Griffin Lotson facts for kids

Griffin Lotson, born on June 20, 1954, is an African-American historian from Crescent, Georgia. He is a seventh-generation Gullah Geechee person. This means his family has lived in the Gullah Geechee region for a very long time. He works as a councilman and the mayor pro-tem in Darien, Georgia. He also leads a group called the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters. Mr. Lotson is also a national vice-chairman for the federal Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission. This commission helps protect the history and culture of the Gullah Geechee people.

Griffin Lotson's Early Life

Griffin Lotson grew up in Darien, Georgia. As a child, he learned about "ring shout" from his grandfather. He went to Carneghan Emanuel Baptist Church and Sams Memorial Church Of God In Christ. There, he heard people sing "Come by Here," which is famously known as kumbaya. This song was a special hymn. It was sung to offer comfort and hope to people who were facing hard times.

Griffin Lotson's Career and Work

When he was a teenager, Griffin Lotson started working for the federal government. He moved to Washington. At age 40, he decided to move back to Georgia. He realized how important it was to protect and share his family's culture. He then spent his time learning and teaching about Gullah Geechee history.

Today, he is the manager of the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters. He also serves as a councilman and the mayor pro-tem in Darien. Mr. Lotson is the national vice-chairman of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission. This group works to preserve the Gullah Geechee culture. He is also the CEO of Sams Memorial Community Economic Development.

The History of Kumbaya

Griffin Lotson has done a lot of research on the history of the song "Kumbaya." In 2011, he wrote a book about it. He also helps raise money to keep the history of his ancestors alive. Mr. Lotson was a helper for a scene in the 2016 "Roots" TV series on the History Channel. He often leads special tours and riverboat cruises to share Gullah culture.

He suggested to Senator William Ligon that "Kumbaya" should be recognized. Because of his efforts, "Kumbaya" became Georgia's first state historical song.

What is Ring Shouting?

Griffin Lotson manages the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters. Ring shout is a very old type of performance from African-American culture. It was a practice among Gullah Geechee people. During a ring shout, people move in a circle and make rhythmic sounds. Mr. Lotson is working to make ring shouting well-known among young Americans.

In 2011, he organized a ring shout in Washington with 250 people. This was the largest number of people to perform a ring shout at one time. It was even featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. He has also taught this special practice to professional dancers. In January 2019, Mr. Lotson took the group to Sierra Leone. The Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters also perform in the Carrie Mae Weems exhibit about Gullah culture.