An eight-year-old boy watched Sherman’s troops pass through Emanuel County in 1864, not yet understanding how much his world was about to change. Decades later, that once-enslaved boy, Benjamin Bennett, would build a school on his Bulloch County farm, creating educational opportunities for generations of local children.

A lifelong pursuit of family history has unearthed the complex realities faced by enslaved ancestors. This week, hear the story of Thomas Hodges Sr., who was born into slavery in 1808, and his descendants.

Bulloch County Commissioners are making local government more approachable with a new, informal meeting format that saw a significant boost in public participation. The initial session in Portal drew a full house, signaling a successful shift towards direct dialogue with constituents.

Citizens attending a Bulloch County “town hall” meeting at Willow Hill this week told their concerns to the elected county commissioners and their top departmental staff members. Some of the discussion topics included roads, parks, and data centers.

Rising from the bonds of slavery, the Donaldson and Parrish families of Bulloch County played pivotal roles in the establishment of churches and the founding of the Willow Hill School.

The story begins with Harriet Riggs, who was sold on the courthouse steps in 1847. Through future generations, she would go on to profoundly impact the lives of African Americans and the county’s educational, religious, and civic history.

For decades, Dr. Alvin Jackson, Dr. Nkenge Jackson-Flowers, and the late Dr. Gayle Jackson have worked to preserve African American community history at Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center (WHHRC). Georgia Southern History students and faculty joined this effort more than ten years ago, helping to expand the project into exhibitions, internships, and a digital archive of more than 7,000 funeral programs.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, or IMLS, has awarded the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center another $100,000 grant to continue and advance its work in preserving, digitizing and interpreting printed and written programs from African American funerals, the Willow Hill Center announced Monday.

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center (WHHRC) has received a federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to preserve African American funeral programs documenting family and community history.

Roy Mosley, a farmer finding new routes to some old and “natural” paths, has added rice to his production of heirloom grain and vegetable varieties, natural-pasture pork and a few fresh chickens in the Willow Hill area.

Just in time for its annual festival, the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center welcomed a new playground with colorful equipment designed for children up to age 12 or so.

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center (WHHRC) invites the public to its annual Heritage Festival, a weekend of history, culture, and storytelling.

Rediscover the history and culture of one local community while learning how to preserve your family’s own story at the Willow Hill Heritage Festival Aug. 29-31.

This weekend’s Willow Hill Heritage Festival, which marks the 151st anniversary of the founding of the Willow Hill School, highlights “the power of local memory and the importance of preserving the voices that shaped our communities.”

Fully 50% of the Bulloch County residents who died in military service during World War I – 13 of the 26 local men – were African American. But only two of the black soldiers from Bulloch County who lost their lives during the war, namely Willie Brannen and Clarence Lyons, were killed in combat.

The 2025 Juneteenth celebration, held at Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center on Friday, June 20, 2025, was a moving and hopeful event.

Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance Center marked the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth with two days of community celebrations that featured live music, food, local vendors and family friendly activities.

The community will celebrate Juneteenth with two days of events on June 20 and 21 featuring live music, food, vendors, and activities that honor African American history and culture.