Happy New Year! Over the years, the Gullahs have attracted many historians, linguists, folklorists, and anthropologists interested in their rich cultural heritage. Many academic books on that subject have been published. The Gullah have also become a symbol of cultural pride for blacks throughout the United States and a subject of general interest in the media. This has … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
Arts and Culture
Wednesday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
When the U.S. Civil War began, the Union rushed to blockade Confederate shipping. White planters on the Sea Islands, fearing an invasion by the US naval forces, abandoned their plantations and fled to the mainland. When Union forces arrived on the Sea Islands in 1861, they found the Gullah people eager for their freedom, and eager as well to defend it. Many Gullahs served with … [Read more...] about Wednesday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
Tuesday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
The Gullah people have been able to preserve much of their African cultural heritage because of geography, climate, and patterns of importation of enslaved Africans. Taken from the Western region of Africa in primarily the Krio and Mende populations of what is today Sierra Leone as slaves and transported to some areas of Brazil (including Bahia), the Gullah-Gheechee … [Read more...] about Tuesday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
Monday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
This week's open threads will focus on the Gullah people and their culture. The Gullah Wars The Gullah are the descendants of enslaved Africans who live in the Low country region of the U.S. states of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands. Historically, the Gullah region extended from the Cape Fear area on the coast … [Read more...] about Monday Open Thread: The History of the Gullah People
Sunday Jazz Open Thread: Cyrus Chestnut, Jazz Pianist
Cyrus Chestnut (born January 17, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, songwriter, and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for Time Magazine, wrote: "What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon notes and play space." Chestnut enjoys mixing styles and resists being typecast in any one niche, though his gospel sound is apparent … [Read more...] about Sunday Jazz Open Thread: Cyrus Chestnut, Jazz Pianist