USCB Presents “Passport to Freedom”

The University of South Carolina Beaufort will host a month-long series of events in February marking African American History Month and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The series, titled “2026 African American History Month: Passport to Freedom 250,” will highlight 250 years of African American history, heritage and cultural influence across the South Carolina Lowcountry. Events will take place both on and off campus and are open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.

According to the university, the program is designed to encourage community engagement with historic sites, stories and legacies that have shaped both the region and the nation.

A central feature of the series is a 25-site “Passport to Freedom” booklet that guides participants through significant local African American landmarks. Sites include Historic Mitchellville Freedom Park, the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District, the Harriet Tubman and Robert Smalls monuments and the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, among others.

Participants may visit sites in person or virtually. Passports can be stamped at staffed locations, while selfies or screenshots may be used as verification for unstaffed or virtual visits. Reflection prompts are included throughout the booklet.

The series will begin with two kickoff events, including one in Bluffton and one in Beaufort. Attendees will be able to pick up passports, learn about the featured sites and attend a community reception co-hosted by Dr. Najmah Thomas, coordinator of the university’s African American Studies program.
The Bluffton kickoff event is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3rd, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Bluffton Campus Hargray Lobby.

Passports will also be available throughout the month at the Bluffton Campus Library and Beaufort Campus Library. Library staff will provide stamps for site visits verified through photos or screenshots of virtual participation.

The celebration will conclude with recognition events later in the month, including prize awards for students who complete the highest number of site visits. The closing events are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26th, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Bluffton Campus Hargray Lobby and Friday, Feb. 27th, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Beaufort Campus Newcastle Building, second-floor meeting room.

University of South Carolina Beaufort officials said the series is intended to engage the entire Lowcountry community in reflection, education and celebration.

Additional information, including site descriptions and passport instructions, is available at www.uscb.edu/AAHM.

2026 Passport to Freedom Landmarks:

Bluffton:

• Garvin-Garvey House
  63 Wharf St, Bluffton, SC 29910
• Ma Daisy’s Porch
  1255 May River Rd, Bluffton, SC 29910

Hilton Head Island:

• Central Oak Grove Baptist Church
  161 Mathews Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC
• Cherry Hill School
  210 Dillon Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
• Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island
  12 Georgianna Dr, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
• Historic Fort Howell
  160 Beach City Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
• Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
  40 Harriet Tubman Way, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

Daufuskie Island:

• Daufuskie Island Historic District
  Daufuskie Island, SC

Beaufort Area:

• Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce
  711 Bladen St, Beaufort, SC 29902
• Beaufort National Cemetery
  1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
• The Emancipation Oak at Camp Saxton
  27 Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal, SC 2993
• Grand Army of the Republic Hall
  706 Newcastle St, Beaufort, SC 29902
• Gullah Geechee Welcome Center / LyBensons’ Gallery
  870 Sea Island Pkwy, St Helena Island, SC 29920
• Harriet Tubman Combahee River Memorial Bridge
  US-17, Yemassee, SC 29945
• Harriet Tubman & Robert Smalls Monuments at Tabernacle Baptist Church
  901 Craven Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
• Lands End Woodland Beach
  St. Helena, South Carolina 29920 & Virtual https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImHSzCI3ck0
• The Mather School Interpretive Center at Technical College of the Lowcountry
  921 Ribaut Rd. TCL Campus, Building 1 Beaufort, Sc 29901
• Penn Center National Historic Landmark District
  16 Penn Center Circle East, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
• Robert Smalls Leadership Academy
  43 W. K. Alston Drive, Beaufort, SC 29906
• USCB Historic Beaufort Campus Mural & Historical Markers
  801 Carteret St, Beaufort, SC 29902
• Wesley United Methodist Church
  701 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29902

Orangeburg:

• Cecil Williams SC Civil Rights Museum
  1865 Lake Dr, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Virtual Visits:

• Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
  Virtual only https://gullahgeecheecorridor.org
• Gullah Geechee Futures Project
  Virtual only https://gullahgeecheefuturesproject.com
• International African American Museum
  14 Wharfside Street, Charleston, SC 29401 & Virtual https://iaamuseum.org
• Lands End Woodland Beach (in person or virtual visit)
  St. Helena, South Carolina 29920 & Virtual https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImHSzCI3ck0