Sapelo Island & Hog(g) Hummock Community
There are several urgent issues impacting the future of Hogg Hummock (also known as Hog Hammock) on Sapelo Island, and larger McIntosh County. Read below to learn more about these issues and how you can get involved.
Keep Sapelo Geechee: ACT NOW
Sapelo’s historic Saltwater/Gullah Geechee community of Hog Hammock, also known as Hog(g) Hummock, is inhabited by descendants of formerly enslaved West Africans and is the last Saltwater/Gullah Geechee community on a Georgia barrier island.
On September 13, 2023, after zero conversations with Saltwater/Gullah Geechee residents or public meetings in Hogg Hummock, and thousands of emails and public comments in opposition, the McIntosh County Commissioners voted to change the zoning in Hogg Hummock. These changes will speed up the gentrification of Hogg Hummock and cause the erasure of Saltwater/Gullah Geechee people from Sapelo Island.
According to Article IX, Section II, Paragraph 1(b)(2) of the Constitution of the State of Georgia, the registered voters of McIntosh County have the right to petition the McIntosh Probate Court for a referendum to repeal the Zoning Change for Hogg Hummock.
Sapelo Island Cultural & Revitalization Society (SICARS), Hog Hammock Community Foundation, Save Our Legacy Ourself (SOLO), and One Hundred Miles joined together to launch a petition drive. We need 2,200 signatures of McIntosh County registered voters!
If you are a registered voter in McIntosh County, you can help Keep Sapelo Geechee! Watch your mailbox for a “Keep Sapelo Geechee” envelope containing a petition and postage-paid return envelope.
Learn more at KeepSapeloGeechee.org.
Sapelo Island Heritage Authority
In March 2023, Rep. Buddy DeLoach (R-Townsend) introduced House Bill 273. HB 273 changes the composition of the Sapelo Island Heritage Authority (SIHA), created to hold land on Sapelo in the interest of preserving the island’s Gullah Geechee culture and environment.
Three NGOs on Sapelo – the Hog Hammock Community Foundation, Save Our Legacy Ourself (SOLO), and Sapelo Island Cultural And Revitalization Society, Inc. (SICARS), as well as a current member of SIHA, spoke out in opposition to the original bill and proposed amendments to protect Sapelo descendants from disenfranchisement. Many of you also spoke up, sending messages to our legislators and Governor on behalf of Sapelo.
In spite of valiant mobilization by these NGOs, community members, and partners, the bill failed to pass during the 2023 legislative session. Still, this short but intense battle remains a testament to the power of joining together for a common goal—and the fight to protect Sapelo and uphold descendants’ vision for their community remains alive!
Private Landowners & Docks
When you live on an island, the water surrounding you is just as important as the land on which you stand. The tidal creeks, beaches, and marshes lining Sapelo Island are an integral part of the residents’ heritage, history, and present lived reality. They are the access points for fishing, crabbing, and seining—and anchor points for the stories passed down through generations.
There is currently a proposal by a private landowner on Sapelo Island to build a dock adjacent to the historic Hogg Hummock community. If approved, this would set a precedent for more construction that would irrevocably alter the environmental and cultural landscape of Sapelo Island. An ecosystem—one that encompasses marsh grasses, wildlife, African American history, and the future of Sapelo’s people—hangs in the balance.
Save Our Legacy Ourself (SOLO)
Save Our Legacy Ourself (SOLO), “preserving the culture, heritage, and traditions of the Saltwater Geechee people” of Sapelo Island.
Hog Hammock Community Foundation
Hog Hammock Community Foundation, serving the residents of Hog Hammock Community, Sapelo Island.
Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society (SICARS)
Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society (SICARS), “preserving and revitalizing the Hogg Hummock Community which is located on Sapelo Island, Georgia.”
Land is more than earth. Land is a protector and container of heritage. It enables the accumulation of generational wealth. It can be a powerful tool of anti-racist empowerment—or unjust systemic disenfranchisement.
We are committed to working to ensure McIntosh’s rich historical, cultural, and natural wonders are honored in future planning decisions.
Other Partners & Organizations to Know
Direct Descendants of Harris Neck Community
“The mission of the Direct Descendants of Harris Neck Community is to pass on the history of approximately 75 African American families, known as the Gullah Geechee people, that lived on the 2,000 acres of land called Harris Neck before the Diaspora by the United States Government over 80 years ago, through education and connection.” Learn more.
East Coast Greenway Alliance
The East Coast Greenway Alliance works actively to connect people to place from Maine to Florida through accessible and safe bike pathways. Though most of the East Coast Greenway route in Georgia is on roadways—mostly along US Highway 17—there is hope to include abandoned rail lines and historic canal corridors in the trail. Volunteers and municipal officials are working locally, providing feedback on projects such as the Darien River Bridge Restoration to ensure cyclists and pedestrians have space to enjoy our treasured coast safely. Learn more.
Coalition to Save Butler Island Plantation & House
In 2022, the Department of Natural Resources considered selling a portion of Butler Island, a property that is now owned by the people of Georgia and the site where more than 600 enslaved Africans once lived, for $1 to an entity that wanted to make the property a distillery. Thanks to the massive public outcry, the bill that would have enabled this sale failed to pass.
Only by having a holistic understanding of the history of places like Butler Island can we work toward an accurately-framed legacy and equitable future. Learn more about our partner, the Coalition to Save Butler Island.
Darien—McIntosh Chamber of Commerce
McIntosh in the News
The Current | 12/18/23
WTOC 11 | 12/11/23
GPB | 12/11/23
Coastal Courier | 12/11/23
New York Times | 11/23/23
Brunswick News | 11/18/23
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation | 11/15/23
The Darien News | 10/26/23
The Darien News | 10/19/23
The Current | 10/13/23
GPB | 10/4/23
Associated Press | 9/27/23
Matter of Fact News | 9/24/23
CNN | 9/13/23
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | 9/13/23
The AP | 9/12/23
The Current | 9/8/23
WTOC 11 | 9/6/23
The AP | 9/7/23
The Brunswick News | 6/14/23
The Current | 6/5/23
Savannah Morning News | 4/6/23
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | 3/24/23
Savannah Morning News | 3/24/23
The Darien News | 3/23/23
The Brunswick News | 3/18/23
The Brunswick News | 3/17/23
WTOC 11 | 3/15/23
GA Senate Committee | 3/15/23
Prism Reports | 3/13/23
WSAV | 2/24/23
Apple: Newsroom | 2/15/23
WTOC 11 | 1/12/23
Beacon Magazine | 2/9/21
Savannah Morning News | 6/18/20
Connect Savannah | 6/16/20
The Brunswick News | 6/10/20
“McIntosh County is one of our most important coastal treasures. OHM is committed to working with our partners to ensure its rich historical, cultural, and natural wonders are honored in future planning decisions.”
Please contact Megan Desrosiers, OHM President/CEO, to learn more about our work in McIntosh County.