Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF), which is currently celebrating its 70th anniversary, will feature acclaimed Gullah-Geechee chef, culinary historian and Daufuskie Island, S.C. native Sallie Ann Robinson as the featured speaker at the HSF Lecture on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Murray C. Perlman and Wayne C. Spear Preservation Center, located in the Historic Kennedy Pharmacy at 323 E. Broughton St. in Savannah, Ga.

Robinson will deliver an informative and inspiring lecture titled “Daufuskie Island: Preserving a Family Home and Protecting at Gullah-Geechee Legacy” as part of the Historic Savannah Foundation Lecture Series titled “The People, Places and Stories that Define Savannah.” Attendees are invited to attend a wine reception at 5:30 p.m. The lecture will start at 6 p.m.

“We warmly invite community members to join us as Sallie Ann Robinson shares the rich history of her family home on Daufuskie Island, which stands a testament to the enduring legacy of Gullah-Geechee culture and community,” said Historic Savannah Foundation President and CEO Collier Neeley. “This important account has a special place among the captivating stories that define our region’s past, present and future.”

Located off the coast of South Carolina, Daufuskie Island, which is accessible only by boat, has a rich history tied to the Gullah-Geechee community, descendants of enslaved Africans who worked the land throughout the Lowcountry as well as freed people who inhabited the island for generations thereafter. The island was once home to a thriving Gullah community, but today, only a few native residents remain. Robinson is a sixth-generation Gullah native who was born on Daufuskie Island in 1958.

After some time away, she returned to her ancestral home with the goal of restoring it to preserve and share the history of her community. The house, which is located in a remote, rural area, was inhabited by generations of her family. By preserving it, she intends to honor the home’s vital stories and share them with future generations, which she accomplishes through daily tours and culinary history programs.

A lauded Gullah-Geechee chef and culinary historian, Robinson is currently working on a memoir about her life growing up on Daufuskie Island. She attended Daufuskie Island’s Mary Fields School and was featured as the character “Ethel” in her teacher Pat Conroy’s 1972 memoir, The Water is Wide. She relocated to Savannah, Ga., to attend Bartlett Middle School and returned to South Carolina for high school, graduating from H.E. McCracken High School in 1975.

She is the author of Sallie Ann Robinson’s Kitchen: Food and Family Lore from the Lowcountry, Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie Way: Smokin Joe’ Butter Beans, Ol’ ‘Fuskie Fried Crab Rice, Sticky-Bush Blackberry Dumpling & Other Sea Island Favorites and Cooking the Gullah Way, Morning, Noon, and Night. She is also the co-author of Daufuskie Island and is dedicated to chronicling and sharing the recipes, dialect and folklore of her culture. Her life and work have been showcased in National Geographic, Southern Living, Bon Appetit and Garden & Gun, among other publications. She has also appeared on The Food Network, the Travel Channel and Georgia Public Broadcasting.

The 2026 HSF Lecture Series continues in February with Kathy Thomas and Pat West discussing “Savannah’s Endangered African-American Landmarks: Lifting the Stories of Historic Nicholsonboro Baptist Church and Lepageville Memorial Cemetery" on Thurs., Feb. 19. In addition, HSF will host a special guided tour of Nicholsonboro Baptist Church on Sat., Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. For more information, please visit myhsf.org/events/lecture-series.

Historic Savannah Foundation’s Lecture Series is open to the public. Reservations are recommended, as space is limited. Attendance is free for Historic Savannah Foundation members and $15 for non-members. Both members and non-members may reserve their spot by visiting myhsf.org/events/lecture-series. Please contact Kendall Graham at [email protected] for more information about the HSF Lecture Series.