Gullah

Since 1670 there has been a visible African American presence in South Carolina. Regardless of individuals’ status, that black presence has had an incalculable impact of the cultural, economic, and political development of the state.

For as long as people of African descent have lived in Carolina, they have made baskets. The early history of the lowcountry coiled grass basket parallels the rise of rice cultivation on the southeastern coast of North America.

Scattered along the state’s approximately 185 miles of coastline, South Carolina’s Sea Islands shelter the mainland from storms and erosion.

Barrier islands tend to possess an elongated shape. In general, the northern end is longer than the southern end, which is constantly affected by erosion.