The Penn Center is located in the beautiful St. Helena Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina. It was established as an educational facility for freed slaves in 1862. It operated for almost a century, as it closed down in 1953.

After serving as one of the first schools for freed slaves in the whole United States, the Penn Center offers a lot of history under its roof and within its grounds. This is why it still serves as a cultural center today, telling people of the local Lowcountry African American culture.

The Penn Center offers a series of programs that promotes and preserves the Gullah history of the area. It hosts educational and cultural programs to accomplish such feats and even hosts the annual Penn Center Heritage Days to reach out better to a wider audience.