SAVE THE DATE - A food historian will prepare a full meal outdoors over an open pit, as was done during slavery. More information is forthcoming.

Tours of the 34 known African American Cemeteries in Bulloch County will continue on Saturday, February 16th with a tour of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. The one-hour cemetery tour by oral historian, Dr. Alvin D. Jackson, will begin at 10:00 A.M. Donations are welcomed.

Tours of the 34 known African American Cemeteries in Bulloch County will continue on Saturday, February 16th with a tour of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. The one-hour cemetery tour by oral historian, Dr. Alvin D. Jackson, will begin at 10:00 A.M. Donations are welcomed.

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center (WHHRC) celebrates the life of Dr. Gayle L. Jackson P.h.D. Development Director for WHHRC.

The funeral service will be held at the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center starting at 3 PM on Sunday September 3rd 2023.

The burial will be at the the Historic Hodges Cemetery to follow the service

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center

A hotel block is being held at the Comfort Inn and Suites Statesboro , Georgia (912) 225-9345 Group Willow Hill # 4688775 Hotel Website

After a two-year hiatus, the Willow Hill Heritage Festival is back. Join us for an afternoon of TOURS, FOOD, FUN, and MUSIC.

Rev. William (Bill) Parrish of Glendale OH, Mr. Joel R. Johnson of Washington DC, and Rev. Steve Taylor of Greensboro, N.C., all have connections to Bulloch County, GA. They will discuss their use of DNA. genealogical research, interviews of family and community members and obituaries to discover “untold” family stories. The Moderator of this session is Dr. Alvin D. Jackson.

African American Funeral Programs (virtual presentation)

Leaders of the Bulloch County NAACP chapter will consolidate their Juneteenth observance in Portal this year. They’ll begin Friday afternoon at the nearby Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center off of Highway 80 just outside Portal. For more information, contact BullochNAACPSecretary@gmail.com.

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center, in partnership with Truthful Lodge No. 375, will be hosting the 1st Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Please join us for the community event that will include food, an egg hunt, music, and lots of fun.

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center (WHHRC) was once a historic African American school, founded by former slaves in Portal, Georgia, in 1874. Incorporated as a non-profit by the descendants of those former slaves in 2006, WHHRC today is a vital community center, museum and archive, with its mission the preservation and promotion of African American history and community through research, cultural events and community engagement. This current and sixth building is an Equalization School built in 1954 to delay the integration of the school. The grounds have beautiful gardens and an outdoor Wi-Fi equipped pavilion. These events are free and open to the public. Donations are welcomed. WHHRC observes mask wearing and social distancing.

Tours of the 34 known African American Cemeteries in Bulloch County will continue on Saturday, February 19th with a tour of Summerhill Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. The one-hour cemetery tour by oral historian, Dr. Alvin D. Jackson, will begin at 9 am. It will be streamed on Facebook Live on The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Facebook page at a later date. Please contact the center if you are interested in attending. These events are free and open to the public. Donations are welcomed. WHHRC observes mask wearing and social distancing.

The Bennett Grove School is the last example of an African American one room schoolhouse in Bulloch County. When the school building collapsed, we decided to move the building to the Willow Hill Campus and reconstruct it. Bennett Grove was established circa 1918 as a private family school by former slave Benjamin Bennett (1856-1941), and it served as a school in the Bulloch County Public School System until it was closed in 1952. After completing the seventh grade, Bennett Grove students graduated to the Willow Hill Junior High School. The Willow Hill School was founded in 1874 and was the oldest continually-operating school in Bulloch County when it closed in 1999. Both Bennett Grove and Willow Hill stand as living memorials to African American education in the period between the Civil War and the Civil Rights Era.

You are invited to attend the Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Covid-Safe Outdoor Learning Center at the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center.

The tours of the 34 known African American Cemeteries in Bulloch County will continue on Saturday, January 25, 2020. The thirteenth tour will be the Brown Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery, which has been lost in the woods for more than 40 years. Participants will meet at the Willow Hill Center (4235 Willow Hill Road), at 8:00 AM and travel to the cemetery for a one-hour tour led by oral historian, Dr. Alvin D. Jackson. Transportation will be available.

Bulloch County students in grades K-12 will compete for prizes in the 1st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Contest. The 2019-2020 Theme is "Liberty and Justice for All", what it means to me. Cash prizes, trophies and certificates will be awarded. This event is being presented by the Willow Hill Center in partnership with the Bulloch County Schools.

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center invites the community to a celebration of the third day of Kwanzaa - Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility.   The Seven Principals of Kwanzaa will be explained.  Participants are encouraged to contribute food items for the community potluck and feast (Karamu) Parents should bring a wrapped book with your child's name on it as a gift (Zuwadi) to be given out during the ceremony.  Participants are encouraged to participate with music, dance, poetry, storytelling and spoken word.  Kwanzaa is an African American Holiday which celebrates family, community and culture.  This event is free and open to the public.

Lecture by Debbie Gaskin Masters candidate in history . Georgia Southern University

Saving Women’s Lives before during and after delivery

• 700 women die annually from pregnancy related complications in the US

• About 3 in 5 pregnancy related deaths could be prevented

• 1 in 3 pregnancy related deaths occur 1 week to 1 year after delivery

• Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women are 3 x as likely to die from a pregnancy related cause as white women

  Please join us as we meet the experts in Georgia who are working to close the health care gaps for women. We need your help. Your voice is an important part of the discussion. A continental breakfast will be provided.

Exhibits Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of Slavery in America

Tragedy at Ebenezer Creek by Isaac McCaslin

“Many Thousands Gone” - Prepared by Eric Saul and Amy Fisk in cooperation with The Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation and Healing, Inc, Patt Gilliard Gunn, President.

Beyond Property:  Slavery in Coastal Plain Georgia 1650-1865 – Prepared by Georgia Southern Museum and Department of History

Exhibits Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of Slavery in America

Tragedy at Ebenezer Creek by Isaac McCaslin

“Many Thousands Gone” - Prepared by Eric Saul and Amy Fisk in cooperation with The Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation and Healing, Inc, Patt Gilliard Gunn, President.

Beyond Property:  Slavery in Coastal Plain Georgia 1650-1865 – Prepared by Georgia Southern Museum and Department of History

Food historian Clarissa Clifton and Chef Cheryl Henry will prepare a full meal outdoors over an open pit, as was done during slavery. The preparation will take eight hours. Volunteers are needed to assist in food preparation and also serve dinner to the expected guests. There is also a need for tour guides for the Slavery Exhibits in the Willow Hill Museum.

Volunteer registration link

Cooking Demonstration: FREE. Meal Donation: $50 (only 50 tickets available)
Food historian Clarissa Clifton and Chef Cheryl Henry will prepare a full meal outdoors over an open pit, as was done during slavery. Guests are welcome to observe the eight-hour preparation and stay for dinner to be served at 5 PM. The menu is as follows: Appetizer: Hoe Cakes served with Strawberry Preserves and Crème Fresh on top. Entrée; Hoppin’ John with Smoke Bones, Roasted Chicken cooked over saplings, Greens with ham hocks, salt fish with peas and rice, and roasted beets.. Desert: Homemade Pies. During the day, guests may also tour the Slavery Exhibits in the Willow Hill Museum.

Purchase tickets here

Exhibits Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of Slavery in America

Tragedy at Ebenezer Creek by Isaac McCaslin

“Many Thousands Gone” - Prepared by Eric Saul and Amy Fisk in cooperation with The Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation and Healing, Inc, Patt Gilliard Gunn, President.

Beyond Property:  Slavery in Coastal Plain Georgia 1650-1865 – Prepared by Georgia Southern Museum and Department of History

Join us for a 9 AM tour led by oral historian, Dr. Alvin D. Jackson of the following cemeteries

• Banks Creek Church

•  Munlin Cemetery

• Hodges Cemetery

Exhibits Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of Slavery in America

Tragedy at Ebenezer Creek by Isaac McCaslin

“Many Thousands Gone” - Prepared by Eric Saul and Amy Fisk in cooperation with The Center for Jubilee, Reconciliation and Healing, Inc, Patt Gilliard Gunn, President.

Beyond Property:  Slavery in Coastal Plain Georgia 1650-1865 – Prepared by Georgia Southern Museum and Department of History