to the Tufts family is most likely a product of sexual violence, a product of the one-sided power dynamic between white overseers and enslaved women in the American South. 'It's ugly history, but nonetheless, they are my ancestors,' Mosley said. When Mosley put the pieces of his family tree together, he did think about As Mosley learns more of his Tufts relatives, he hopes the contributions of his Black ancestors aren't overshadowed. His ancestors helped build a school for formerly enslaved children near where their plantation once stood. James Weeks, his fourth-great grandfather, helped organize African American voters during Reconstruction, and was supposedly lynched for his bravery. And at least two enslaved men ran away from their plantations and joined the Union Army. These stories are oral histories, family lore that Mosley has yet to support with evidence, but nonetheless stories that shape his sense of self. When exploring your family history, Mosley said, 'Just be open to the ugly, the interesting, the bad, the diverse experiences.' Tufts wasn't Mosley's first choice. But he believes in fate. 'I think I was meant to go here,' he said. Tiana Woodard can be reached at
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Free entry to local museums for Bank of America customers
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — On June 7 and 8, Bank of America credit and debit cardholders receive free admission to several local museums. As part of the Bank's nationwide program, Museums on Us, more than 225 cultural experiences are free. In the Coastal Empire, the following places are part of the program: Georgia State Railroad Museum Located in Tricentennial Park, Georgia State Railroad Museum is a beautiful National Historic Landmark located at the old Central of Georgia Railway Savannah Shops and Terminal Facilities. With a fully operational turntable, you have the chance to explore historic railcars, experience the handcar and go on guided tours. Be sure to check the train rides that run on the hour from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. Old Fort Jackson Old Fort Jackson is a National Historic Landmark offering daily cannon firings and exciting interactive programs for adults, kids and families. It features historical weapons demonstrations and interactive programming for families. Daily cannon firings occur at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pin Point Heritage Museum (Saturday only) At the Pin Point Heritage Museum located in the old A.S. Varn & Son Oyster and Crab Factory, visitors can experience the Gullah/Geechee culture firsthand. For nearly 100 years, the community of Pin Point was quietly isolated on the banks of the Moon River just south of Savannah. Now, you can explore the refurbished museum complex and experience multimedia presentations, exciting exhibits, and unparalleled views of the marsh! Savannah Children's Museum Located within the Central of Georgia Railway Carpentry Shop, Savannah Children's Museum features over a dozen exhibits designed to expand the imaginations of children including an exploration maze, a reading nook, and a sensory garden. Savannah History Museum Located in the former Central of Georgia Railway Passenger Depot, Savannah History Museum takes you on a journey through time from Savannah's earliest days to the present, with unique exhibits and interactive experiences for the family. Exhibits include an early 20th-century steam locomotive, archaeological finds from Savannah's Revolutionary War history, and much more. Harper Fowlkes House Located on Orleans Square, the Harper Fowlkes House takes gusts through the history of one of Savannah's most iconic buildings by sharing fascinating architectural details, artwork and interiors. Guests can learn about the 1842 home's inhabitants, including Alida Harper Fowlkes. Alida was an entrepreneur and preservationist who ran several businesses and helped to restore several historic buildings in Savannah. : Diedrick Brackens 'The Shape of Survival' Diedrick Brackens creates woven tapestries that blend a cosmic array of allegories, historical narratives, and autobiographical memories into compelling forms. In the shape of survival, Brackens brings his work into intimate dialogue with the American South, drawing on the region's history of quilting and influences from myriad historic artists, most notably Aaron Douglas. Brackens' use of hand-dyed cotton acknowledges the weighty legacy of this material, honoring its past while transmuting it into lyrical, awe-inspiring artworks. Now through July 7. Present your Bank of America credit or debit card along with a photo ID to gain free general admission to any participating institution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘I want everybody to know Gullah belongs to all of us': V.P of Gullah Festival
BEAUFORT S.C. (WSAV)– The 40th annual 'Original Gullah Festival' that is full of culture and history offered kicked off day one of three. Gullah Geechee culture comes from the people who are descendants of enslaved Africans that were then brought to the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina. Thats why the founder of Low Country Gullah, Luana Graves Sellars said it is important for the low country to have events like this. 'It's important to know about the history of our area, because we all love it here and the land has been protected for generations because the Gullah love the land,' Sellars said. 'That's why it's important to not only know about the history that's here, but also to know about the contributions that the Gullah people have given to the area.' The festival hosted workshops that people can sign up for, which include doll making, basket weaving, quilt making and etc. 'For us of African American descent, Gullah Geechee descent to be able to celebrate our rich cultural heritage,' Patrice Cole, teacher at the doll making workshop said. 'You know, that's why even within the doll making using the traditional African textiles, it's just it makes our spirit sing.' This event is going on from May 23-25 with a full schedule each day starting at 10 a.m. and is located at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebrity chef Kardea Brown has grand-opening celebration for first restaurant
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)—Food Network star and beloved Charleston Chef Kardea Brown has officially opened her first restaurant, which is located in Charleston International Airport. Kardea Brown's Southern Kitchen, backed by hospitality company Delaware North, is now bringing the flavors of Gullah Geechee culture to travelers passing through the airport. Brown grew up on Wadmalaw Island among the Gullah community, learning how to cook from her single mother and grandmother. In her mother's kitchen, she honed her culinary talent, which has propelled her to success. 'There's a reason and there's a story behind every single item on this menu and so to be standing here in front of you all today at this grand opening of a restaurant that I've seen in my vision as a young child it's surreal,' she said at Thursday's ribbon cutting. The southern kitchen menu features a mix of Gullah and Lowcountry cuisine, such as the fried 'fush' plate, Lowcountry-style deviled eggs, shrimp and grits, Brown's famous mac and cheese, and more. 'At one point in life, I was selling pimento cheese out of the trunk of my car. There was a point in my life where I was homeless,' she recalled with tears in her eyes. 'So, to be here in front of you all with a restaurant in my namesake with my grandmother, my grand aunt, my father, and my family, everyone's here. It just it means the world to me.' In addition to her recent entrepreneurial endeavor, Brown hosts the Food Network show 'Delicious Miss Brown,' co-hosts 'Kids Baking Championship,' and is the author of a New York Times bestseller. The interior of Brown's southern kitchen is meant to reflect Charleston charm with bold colors and cultural pieces spotlighted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sweetgrass Festival seeking artists, crafters for annual basket and craft show
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – An annual festival highlighting sweetgrass art and culture will return to Mount Pleasant this summer. Festival organizers are seeking basket makers, crafters and artisans to participate in the event. Mount Pleasant town officials said the festival will return for its 21st year on July 26 at Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. Applications are now open, and the deadline to apply is June 23. The annual Sweetgrass Festival honors the history, culture, and traditions of the Gullah people through the craft of sweetgrass basketmaking, which originated in Mount Pleasant. The event gives local artists the opportunity to showcase their original and unique finished crafts to those who attend. Attendees can enjoy free entertainment, activities, and educational opportunities on the Gullah Culture, according to a press release from Monday, May 12, 2025. Artists can apply to participate in the Sweetgrass Basket and Craft Show here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
