Before festivities began on election day, slaves held meetings to listen to candidates’ speeches. Over several weeks they debated each other to determine who among them should be chosen governor or king. (more…)
Observance of Negro Election Days and Coronation Festivals
Negro Election Days and Coronation Festivals
During the 18th century, slaves in New England were allowed to elect their own governors or kings while their owners voted in colonial elections. Slaves held a day-long festival known as Negro Election Day, or in the case of an elected king, a coronation festival. The title of the elected office depended on whether the colony was self-governing or closely tied to Britain. (more…)
Creation of Native Islander Gullah Celebration
In 1996 the Native Islander Business and Community Affairs Association, Inc., (NIBC- CA) hosted the first annual Native Islander Gullah Celebration. The event’s initial aims were: (1) to create economic opportunities for Hilton Head Island’s minority business owners; (2) to develop a cultural tourism market for the region; and (3) to significantly increase visitor traffic during the island’s slowest tourism month, which, at the time, was February. (more…)
Native Islander Gullah Celebration (2)
The language is a mixture of Creole, English, and African, heard and only truly understood by someone born and bred in the “low country.” The word Gullah may be a derivative of the name of the southwestern African country of Angola; many Gullahs trace their lineage to this region. (more…)
Native Islander Gullah Celebration
The Native Islander Gullah Celebration is a series of events that are held on Hilton Head Island throughout the month of February each year. Developed to create economic opportunities for minority residents, the cultural festivities also add to area tourism and spotlight the uniqueness of the Gullah people living in the region, which includes a chain of isles known as the Sea Islands. (more…)