The partial collapse of a ferry dock that claimed the lives of seven people attending a cultural festival has left a historic Black community in Georgia struggling with how to move forward.
The Gullah-Geechee residents of Sapelo Island were already facing a number of stressors: gentrification, tax hikes and an ongoing exodus of islanders to the mainland where there are schools and doctors, more plentiful jobs and greater conveniences.
The annual Cultural Day festival, held last weekend, was supposed to be a moment to forget their troubles and celebrate the history and culture of a community founded by formerly enslaved Black people. Before a metal walkway on the state-owned dock collapsed, sending people tumbling into the ocean, there were demonstrations of centuries-old traditions such as basket weaving, fish net casting and rice cultivation. A special music by the Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters filled the air.
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