Within the historic walls of the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center, formerly Excelsior School, St. Johns County’s first Black high school, the stories of those who came before the Civil Rights Movement continue to be preserved and shared. In celebration of Juneteenth, the museum will host several events throughout June that explore Black history, culture, and resilience through education, storytelling, and community engagement. On June 13th, the museum will hold its first of these events, Lunch and Learn with Carnegie Mellon University History Professor Dr. Edda Fields-Black.
During the event, Dr. Fields-Black will share stories from her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War. As a historian whose research focuses on the connections between West African rice farmers, enslaved laborers in the American South, and the development of Gullah Geechee culture, Fields-Black became fascinated with uncovering the untold stories of those whose lives were shaped by the Combahee River Raid. Through years of research, she examined hundreds of historical records, including more than 175 U.S. Civil War pension files containing firsthand accounts from widows, children, and neighbors about life and labor on South Carolina rice plantations.
Drawing from these records, Combee reconstructs the experiences of the 756 enslaved people who gained their freedom during the June 2, 1863, Combahee River Raid led by Harriet Tubman, Union forces, and Black soldiers. The book explores Tubman’s often-overlooked role as a Civil War spy, scout, and military leader while also centering the stories of the enslaved families whose lives wer e forever changed by the raid. By tracing their journeys before, during, and after emancipation, Fields-Black reveals how their experiences helped shape the rich traditions and identity of Gullah Geechee culture. The book earned the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in History for its detailed account of one of the largest single-day liberations of enslaved people during the Civil War.
Dr. Fields-Black will also be signing copies of her book, which will be available for purchase at the event. Tickets are $50. For more information, visit the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center website.
