Jannie Harriot
843-332-3589
Georgetown -- The WeGOJA Foundation, in partnership with the Gullah Geechee Chamber Foundation and South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, is seeking interviews for an oral history component of the proposed Gullah Geechee Seafood Trail. The goal is to capture the voices of people who were born and raised in the Lowcountry, who experienced the traditions and customs of the culture, and who can share family histories and stories.
The Foundation is seeking fishermen, crabbers, oystermen, shrimpers and other harvesters, but also artists, educators, historians and businesspeople.
“We believe a cultural trail along the South Carolina coast can be a unique destination, enhanced only by the insights and participation of its people,” said Jannie Harriot, oral history project leader. “The best way to know who they are, how they lived and survived on the water is to talk to them and document their perspectives.”
The project seeks input from Gullah Geechee people who live in Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton, Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties. A stipend will be offered to interviewees who participate. The WeGOJA Foundation will be accepting interviews until October 30, 2022.
The Seafood Trail project also envisions a website that directs visitors to key attractions, like restaurants and art galleries, along the trail; an entrepreneurship institute to help Gullah Geechee people operate successful businesses along the trail; and promotion and marketing.
For more information, contact Jannie Harriot at gullahgeecheeoralhistory@gmail.com or 843-332-3589.
The WeGOJA Foundation advocates for the preservation and promotion of African American history in South Carolina. For more information, visit WeGOJA.org.
