The Penn Center in St. Helena, South Carolina was established in 1862 by Northern Abolitionists to provide educational assistance to freed Blacks seeking shelter in Carolina’s offshore islands. The center has received its largest donation in its 160 year history, $2 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The Center will use half of the money to restore fourteen buildings at the site and will use the remainder to create a trust for the center.
According to the Penn Center:
MacKenzie Scott’s crucial philanthropic support comes at a moment when the history of Reconstruction is often challenged—if not entirely silenced—in schools and communities across the country. Penn Center’s vital work includes representing and promoting this history and welcoming diverse audiences to engage with African American experience.
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