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Submitted by Historic Savannah Foundation
May 19, 2025 – Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF), which is currently celebrating its 70th anniversary, will welcome writer and retired Savannah State University Professor Patricia West as a guest speaker on Thursday, June 19 at the HSF headquarters, located at 321 E. York St.
West will deliver an informative lecture entitled “Celebrating Savannah’s African American & Gullah Geechee Literary Legacies” as partof the 2025 Historic Savannah Foundation Lecture Series, “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.
In honor of Juneteenth, West will take attendees on a literary tour through Savannah’s portion of the Gullah Geechee Corridor. She will discuss Black authors who have called Savannah home, outsiders who made surprising connections to its people and writers who later established themselves in the broader realm of African American and American literary traditions. She will also showcase her Gullah Geechee heritage through a sampling of original poetry that captures the history of Savannah — from its rivers to the Dundee Cove — with spotlights on dockworkers, “dinner” ladies and Black Victorians.
“Though it is rarely discussed, Savannah has long played a significant role in African American literature, whether serving as a source of inspiration or home to acclaimed authors,” said Historic Savannah Foundation CEO and President Sue Adler. “We’re thrilled to welcome Professor Patricia West and invite everyone to celebrate Juneteenth by learning more about the vibrant Gullah Geechee culture that surrounds us.”
A Savannah, Ga. native and Savannah State University graduate, West retired as an Assistant Professor of English at Savannah State University in 2022. She earned a master’s degree in English Education from Georgia Southern University and attained doctoral candidacy status at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Still Water Words: Poems and Stories from Ancestral Places and co-author of the e-textbook Great Works of African American Literature. Her research has also been published in The Journal of Museum Anthropology and Women’s Studies. She has presented her literary research at more than 20 conferences across the country and around the globe. Most recently, she attended the American Literature Association Conference and presented her groundbreaking research on the Black farm workers and house servants who influenced the writing of Savannah’s own Flannery O’Connor.
Active in the community, West serves as a lecturer at Senior Citizens Inc.’s Learning Center and on the board of directors for the LePageville Memorial Cemetery, a property that was recently featured on Historic Savannah Foundation’s inaugural list of at-risk historic properties identified through HSF’s Endangered Places program. She is also a member of the Savannah State University Community Booster Club, Savannah State University National Alumni Association, Flannery O’Connor Society, National Council of Negro Women and the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.
Historic Savannah Foundation’s 2025 Lecture Series will take a brief pause for Summer 2025. The next speaker will be Director of the Davenport House Museum Danielle Hodes, who will deliver an informative lecture entitled, “A Home for Savannah: Expanding the Narrative of the Davenport House Museum” on August 21. For more information about the HSF Lecture Series, 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. Members may RSVP by emailing Kendall Graham at kgraham@myhsf.org or calling 912-233-7787, ext. 109. Non-members may purchase tickets by visiting myhsf.org/events/lecture-series
ABOUT HISTORIC SAVANNAH FOUNDATION:
Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF), a leading nonprofit cultural institution, saves the buildings, places and stories that define Savannah’s past, present and future. Founded in 1955 when seven brave women banded together to save the Isaiah Davenport House, Historic Savannah Foundation spearheaded the preservation movement in Savannah. The organization continues to preserve and operate The Davenport House Museum, sharing its important story with the community, and operates a Revolving Fund to save endangered historic properties, now totaling over 420 buildings throughout several of Savannah’s historic districts. HSF is currently celebrating its 70th anniversary and continues to lead preservation efforts throughout the Savannah community. More info: myhsf.org.