Penn Center and a Living Culture
On St. Helena Island, South Carolina, a group of historic buildings stands among live oak trees. The site may look quiet, but its story reaches from the Civil War to the civil rights movement and into the present. Known today as Penn Center, it has served as a school, a gathering place, and a center for preserving Gullah Geechee history and culture.
Freedom and education
To understand Penn Center, it helps to begin during the Civil War. In November 1861, Union forces captured nearby Port Royal. Many white plantation owners fled the area, leaving behind thousands of enslaved African Americans. Although the war was not over and slavery still existed elsewhere, the arrival of Union forces brought an opportunity for freedom and new community institutions in the Sea Islands.
In 1862, northern teachers Laura Towne and Ellen Murray began teaching formerly enslaved people on St. Helena Island. Their school became known as Penn School. Its students included children and adults who had been denied opportunities to learn under slavery. Reading and writing could help them navigate a world in which they were working to protect their freedom, earn a living, and strengthen their communities.
- institutions:
- Organizations established to serve a community or purpose.
- descendants:
- People related to someone from an earlier generation.
- cultivation:
- The growing and care of crops.
- retreats:
- Gatherings away from usual activities for discussion or planning.
- heritage:
- History, traditions, and practices passed down through generations.
- development:
- The building or changing of an area for homes, businesses, or other uses.
- preserves:
- Protects and keeps something for the future.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How did the capture of Port Royal create an opportunity for education on St. Helena Island?
- 2Why does the passage emphasize the role of Black islanders alongside Laura Towne and Ellen Murray?
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About this explanatory article passage for Middle School
“Penn Center and a Living Culture” is a explanatory article reading passage about Gullah Geechee history and culture, written for Middle School. It takes about 6 minutes to read (841 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.