The Penn Center

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.

Penn welcomes its visitors through its Conference Center and the York W. Bailey Museum. Visitors may tour the museum Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am through 4:00 pm with an admission fee of $4 for adults, $2 for children and seniors. Group rates are $2 per person. Every second weekend in November, we sponsor the Annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration to showcase the History and Culture of the Gullah people. The Laura M. Towne Archives and Library is available to researchers by appointment.

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.

The Annual Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration is held every second weekend in November to celebrate and showcase the unique cultural heritage of the Gullah people of the Sea Islands. Other public programs include the Community Sing held every third Sunday from September to May to highlight the African American tradition through song. Each Labor Day, Penn sponsors its Labor Day Celebration on the "Green" at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park. For a complete listing of other programs, see our calendar of events.

The York W. Bailey Museum was founded in 1971 to interpret the history of Penn School and to share the cultural legacy of the Sea Islands. Located in the Cope Industrial Building, the museum is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and by special appointment. The museum features the permanent exhibition, "Education for Freedom" which tells the story of Penn School and its history. Exhibitions in the main gallery change every six to eight weeks. Visit the gift shop for homemade quilts, sweetgrass baskets and other Penn paraphernalia and Sea Island memorabilia and books on Gullah culture.

The Laura M. Towne Archives and Library is open to the public by appointment only. It features prints from one of the oldest collections of photographs of African Americans in the country. Its holdings include copies of the original diary of Laura Towne and of records, books, and audio recordings that date back to the founding of the school. Penn maintains an archival collaboration with the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where originals of enduring historical value are professionally preserved and made available to researchers. Please see the description of the Penn School Papers at the SHC’s website. (http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/p/Penn_School.html).

Program for Academic and Cultural Enrichment (PACE) maintains the historical emphasis on education and fosters youth development programs for sea island children, ages 14 months to 17 years old. Instruction focuses on education, social, environmental, land use, cultural development and enrichment. Included are cultural centered educational programs, which incorporate Gullah culture, customs and history. It is comprised of four components: Child Development Center, After School Session, Summer Enrichment Camp and Teen Leadership Institute. The Penn Center Youth Print Shop is part of the Teen Leadership Institute and serves as a pre-employment and job-training platform for area teens. Our inventory of business projects includes professional quality brochures, product sheets, newsletters, mailers, business cards, postcards and photo reproductions.

Early Intervention Program is co-partnered by Penn Center and the University of South Carolina. It concentrates on "at risk" families with pre school children and focuses on education, health, and social development for the entire family, helping them to enhance the cognitive, emotional, social and physical development skills of their preschool children.

Land Use and Environmental Education Program assists native Sea Islanders in preserving and maintaining their land and cultural practices in the midst of environmental changes. Concentration is on citizen education, land use planning and reform and sustainable economic development. The Program provides the tools to empower residents to develop and work towards a long-range vision not only for their real property, but also for the community as a whole. General program activities include assistance with issues pertaining to: 1) taxes; 2) heirs property; and 3) community organizing.

The Conference Center welcomes visitors from all over the country providing retreat style lodging facilities, a modern dining hall and meeting rooms to accommodate guests. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference enjoyed the Island’s serenity and peacefulness of Penn Center.

Contact Us

Email: info@penncenter.com

Penn School National Historic Landmark District
P.O. Box 126, St. Helena Island, South Carolina 29920

Phone: (843) 838-2432
Fax: (843) 838-8545