Freedom Day celebration held at Mitchelville Park Saturday
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HILTON HEAD, S.C. (WTOC) - A Freedom Day celebration was held at the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park on Hilton Head Island.
Held in conjunction with the 27th Annual Gullah Celebration, the Freedom Day celebration honored Robert Smalls who was born into slavery in Beaufort.
He freed himself, his crew, and his family during the Civil War. After the war, he returned to Beaufort to become a politician.
There were several special guests including the Great-Great Grandson of Robert Smalls who spoke about how special this day was.
“This is ground zero to liberation, to freedom, to reconstruction and I really recommend people to come here and to walk in the steps of people who were among the very first African Americans to get a taste of liberation and freedom.”
Hilton Head Gullah artist Quentin Smalls also performed a rap ballad about the history of Robert Smalls.
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