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progress in gullah/geechee and sweetgrass culture
- 1987
– The first annual Gullah Festival was held in Beaufort,
SC.
1988 – Mt. Pleasant Basketmakers'
Association was formed to organize the basket makers into
a cohesive group with a common voice to promote, preserve,
and protect the tradition of sweetgrass basket making.-
1991
– The Mayor of Charleston formed the Sweetgrass Preservation
Society to help the basket makers protect and preserve their
craft and tradition.
-
1996 – The
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition was formed. Also, the
first annual Native Islander Gullah Celebration was held
in February on Hilton Head Island, SC.
-
1997 – A historical marker was erected
on Highway 17 near the Seven Mile section of Mount Pleasant
to commemorate the legacy and history of sweetgrass basket
makers.
-
1999
– Marquetta L. Goodwine brought the human rights violations
against the Gullah/Geechees and the encroachment upon their
homeland before the United Nations' Human Rights Commission
in Geneva, Switzerland.
-
2000
– Marquetta L. Goodwine was enstooled as "Queen
Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation" and elected
as the head-of-state (de head pun de body) of the now established
Gullah/Geechee Nation. A Gullah/Geechee Reunion was held
at Sullivan's Island as a ceremony to ratify the Constitution
of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, bring forth the flag of, and
swear in the Wisdom Circle Council of Elders of the Nation.
-
2004 – Congressman James E. Clyburn
of South Carolina introduced the Gullah/Geechee Cultural
Heritage Act (H.R. 4683) aimed at preserving this endangered
culture found in the coastal counties of Georgia and South
Carolina.
-
2005
– The first annual Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival
was held in June in Mount Pleasant and the inaugural Gullah/Geechee
Nation International African Music & Movement Festival
was held on St. Helena Island, SC on Labor Day.
-
2006 – Sweetgrass basketry was named
the South Carolina State Handcraft. The Gullah/Geechee Cultural
Heritage Act (H.R. 4683) is passed.
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