Fort Pulaski National Monument “Legacy of Slavery” Community Day
May 7, 2022 at 10am–2pm Fort Pulaski- This event has passed.
Join Telfair Museums and Fort Pulaski National Monument for a day of exploration, education, and fun as we highlight the stories and contributions of African Americans on Cockspur Island as part of our Legacy of Slavery in Savannah Initiative. Refer to the event itinerary below.
10:00am–12:00pm
Hands-on activities for the family to enjoy inside Fort Pulaski.
10:00am–11:00am
Ranger led tour of Fort Pulaski National Monument tells the stories of the people who have called Cockspur Island home at one time or another. From the enslaved workers whose fingerprints are embedded in the bricks of the fort to the Civil War General who declared emancipation after the historic battle of Fort Pulaski. This tour will highlight the contributions of African Americans on Cockspur Island and their continued importance to our past, present, and future. This tour is limited in capacity, and pre-registration is required.
Register Now
12:00pm-2pm
Conversations on archaeological excavations at Fort Pulaski Battery Hambright/North Pier Stop by and talk with Fort Pulaski archaeologists who are investigating the Workers’ Village, originally built as housing and workshops for people who built the fort. Before being destroyed in the 1881 hurricane, the Workers’ Village evolved and was home to self-emancipated “contrabands,” officer’s families, hospital patients, and others.
Archaeologists are focusing on two main areas. The first area is adjacent to the fort that held “mechanics’ quarters” and an associated kitchen. The second area was where enslaved workers lived called “laborers’ quarters.” Archeologists are hoping to uncover one of the laborers’ quarters located between Battery Hambright and Cockspur Island’s north wharf.
*All programs will be held outside, rain or shine. Please dress appropriately for the weather and consider bringing bug spray and sunscreen. There is no food available on the island, however, feel free to bring your own snacks and beverages. Restrooms and water filler stations are available. Please visit Fort Pulaski’s website at https://www.nps.gov/fopu/index.htm for more information and updates.
Investment in Telfair Museums’ Legacy of Slavery in Savannah Initiative provided by the City of Savannah, Georgia Council for the Arts, The William T. Morris Foundation, Truist, The Jacob & Gwendolyn Lawrence Foundation, and Georgia Southern University.
