NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is celebrating a $150,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, funding a new Preservation Director position to support communities along the corridor.
- Preservation Director will identify preservation gaps and connect communities to financial resources and grant opportunities to preserve stories and sites.
- The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor spans four states from Jacksonville, North Carolina to St. Augustine, Florida, about 30 miles inland.
- The director will coordinate with developers, planners and the U.S. Army Corps on projects affecting traditional Gullah Geechee spaces.
- An early priority is creating an digital and physical repository of artifacts, documents and research for public and scholarly access.
- The grant will build capacity, helping hundreds of Gullah Geechee organizations register on the National Register for Historic Preservation and access funding.
New role targets preservation gaps
The corridor spans four states from Jacksonville, North Carolina, to St. Augustine, Florida, along the coastline with approximately 30 miles inland.
Executive Director Dwanna Brockington said the new position will help identify gaps in strategic preservation and connect communities with resources.
“Help them understand what financial resources are out there, what grants are available to them to preserve their stories and their site,” Brockington said.
Coordination and documentation
The Preservation Director will also coordinate with developers, planners and U.S. Army Corps engineers on projects that could impact traditional Gullah Geechee spaces.
An early priority will be building a documentation archive. Brockington said the goal is a “digital and physical repository of artifacts and research in writings — not necessarily museum items, but documents that folks can easily access and use for their research.”
Broader impact on Gullah Geechee organizations
Research and Grants Manager Brigitte Griswold said the grant will provide capacity building for the corridor and support hundreds of Gullah Geechee organizations.
“To help them build their capacity to access larger resources, get registered on the National Register for Historic Preservation,” Griswold said. “Once an entity is on that registry, they are eligible for all kinds of additional funding and resources, so we’re really seeing this as an opportunity to lift all boats.”
The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is one of 27 sites to receive a share of $3 million in total grant funding for preservation.
“Historic places help us understand who we are as a nation,” Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and founder of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, said. “These grants are investments in communities that are preserving the full American story—from the struggles for freedom and civil rights to the achievements of Black educators, architects, entrepreneurs, faith leaders, and culture bearers. By supporting local stewards and communities, we are helping ensure these stories endure for generations to come.”
To learn more about the grant or recipients, click here.
Copyright 2026 WCSC. All rights reserved.
