Tucked in the heart of the South Carolina Sea Islands between glimmering marshes and deep water, nestled beneath the silvery moss draped limbs of massive live oaks, you will find the Penn Center – the site of one of the country’s first schools for freed slaves and one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today.
Located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and historically distinct of the South Carolina Sea Islands, Penn Center sits at the heart of Gullah culture, on the 50 acres of the historical campus of Penn School. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974, it is a part of the Penn School Historic District which is comprised of nineteen buildings related to and used by Penn School–Brick Church, Darrah Hall, one of the oldest buildings on St. Helena Island, old burial grounds, Gantt Cottage where Martin Luther King Jr. lodged, a Nature Trail, Chowan Creek, acres of pines, native flora and fauna.
On behalf of the Penn Center Board of Trustees and the Sea Island Community, we welcome you to our family and look forward to your visit. For, in the words of the Gullah people—“when oonuh dey yuh, oonuh dey home”—when you are here, you are home.
Penn Center’s Mission
The Penn Center’s mission is to promote and preserve the history and culture of the Sea Islands. We serve as a local, national and international resource center, and act as a catalyst for the development of programs for self-sufficiency.
Penn Center operates the History and Culture Program, the Land Use and Environmental Education Program, the Program for Academic and Cultural Enrichment(PACE) and partners with the University of South Carolina—Beaufort to offer the Early Childhood At Risk Initiative.
Programs
The History and Culture Program collects, documents, preserves and disseminates information related to the cultural heritage of the Sea Island and Lowcountry African American culture. To meet these needs, the Program develops and implements public programs such as the Annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration, operates the York W. Bailey Museum and Gift Shop, and maintains the Laura M. Towne Archives and Library.
Penn School National Historic Landmark District
P.O. Box 126, St. Helena Island, South Carolina 29920
Phone: (843) 838-2432
Fax: (843) 838-8545