About

Established during the Civil War as Penn School on St. Helena Island, the Penn Center is one of America’s oldest institutions dedicated to educating formerly enslaved people. Through Reconstruction and beyond, it provided schooling, teacher training, daycare, healthcare, and a gathering space via the Teen Canteen. Today, it serves as a cultural anchor and guardian of Gullah heritage, preserving and sharing this vibrant Lowcountry legacy amid modern pressures like development and tourism.