Penn School was established in 1862 to teach reading and trades to freed slaves, allowing them to earn a living. Today, as Penn Center, it promotes historic preservation and economic sustainability throughout the Sea Islands and is committed to community development, education and social justice.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., retreated to the campus for strategy meetings from 1963 to 1967, including in the months before he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C.
The site is a National Historic District Landmark and home to 50 historic buildings, including the York W. Bailey Museum, which is open Monday through Saturday.
