The Penn Center, formerly the Penn School, is an African-American cultural and educational center in the

Corners Community Corners may refer to: * A community formed at a crossroads or other intersection; a few examples include: ** Balcom Corners, New York ** Bells Corners in Ottawa ** Dixon's Corners, Ontario ** Five Corners, Wisconsin (disambiguation), any of three co ...

on Saint Helena Island. Founded in 1862 by Quaker and Unitarian missionaries from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, it was the first school founded in the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

specifically for the education of African-Americans. It provided critical educational facilities to

Gullah The Gullah () are a subgroup of the African Americans, African American ethnic group, who predominantly live in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry region of the U.S. states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida within ...

slaves freed after plantation owners fled the island, and continues to fulfill an educational mission. The campus was designated a

National Historic Landmark District A National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) is a geographical area that has received recognition from the United States Government that the buildings, landscapes, cultural features and archaeological resources within it are of the highest signific ...

in 1974. Darrah Hall and the Brick Baptist Church on the campus were declared part of

Reconstruction Era National Monument The Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, formerly Reconstruction Era National Monument, is a United States National Historical Park in Beaufort County, South Carolina established by President Barack Obama in January 2017 to preserve an ...

in January 2017. In 2019, it became the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park, along with Fort Sumter.

Location

The Penn Center is located about one mile south of

Frogmore Frogmore is an estate within the Home Park, Windsor, Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. It comprises , of primarily private gardens managed by the Crown Estate. It is the location of Frogmore House, a royal retreat, and ...

on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The campus is divided by the road, and includes a number of historic buildings related to the original function as a school, including classrooms, living spaces for students, teachers, and administrators. The oldest building on the campus is the 1855 Brick Church, built by the plantation owners of the island. St. Helena is one member of the ‘sea islands,’ which is an island chain that comprises around 100 islands off of the southeastern United States.' The isolated nature of St. Helena Island contributed to the development of the unique Gullah/Geechee culture, which is being preserved through establishments like the Penn Center.

History

American Civil War and Reconstruction Era

In 1861, after the first shots of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

at Fort Sumter, Union Army forces captured St. Helena Island, prompting the local plantation owners to flee.“The Port Royal Experiment · Hidden Voices: Enslaved Women in the Lowcountry and U.S. South · Lowcountry Digital History Initiative.” ''Omeka RSS'', Accessed 26 Mar. 2025. Union General Thomas W. Sherman directed the beginning of what would become known as the Port Royal Experiment, the goal of which was to establish hospitals and schools for former slaves through which to pursue education and careers, which could enable them to buy land in the Lowcountry around Port Royal, South Carolina. The military administration of the island partitioned the old plantations, giving the land to the former slaves who lived there. The confiscation of land by the government for sale also enabled white northerners to take advantage of the situation and buy thousands of acres of land throughout the sea islands. The Penn School was established in 1862 by

Laura Matilda Towne Laura Matilda Towne (May 3, 1825 – February 22, 1901) was an American abolitionist and educator who founded the first school in the United States for the education of freedmen, the Penn School, in 1862 on Saint Helena Island, South Carolina. ...

as a school for former slaves on St. Helena Island and the surrounding areas.Crawford, Eric S. ''The Negro Spiritual of Saint Helena Island: An Analysis of Its Repertoire during the Periods 1860-1920, 1921-1939, and 1972-Present''. Edited by Grayson Wagstaff., The Catholic University of America, United States -- District of Columbia, 2012''. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.'' Towne was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, but later moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was introduced to the abolitionist movement.Jacoway, Elizabeth. ''Yankee missionaries in the South : the Penn School experiment.'' Louisiana State University Press, 1979. Towne named Penn School in honor of William Penn, a Quaker champion for human liberty and the founder of Pennsylvania.Harris, Yvonne B. ''The History of the Penn School Under Its Founders at St. Helena Island, Frogmore, South Carolina, 1862-1908'', American University, United States -- District of Columbia, 1979''. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global'' For many years the work was financed by Philadelphia Quaker abolitionists. Ellen Murray, a Quaker teacher, joined Towne at the Penn School in late 1862. Charlotte Forten, born into a wealthy free black family in Philadelphia, joined Towne and Murray as the school's first black teacher, though she left in 1864. The Brick Church was used as an early meeting, educational, and administrative space. In 1864, the school's first dedicated educational building was constructed from prefabricated parts shipped from Pennsylvania, which were donated by the Philadelphia Freedmen’s Association. A black resident of St. Helena donated the tract of land where the new schoolhouse was to be built.

Late 19th century

Once Penn School was established, and the American Civil War came to an end, Laura Towne and Ellen Murray began enacting their long-term plans. The pair considered education to be the foundation of advancement for former slaves, and began to implement a traditional northern curriculum in the classroom. This curriculum emphasized the importance of English over the Gullah dialect as well as teaching arithmetic and science. Books such as ''The Second Reader of the School and Family Series'' by Marcius Willson and ''The Common School Speller'' by William Fowle were used daily at the school. The school became renowned throughout the community and attracted students from other Lowcountry Sea Islands, as far away as Edisto (around 50-75 miles depending on the type of transportation,) who wanted to receive an education. When northern support for Penn’s mission began to wane in the 1870s, Towne used her business skills to mitigate challenges, the biggest one being the school’s finances and funding. During times of greater financial stress in the 1870s, Towne and Murray both declined a salary from the school, however, they continued to receive financial support from their families who remained affluent in the northern United States. Financial assets were left to Towne after her brother Henry’s death in 1875. Towne and Murray valued continuing the cycle of education, which led them to start a teacher training program. The first round of teacher training began in 1868 and concluded in 1870. The first cycle of training produced several teachers who went on to be hired by South Carolina as public school educators.

Early 20th century

In the last decade of the 19th century, Penn School was reorganized to include a board of trustees who were primarily wealthy northerners. When Towne passed away in February 1901, Murray took over many of her administrative roles until her death in 1908. Hollis Burke Frissell, a trustee on the board, led the search for Towne’s replacement while Murray filled in during the interim. Eventually,

Rossa Belle Cooley Rossa Belle Cooley (October 3, 1872 – September 14, 1949) was an American educator. She taught at Hampton Institute and was the second principal of the Penn School on Saint Helena Island, South Carolina from 1904 to 1944. Early life and educ ...

(1872–1949) was chosen to be Towne’s successor. Grace Bigelow House (1877–1965) became the Vice Principal of Penn School in 1904. Cooley and House agreed with the school curriculum’s emphasis on English, but they also decided to focus more on the needs of the community instead of implementing a strict northern education. Additionally, the pair implemented a year-long academic schedule. Several students of the school took high-school level classes and graduated, some pursuing further education. In 1948, the school was transferred to the authority of the state of South Carolina. Three years later in 1951, the institution became the Penn Center. The institution then became the Penn Center, with directors including

Howard Kester Howard Kester (1904–1977) was an American preacher, organizer, and activist based in the South. He is noted for his work organizing the Southern Tenant Farmers Union (STFU) beginning in 1934. His work was inspired by a radical version of Chris ...

, Courtney Siceloff, John Gadson, Joe McDomick and Emory Campbell, and continued an educational mission for the island's citizens. The center's directors were also responsible for maintaining a museum, cultural center, and conference meeting space. and

Civil Rights Movement and the late 20th century

In 1950, the Penn Campus was used as a conference site for midwifery.Jordan, Francis H. ''Across the bridge: Penn School and Penn Center'', University of South Carolina, United States -- South Carolina, 1991''. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global'' At the time, 25% of South Carolina births involved a midwife and more than 50% of births in Beaufort County involved a midwife. Co-sponsored with the State Board of Health, the conference was held at Penn Campus from 1950 to the 1970s. Penn Center was one of the few places in the Jim Crow South where interracial groups could meet, leading the campus to have an important role in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr.

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights movement from 1955 until his a ...

and his staff of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference held retreats here in the 1960s. Dr. King stayed at Gantt Cottage on the Penn Campus. A Retreat Center on the water was planned as a safer place for Dr. King to stay, but it was not completed before his death in 1968. It was, however, used by his associates, Rev.

Andrew Young Andrew Jackson Young Jr. (born March 12, 1932) is an American politician, diplomat, and activist. Beginning his career as a pastor, Young was an early leader in the civil rights movement, serving as executive director of the Southern Christia ...

and Rev.

James Bevel James Luther Bevel (October 19, 1936 – December 19, 2008) was an American minister and a leader and major strategist of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. As a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and then as its direct ...

, during the Charleston Hospital Strike of 1969. Notable South Carolina figures in the civil rights movement, including

Septima Clark Septima Poinsette Clark (May 3, 1898 – December 15, 1987) was an African United States, American educator and civil rights activist. Clark developed the literacy and citizenship workshops that played an important role in the drive for votin ...

James McBride Dabbs James McBride Dabbs (May 8, 1896 – May 30, 1970) was an American author and farmer from South Carolina known for his writings on religion and Southern culture. He has been recognized as one of the South's leading liberals during his time. Dabbs ...

Esau Jenkins Esau Jenkins (July 3, 1910 – October 30, 1972) was an American human Rights leader, businessman, local preacher, and community organizer. He was the founder and leader of many organizations and institutions which helped improved the political, ...

, and

James Clyburn James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for . First elected in 1992, Clyburn is in his 17th term, representing a congressional district that includes most of the majority-black precinc ...

all had connections to Penn Center.

2000s to present

With the creation of the

(which in spring 2019 was elevated as an

National Historic Park National Historic Site (NHS) and National Historical Park (NHP) are designations for officially recognized areas of nationally historic significance in the United States. They are usually owned and managed by the federal government. An NHS usually ...

), Brick Baptist Church is protected by the National Park Service. Darrah Hall, which includes an adjacent parking area, has also been deeded over to the National Park Service. The Penn Center Campus remains a place of historical preservation and educational operations.Taylor, Jennifer W., and Page P. Miller. "Reconstructing Memory; The Attempt to Designate Beaufort, South Carolina, the National Park Service's First Reconstruction Unit." ''Journal of the Civil War Era'', vol. 7, no. 1, 2017, pp. 39–66''.'' In January of 2001, the Sea Island Reconstruction Heritage Partnership began. The group included members such as the City of Beaufort, the Town of Hilton Head, Beaufort County, and University of South Carolina Beaufort. The goal of the partnership was to preserve the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Civil Rights Movement history of the Lowcountry. Penn Center was also added to the ‘Unesco Network of Places of History and Memory’ in 2024. The network’s goal is to provide resources for the advancement of the Center’s preservation and educational mission as part of a five-year initiative.

Penn Center buildings

South Carolina Department of Archives and History. (n.d.). African American Historic Places in South Carolina. Home , SC Department of Archives and History. https://scdah.sc.gov/ * Brick Baptist Church (1855) (), Although not part of Penn’s Campus, the Brick Church on the northeast border has always fulfilled a significant role in Penn’s History. Brick Church housed classes as Penn School moved from Oaks Plantation into their dedicated schoolhouse. * Penn Center Bell Tower (1865), located next to the Benezet House, the Bell Tower housed a brass bell modeled after the

Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American Revolution, American independence located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of Pennsylvania State House, now know ...

and bearing the inscription "Proclaim Liberty". The bell is now on display at Penn Center's museum. * Darrah Hall (1882), the oldest building on Penn Center's campus, Darrah Hall has been a community nexus for over a hundred years. * Alden Sales House (1900), built by the students, Alden Sales House has been used as a thrift shop and milk house. * Hampton House (Penn Center) (1904) (), was used as on-site housing for teachers and guests. * Benezet House (1905) (), the female teachers and students used Benezet House as their on-campus residence and this house was the center of home economics training. * Cedar Cottage (1907), built to house Penn's single female teachers and nurse offices. Cedar Cottage is named after the abundant trees found on St. Helena Island. * Jasmine Cottage (1911), built by Penn's carpentry students to house teachers. * Cope Industrial Shop (1912) (), this building housed all of the harness-making, wheelwrighting, blacksmith, basketry, carpentry, and cobbling classes. The building today houses Penn Center's York W. Bailey Museum. * Emory S. Campbell Dining Hall (1917) (), originally built as a laundry, the Dining Hall accommodates up to a hundred people and provides a variety of local Gullah-Style foods to Conference Center guests. * Green Learning Center Rosenwald School (1920's), the learning center is utilized by the Program for Academic and Cultural Enrichment (PACE) as a daycare program. * Pine Grove Cottage (1921), built by students as housing for the school's superintendent, Pine Cottage is used today to house guests of Penn Center. * Lathers Memorial Dormitory (1922), was a memorial to Agnes Lathers, one of the early teachers at Penn. It was originally a dormitory for male students and teachers and is used today as administrative offices. * Frissell Community House (1925) (), built on the site of the original Penn Center schoolhouse, Frissell has been and is still used as a community gathering place, having even been used by the

Southern Christian Leadership Conference The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is an African Americans, African-American civil rights organization based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. SCLC is closely associated with its first president, Martin Luther King Jr., ...

for training and strategy meetings. * Butler Building (Penn Center) (1931), built by Penn students, the Butler Building originally served as the place of the home economics departments, the graduates’ meeting room, the boy’s clubhouse, exhibits, and the band room. * Arnett House (1937), was used as housing for students and teachers from South Carolina State University working in the county schools. It is currently used for conference guests. * The Potato House (1938), was used to stack sweet potatoes for curing. The Potato House is now fenced in and used for storage of farm machinery. * Gantt Cottage (1940), the current Gantt Cottage was built by Penn students as a replacement to the original. During the 1960's, Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed at Gantt Cottage as he visited Penn Center for meetings and there wrote his "

I Have A Dream "I Have a Dream" is a Public speaking, public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist and Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the speech, Kin ...

" speech. * Orchard Cottage (1942), built as a teacher's residence. * The Cannery (Penn Center) (1946), originally built as a dairy barn, the cannery has been used for canning tomato and processing

Conch Conch ( , , ) is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high Spire (mollusc), spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point on both ...

. * Retreat House and Dock (1968), built during the year of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death, the Retreat House was planned as a more scenic and meditative place for his meetings over the smaller Gantt Cottage.

Gallery

File:Penncenter1.jpg, Benezet House File:Penncenter2.jpg, Back view of Darrah Hall File:Penncenter.jpg, Orchard Cottage File:Basket Making, Penn Normal, Industrial and Agricultural School.jpg, Basket making class File:Sewing Class, Penn Normal, Industrial and Agricultural School.jpg, Sewing class File:A Class in History, Studying Abraham Lincoln, Penn Normal, Industrial and Agricultural School.jpg, History class

References

External links

Penn Center - History and Photos
SCIway.net, South Carolina Information Highway

at South Carolina Department of Archives and History
Official website of the Penn Center, St. Helena Island, South Carolina

Brick Baptist Church web site
{{Authority control Gullah history Gullah culture National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina Buildings and structures in Berkeley County, South Carolina Museums in Beaufort County, South Carolina African-American museums in South Carolina Education museums in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Beaufort County, South Carolina Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina 1862 establishments in South Carolina Saint Helena Island (South Carolina) School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina