14 Mar Program for Saturday’s Reconstruction CELEBRATION
150 + years ago freed slaves rushed from St Helena Island to the mainland at Port Royal to witness and hear the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation at Smith Plantation in Port Royal. On Saturday, people form throughout the lowcountry will be rushing to Penn Center on St Helena Island to dedicate a monument to the Reconstruction Era.
It did not happen overnight and many were engaged in making this happen.
After more than sixteen years, when former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt met with local historians and community leaders to discuss a monument to remember the Reconstruction Era, he returns on Saturday to Celebrate the Dedication of our National Reconstruction Era Monument.
Renowned local historian and story teller Lawrence Rowland will be the Master of Ceremonies, Congressman Mark Sanford will welcome visitors, historian Kate Masur, who was part of the National Park Service team that studied potential sites for reconstruction history, and a representative from the Washington Office of the National Park Service will tell the story.
Congressman Jim Clyburn, who shepherded the Presidential Proclamation through the process, will key note the event.
Marlena Smalls and Scott Gibbs with the Gospel Choir will entertain.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE CELEBRATION
1:00 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2022
PENN CENTER, ST HELENA ISLAND