Residents and preservationists have united to oppose a proposal for the construction of a gated community and golf course near a historic institution. Their concern is that this development could pose a threat to the survival of the Gullah Geechee culture in the coastal region.
The developer and property owner, Elvio Tropeano, is seeking approval to build this project on 502 acres on St. Helena Island, located in Beaufort County, South Carolina. St. Helena Island is rich in Gullah Geechee and civil rights history, making it a significant cultural heritage site.
Tropeano’s request involves the removal of a cultural protection overlay from the island, which currently prohibits certain new developments, including golf courses and gated communities.
The significance of St. Helena Island lies in its status as one of the last places where a thriving Gullah Geechee culture is preserved. Additionally, it is home to the historic Penn Center, which played a vital role in providing education to formerly enslaved Black individuals during the 1860s. The campus also served as a planning center for prominent civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis during the 1960s.
Furthermore, St. Helena Island holds the designation of being a National Historic Landmark District, recognized by the National Park Service.
According to Jessie White, the south coast office director of the Coastal Conservation League, the cultural protection overlay has been instrumental in enabling Gullah Geechee landowners to safeguard their properties against encroaching development projects. These types of developments have led to land displacement and the loss of cultural heritage, as demonstrated in nearby Hilton Head Island.
Opponents of the project have launched two petitions and a website advocating for the protection of St. Helena Island.
In response, Tropeano has emphasized his commitment to supporting the coastal Gullah Geechee culture while planning for the future. He also questioned what actions the project’s opponents have taken to assist the island’s residents.
The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans who were enslaved on plantations along the southeastern U.S. coast. Their unique cultural identity is evident in their language, cuisine, music, and arts.
In recent decades, developers have increasingly encroached into Gullah Geechee communities, constructing vacation homes and other projects that attract wealthier individuals to the coastal regions. However, Gullah Geechee community members have been fighting to preserve their heritage in the face of such encroachments.
Tropeano’s request faced a recommendation for denial from the Beaufort County Planning Commission on June 5. It will now be considered by the Beaufort County Council.
