Gullah Geechee Gala, Presented by the B.N. Duke Scholars

Duke University is hosting a game show to kick off a summer program in which young scholars from the Carolinas will live and work with Gullah Geechee community groups in Conway, S.C.Ron Daise, chairman of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission and former host of the Gullah Gullah Island Nickelodeon television program, will host the game show, Gullah Geechee-mania! He also will deliver the keynote speech at the kickoff gala for the new partnership between the Benjamin N. Duke Scholars and the Gullah Geechee community. Daise is a writer, performing artist and educator who has authored five books on Gullah Geechee heritage.The celebration begins at 7 p.m. Monday, April 22, in the Gothic Reading Room on the 2nd floor of Perkins Library on the Duke campus. The public is invited to attend and take part in the interactive event.Designated by Congress in 2006, the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is home to one of America¿s most distinctive cultures. The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans who retained many aspects of their African heritage. The location of their sea islands, helped keep intact the unique culture, arts and Creole language of their region, which extends from Wilmington, N.C. to St. Augustine, Fla. The corridor is administered by the National Park Service. During the summer 14 BN Duke Scholars will assist community members in researching and documenting Gullah Geechee history and culture.