From staff reports
After a long hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, Penn Center will once again be showcasing its 1862 Circle Gala Event on Friday April 26 and Saturday, April 27.
The event, first established in 2003, recognizes leaders who embody the spirit of Penn Center and who serve as national advocates for the enduring history and culture of the Sea Islands. The inclusion of the year 1862 in the naming of the event celebrates the founding of Penn School, now Penn Center, Inc., in 1862.
The Gala is the nonprofit’s major fundraiser spearheaded by the Board of Trustees of Penn Center. The black-tie affair welcomes more than 500 guests to witness the induction of individuals and organizations into the prestigious 1862 Circle.
The Board of Trustees of Penn Center and Executive Director, Robert L. Adams, Ph.D., has announced the following inductees: Famed Reconstruction historian and scholar, Eric Foner, Ph.D.; Social activist, renowned politician and minister, the late Jesse Louis Jackson; the late Freida Mitchell, Childcare Reform and social activist; and the late Septima Clark, Mother of Civil Rights and Citizenship Schools. Each of these individuals were named as inductees for the 2020 1862 Circle, but the event was canceled due to COVID 19 Pandemic.
The 2024 recipients include: Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), politician and civil rights activist Jim Felder, former interim Penn Center Executive Director Bernie L. Wright, Civil Rights Movement photographer Cecil Williams, Mildred Jeanette, and in-memoriam early Penn School benefactor Hastings Gantt.
The thread that sews together this year’s pre-event and the Gala itself is the theme “Trumpeting Sea Island Sounds.” The prestigious tow-evening event will feature music, fine dining, a silent auction, and inspiring honorees.
Pre-Gala Event
Gullah Meditations: Reimagined Gullah Spirituals for Voice and Piano
6 p.m., Friday, April 26, Penn Center, Frissell Community House/ 16 Penn Center Circle-West, St. Helena Island. No reserved seating – first come-first served.
An evening of traditional spirituals re-imagined from Gullah Geechee culture. Born from the mixture of West African people enslaved on the coastal islands of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, centuries of isolation nurtured and preserved the unique culture the developed there. While much is known of the Gullah Geechee language and traditions, including documented spirituals, only a few glimpses exist of how they were performed. With performances by musician and composer Adrianne Duncan and Grammy nominated opera singer Victor Ryan Robertson. This event, a Community Conversation and performance is free and open to the public. Presented by Culture & Community at the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District, a partnership between Penn Center and the University of Georgia supported by the Mellon Foundation. For more, visit penncenter.uga.edu.
1862 Gala Event
Historic Penn Center’s Annual 1862 Gala
Trumpeting Sea Island Sounds
6 p.m. reception/7 p.m. dinner, Saturday, April 27, Hilton Beachfront Resort and Spa, 1 Hotel Circle, Hilton Head Island. Single tickets are $100, reserved tables for 8 are $1,000
For those interested in sponsorship, there are three levels – $10,000 Visionary Sponsors, 8 tickets; $5,000 Visionary Sponsors, 5 tickets; and $2,500 Visionary Sponsors, 2 tickets.
For more information, including payment options, contact Penn Center Associate Director Charlene Spearen at Cspearen@penncenter.com or 843-541-0121.
