History lesson: Scholar provides insight on little-known community

  • Published
  • By Mike Molina
  • ARPC Editor
Lawrence Borom has been an educator for 49 years. On Wednesday, Mr. Borom gave the employees at the Air Reserve Personnel Center and Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Denver, a history lesson. 

Mr. Borom, who is the president of the Black Education Advisory Council for Denver Public Schools, delivered the keynote address during the ARPC and DFAS Black History Month Program on Feb. 14. During his address, he spoke about the origins of the Gullah, a black community that developed a distinct culture in South Carolina and Georgia, after being brought to America as slaves.

"It's important to understand there was a great deal of diversity amongst the Africans
who were brought here as slaves," he said. "(They) played a signifi cant part in
American history that hasn't been known much." 

Mr. Borom explained how the Gullah were sought after as slaves because of their
unique skills as rice farmers. 

The enslaved Gullah became allies with the Seminole, providing food for the tribe who had been ousted from their land by white settlers. The Seminole in turn provided
protection for the Gullah, Mr. Borom said. The Seminole and Gullah developed a biracial community and fought alongside one another during the early 1800s. 

The Black Seminoles, as they came to be known, migrated to Mexico's border towns where they protected Mexico from U.S. encroachment.

"Their alliance with the Seminole is an example of Africans' efforts to escape slavery," Mr. Borom said. 

Through years of subjugation and war, the Gullah maintained their distinct community,
developing language and culture heavily infl uenced by their African ancestors, he said. 

"The history of the Gullah shows the unique connections they had with their African past," Mr. Borom said. "African- American people have always sought to find their freedom." 

Steve Hannan, ARPC's director of Communications and Information, presented Mr. Borom with an engraved plaque on behalf of ARPC and DFAS. 

"You taught us about a road to freedom from slavery that many of us didn't know about," Mr. Hannan said. "And for that we thank you."