Goodwill Educational and Historical Society

The mission of Goodwill Educational and Historical Society, Inc. is to provide educational programs and services that expose an intergenerational community to the history, culture, living heritage, and industries of the Salem-Black River community of Sumter County, South Carolina.

GEHS's primary focus is the renovation of the Goodwill Parochial School (GPS) building which from the1800's to 1960 provided a high quality education to thousands of students despite being under-resourced and considered inferior to other schools in the area. Our goal is to stabilize, retrofit, and promote the building as a cultural center that educates community members, supporters, and the general public about the importance of historical preservation and the significance of the school. To date we have renovated the first floor, which is currently used for cultural and community events, and have secured funding to fully complete 2nd floor renovations and install a permanent cultural legacy preservation exhibit. We are also committed to using the building to provide residents of rural East Sumter County, an area with limited community programs, with services such as technology access, wellness initiatives, youth and senior engagement, and educational enrichment.

Testimonials

The work and vision of GEHS is exciting. The efforts of GEHS to maintain and share the history of the Goodwill School and its impact on the educational and social development of African Americans from the 1800s through 1960 with the broader community are important. The GEHS plays an important role in our community as they plan and oversee social and learning activities at the cultural center. The projects they are working on will provide a display that will attract visitors to our community.