From staff reports
Harvesting Heritage: Lowcountry Legacy, part of the South Carolina State Museum’s Harvesting Heritage event series, will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Penn Center on St. Helena Island.
In partnership with award-winning Chef Amethyst Ganaway, the evening will honor the historic contributions of Black South Carolinians and their descendants in the Lowcountry, a legacy preserved, in part, through Gullah Geechee heritage efforts, culinary revival projects, and land stewardship initiatives.
“We’re so excited to celebrate the legacy of the Lowcountry and are looking forward to giving people a different taste of Gullah Geechie Culture.” Chef Amethyst Ganaway said in a media release. “It was important for us to hold the event at the Penn Center because St. Helena Island is at the heart of Gullah Culture and this event will once again give locals an opportunity to tell their own stories where they are.”
In addition to highlighting the past and future of creativity, innovation, and artistry in the Lowcountry, guests will enjoy small plates that will include a collard green salad with Anson Mills Sea Island Red Peas, Okra Stew with Rice, Smoked Shrimp Dip on Crackers, as well as Mr. Ron’s Gullahlicious Pound Cakes. The evening will also include a panel discussion moderated by Chef Ganaway, featuring emerging griot Tendaji Bailey, Gullah matriarch Sara Green, acclaimed chef BJ Dennis, and Gullah cultural steward and artist, Victoria Smalls.
Born and raised in North Charleston, Ganaway has been featured in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun and more. Specializing in Southern and African American foodways and the foodways of the African Diaspora, Ganaway also recently headlined the Charleston Wine + Food festival. She uses her position as a chef and food writer to tell the stories of the region’s history, culture, art, cuisine, and environment.
In recognition of her work, Ganaway was named the 2024 Chef of the Year at the Wine and Culture Fest Roses and Rosé Awards.
The Penn Center on St. Helena Island is one of the most significant African American institutions in existence. It was the campus of the former Penn School, one of the nation’s first schools for formerly enslaved people. The historic and cultural institution is also a National Historic Landmark District and comprises two of the four sites in the Reconstruction Era National Park.
Tickets for Harvesting Heritage: Lowcountry Legacy are $100 for the general public and $60 for museum members. Tickets include event activities, food, and drinks and are now on sale at scmusem.org.
