March 20, 2008

Contact:
Liz Babiarz, 404-413-1356
University Relations

Georgia State University celebrates Gullah-Geechee culture

ATLANTA – Marquetta L. Goodwine, known as Queen Quet, chieftess of the Gullah-Geechee nation, will speak at Georgia State about her culture’s past, present and future at 11 a.m. Monday (March 24).

Hosted by Georgia State’s Office of Educational Opportunity, the Gullah celebration, honoring this remarkable segment of African-American history and culture, will be held in the Student Center Speakers Auditorium. It will include a panel discussion featuring Queen Quet, Sallie Ann Robinson, a former Daufuskie Island resident and author of two Gullah cookbooks, and Akinyele Umoja, Georgia State associate professor of African-American studies.

Gullahs, referred to as Geechee in some parts of the South, live in the Low Country – the coastal plain and Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia. Descendants of African slaves, Gullahs speak a unique mix of English and African languages and have developed a culture that retains a strong African influence.

Queen Quet has advocated for the preservation of the Gullah-Geechee homeland. Due in part to her work, the U.S. Congress in 2006 passed the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Act, providing $10 million over 10 years for the preservation and interpretation of historic sites.

The event is free and open to the public. A reception with Gullah food will follow the discussion in the Speakers Lobby.

What: A Gullah Celebration

When: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Monday (March 24)

Where: Student Center Speakers Auditorium, 44 Courtland St.