Within African American Culture, the Gullah people and their traditions are distinctive because they have been able to preserve many African beliefs and practices. "The presence of history in the Sea Islands resonates with me," said Benton. She pointed out that the Penn School on St. Helena Island was one of the first schools established after the Civil War for former slaves. In 1948 the Penn School was converted into a community resource center, offering programs in academic and cultural enrichment.

Another impressive historical institution on St. Helena is the Brick Baptist Church. "It was built by the slaves for their masters, and the slaves were not initially welcome to worship there," Benton said. "Eventually they were allowed to sit in the balcony. I wanted the group to go to St. Helena Island because I thought it would be an excellent experience for them."

The Gullahs are descendants of slaves who, as early as the seventeenth century, worked the plantations along the southeastern seaboard and on the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. Today Gullah communities exist from North Carolina into Florida.

A combination of geographical and demographic factors account for the strength of African retentions. White plantations owners found the swampy, semitropical climate of that area inhospitable because it made them susceptible to a number of diseases. Therefore, the number of White families was low, but an increasing number of slaves were necessary to work the labor-intensive rice, indigo and cotton plantations. In 1773 the slaves represented about 80 percent of the population.

In addition, between the Civil War and the early 1900’s many White landowners did not recover from the war-related devastation of the rural areas. This, plus changes in the agricultural market, resulted in many abandoning the land.

Slave descendants were able to take over some land in the Sea Islands and maintain stable and fairly independent communities well into the 20th century. Their numerical dominance allowed the Gullah people to preserve and develop their heritage on their own terms without much external interference.

Linguists agree that the words Gullah and Geechee (a term used in some mainland Gullah communities) are of African origin. Their language, also called Gullah and Geechee, is one of the most distinctive features of those communities. The vocabulary is derived primarily from English, although some African words are incorporated. The syntax and cadence resemble Caribbean speech patterns.

In 1993 William H. Stewart, at the City University of New York, estimated that 250,000 people still spoke Gullah and of these about 25,000 spoke no other language.

The Gullahs have also retained the African traditions of speaking in proverbs and storytelling remains an important part of the communities.

"There is a wealth of storytelling," said Mary Lassiter, one of the MSCD students. "And their storytelling includes music and dance and it’s very dramatic. They’re like actors."

The Praise House is an African-derived Gullah religious tradition. It is not a church; rather, it functions as a meetinghouse where people can engage in a form of worship handed down from their ancestors.

"There is no sermon," said LaShanta Smith. "There are call-and-response rituals, and eventually someone gets up to testify. That may be followed by someone else singing. And then there may be a period of silence, followed by another testimony and spontaneous singing."

Smith noted that although currently there is only one Praise House on St. Helena, some Protestant churches sometimes incorporate Praise rituals into their services.

Gullah people are known for their handicrafts, much of which is West African in origin. Beautiful baskets hand woven from sweet grass and bullrush, colorful quilts made from scraps of cloth, and woodcarvings, clay pottery, and ironwork are common.

"The ironwork of 90-year-old Philip Simmons is remarkable," said Mary Lassiter. "His work is in the Smithsonian Museum and he created the entrance gate to the Visitors Center in Charleston, and it is absolutely ingenious," she continued.

Other renowned visual artists of Gullah descent are Jonathan Green, Leroy Campbell, and Joseph Pinckney.

Many in the group marveled at the physical beauty of St. Helena Island and the importance of land to the people. "The Gullahs are very close to land and nature," said LaShanta Smith, who is enrolled in an individualized program in Indigenous Medicine and Spiritual Practice in the African Diaspora at MSCD.

"You can take a walk with people and they can tell you about the medicinal and healing properties of plants, roots, bark, and flowers. And they can tell you what to use to make teas and salves."

The basis of Gullah distinctiveness and preservation of African heritage is the long period of isolation that insulated the communities from Euro-American influence. Louise Maxwell, a researcher on Gullah culture, points out that the lack of modern technology also had an insulating effect. Before 1920 there were no bridges connecting some of the Sea Islands with the U.S. mainland. When bridges were built, some Gullahs took advantage of the opportunity to work, live and study elsewhere. This was a positive in terms of economic opportunities; however, it had a negative impact on the social cohesion that had allowed the African heritage to flourish.

In 1950 Hilton Head was predominantly Black. Then the developers targeted the area for tourist development. By 1980 not only had it become a popular resort, but Whites outnumbered Blacks five to one.

Development and modernization continue throughout the Sea Islands. Walter Mack, Deputy Director of the Penn Center on St. Helena, said that sometimes unscrupulous methods are used to trick people into selling their land. "Even the taxation system is being used."

Mack said the Center is planning to undertake a study of land ownership to better assess the extent of property losses in the community.

Today there is a dialectic. On the one hand, development and modernization are encroaching on a once socially cohesive and tight-knit community. On the other hand, the Penn Center and the Avery Center in South Carolina are busy with projects aimed at preservation and documentation of the rich Gullah heritage.

There are also other efforts. Beginning in 1979 the Summer Institute of Linguistics, a professional society of linguists, and the nondenominational Wycliffe Bible Translators undertook projects on St. Helena Island to translate the Bible into Gullah and to develop a writing system.

In 1985 Beaufort, South Carolina initiated its annual Gullah Festival to celebrate and bring recognition to the rich Gullah culture. St. Helena has its annual Heritage Festival.

There is increasing national attention focused upon the Sea Islands. In Living Color, a dance-theater piece about Gullah culture, premiered in 1989 at a New York City Theatre. Julie Dash’s 1992 film, Daughters of the Dust, brought new attention to the culture.

Professor Jacqueline Benton is seriously considering offering her class again. If she does, it will allow people of Denver to become familiar with a national treasure that has been a well-kept secret, even within the African American community.