FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dig Into History at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park’s Community Archaeology Experience

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park Invites Everyone to Become Archaeologists on May 31, 2025

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (May 8, 2025) Be part of history in the making! Historic
Mitchelville Freedom Park (HMFP) invites you to “Stories Surround Us: A Community
Archaeological Experience” on Friday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 40 Harriet Tubman Way,
Hilton Head Island.
This free, hands-on event lets you work alongside real archaeologists as they uncover the past
and prepare the site for HMFP’s future Visitor Center. Thanks to the Walton Family Foundation
grant, this special day marks the first of two community events in the “Stories Surround Us”
project. The grant also funds “Dig Mitchelville,” a new digital archive that will share
archaeological findings with the community.
“We want to thank the Walton Family Foundation for their generous support that
helps bring Mitchelville’s history to life for everyone,” said Ahmad Ward, executive
director of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. “We are also so thankful to our
community for their excitement about this project.”

What You Can Do at the Event:

  • Dig a real archaeological test pit with expert guidance (online registration required)
  • Search for historic artifacts in soil from the first free Black town in the American South
  • Learn how archaeologists decide where to excavate
  • Be a part of the preparation for the future Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park Visitor’s Center
  • Bring kids for fun Kid’s Dig activities designed just for them

No registration is needed to attend this free event. Simply show up and join the activities. To dig a shovel test pit, please sign up for a time slot online in advance (required).

Visit facebook.com/digmitchelville for more information.

Findings from this community dig will be shared at a town hall event on October 22, 2025. Your discoveries on May 31 will help archaeologists understand what lies beneath Mitchelville’s historic grounds as the park plans for a new Visitor Center.

About Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park:

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park preserves the site of America’s first freed Black town in the American South. Founded in 1862, Mitchelville represents an important chapter in American history where newly free people built their own community with schools, churches and elected officials.

Event Details:

  • What: Stories Surround Us: A Community Archaeological Experience
  • When: Friday, May 31, 2025, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Where: Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, 40 Harriet Tubman Way, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
  • Cost: Free (sign-up required for shovel test pit activities only)
  • Learn More: digmitchelville.com

For questions about the dig and digital archive:

Contact Dr. Katherine Seeber of Carolina Community Archaeology, lead archaeologist for HMFP, at (770) 376-8717 or kseeber@ccarchaeo.org. For other Park questions, call (843) 255-7301 or visit exploremitcheville.com.

Media Note:

Media representatives interested in advance tours of the archaeological site or additional information about the scientific aspects of the project may contact Dr. Katherine Seeber, Lead Archaeologist. Dr. Seeber is available for tours and interviews relating to the archaeological process and the historical significance of the findings.