Gullah folktales are an original contribution of Beaufort District to the American literary canon. Though Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus stories are perhaps the best known, author Reed Smith credits Beaufort resident Abbie Holmes Christensen (1852 - 1938) with "one of the first serious attempts to reduce the Gullah dialect to writing." Smith says that Christensen "both caught the Negro's point of view and mastered the difficult dialect." In her notes Christensen described her stories as coming of verbatim from Sea-Islands storytellers, "some of whose ancestors, two generations back, brought parts of the legends from African forests."
Her Afro American Folk Lore, a book of 18 fables, was published in 1892. Our copies are reprinted editions published by the Negro Universities Press in 1969.
Some items due to their uniqueness, rarity, fragility, and local significance can only be found in our Research Room. One such title is Gulla Tales and Anecdotes of South Carolina Sea Islands by Albert Henry Stoddard published in 1940. I recommend that if you are interested in Gullah folklore that you also take a look at the newspaper and magazine article clippings in the GULLAHS - FOLKLORE vertical file and the unpublished local student short dramas of Lowcountry Folklore (1985) and Five Gullah Folktales : A Collection of Folktales from Sea Island Elders (1993).
There are, however, other Gullah folktale books and books about Gullah culture that you can check out from other parts of the SCLENDS consortium.
For the youngsters in your life, we recommend:
Little Muddy Waters : A Gullah Folk Tale by Ronald Daise
Bo Rabbit Smart for True : Tall Tales from the Gullah by Priscilla Jaquith
De Gullah Storybook by Ronald DaiseThe Sandman's Daughter by Robin M. Carter with Queen Quet
Gullah Animal Tales from Daufuskie Island, South Carolina as told by Albert Henry Stoddard translated and edited by Will Killhour
Gullah Ghosts : Stories and Folktales from Brookgreen Gardens in the South Carolina Lowcountry with Notes on Gullah Culture and History by Lynn Michelsohn
The Black Border : Gullah Stories of the Carolina Coast by Ambrose Elliot Gonzales
Before and After Freedom : Lowcountry Folklore and Narratives by Nancy Rhyne
Gullah Folktales from the Georgia Coast by Charles C. Jones (I just love this book cover, even though the content is for our neighboring state to the south).
As you can see, the Library has lots of other books with Gullah folktales for you enjoy. No matter what a person's age, the Tar Baby's tale is great fun!
Just remember: Access to the Research Room remains limited and appointments are required. Contact bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6448 to set up a time for you to come and do your research.
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