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Lorenzo Dow Turner

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149:(now University). Although established scholars then viewed Gullah speech as a form of substandard English, Turner sensed that Gullah was strongly influenced by African languages. He set out to study the language. For the next 20 years, he made trips to the Gullah region in coastal South Carolina and Georgia, interviewing Gullahs (often in isolated locations) and making detailed notes on their language. He also made recordings in the 1930s of Gullah speakers talking about their culture, folk stories and other aspects of life. 247: 1193: 839: 345:(1949) ... was considered not only the defining work of Gullah language and culture but also the beginning of a new field, African American studies. 'Until then it was pretty much thought that all of the African knowledge and everything had been erased by slavery. Turner showed that was not true,' Amos says. 'He was a pioneer. He was the first one to make the connections between African Americans and their African past.' 845: 82:, although he had not begun first grade until he was twenty-one years old. His mother gained the education allowed to black women at the time (six years). Two of Turner's brothers earned degrees in medicine and law. Turner's family's strong emphasis on education inspired him and helped him achieve academic success. 215:
Turner's pioneering work, which academics credit for introducing African-American studies to U.S. curricula, was the subject of "Word, Shout, Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner Connecting Communities Through Language" at Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum in July, 2016. Exhibit curator Alcione Amos said
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in 1949, he made an immediate impact on established academic thinking. His study of the origin, development and structure of Gullah was so convincing that scholars quickly accepted his thesis that Gullah is strongly influenced by African languages. He showed the continuity of language and culture
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newspaper, which closed after one year. He also taught Zora Neale Hurston when she was a student at Howard University. Hurston describes him as a major influence on her. She also adds that: "He was tall, lean, with a head of wavy black hair above his thin,aesthetic, tan-colored face. He was a
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research. "Such depth and breadth allowed Turner to locate Gullah culture and language within the broader complexities of the African diaspora in the New World, ... firmly outside the reductionist theoretical model of cultural assimilation."
197:. Many scholars have followed Turner over the years in researching the African roots of Gullah language and culture. He created a new field of study by his work and an appreciation for a unique element of African-American culture. 99:
Harvard man and knew his subject. His delivery was soft and restrained. The fact that he looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties at most made the girls conscious of shiny noses before they entered his classroom".
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Turner was strongly influenced by the American linguistic movement, which he joined at its inception. Through his Gullah research, he gave shape to several academic specialties: Gullah studies,
94:. He taught at Howard University from 1917 to 1928, and during his last eight years, he served as Head of the English Department. After leaving Howard, he founded the Washington 1277: 125:. Turner retired from Roosevelt in 1967. Turner remained professor emeritus at Roosevelt until his death at age 77 in 1972. His papers are held in the 90:
Turner earned a bachelor's degree from Howard University in 1914 and later as master's degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. in English literature from the
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Turner published 'Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect,' a book that would help pave the way for the field of African-American studies in the 1960s.
78:, on October 21, 1890, Turner was the youngest of four sons of Rooks Turner and Elizabeth Freeman. His father completed his master's degree at 216:
the Washington, D.C., museum acquired many of Turner's original notes, pictures and recordings from his widow, Lois Turner Williams, in 2003.
606: 442:. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Temple University, Institute of African and African-American Affairs, Department of African-American Studies. 1267: 783: 1257: 566: 173: 1282: 1237: 534: 458: 978: 956: 1242: 1232: 657: 1247: 762: 392: 1227: 722: 702: 529: 146: 507: 75: 1041: 1036: 1104: 793: 559: 46:. His studies included recordings of Gullah speakers in the 1930s. As head of the English departments at 126: 935: 35: 334:"Lorenzo Dow Turner, PhD'26: A linguist who identified the African influences in the Gullah dialect" 1272: 1007: 988: 951: 897: 819: 209: 1024: 917: 277: 232:
A junior high school in Chicago, the Turner Drew Language Academy, was dedicated to him (and to
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for a combined total of nearly 30 years, he strongly influenced their programs. He created the
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on various African language systems. He wanted to be able to provide context for the obvious "
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Lorenzo Dow Turner is best remembered as the father of Gullah studies. His interest in the
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Amos, Alcione M. (2011). "Lorenzo Dow Turner: Connecting Communities Through Language".
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Cotter, Holland (September 3, 2010). "A Language Explorer Who Heard Echoes of Africa".
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As part of his studies, Turner traveled to several locations in Africa, specifically
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From 1929 to 1946 Turner served as Head of the English Department at
106:. There he designed the curriculum for the African Studies Program. 194: 27: 23: 1064: 788: 707: 598: 114: 844: 453:. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. 58:
curriculum at Fisk, was chair of the African Studies Program at
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Hendry, Erica R. (March 2011). "An African Island in Georgia".
165: 138: 122: 22:(August 21, 1890 – February 10, 1972) was an African-American 1003: 208:, as well as being an important predecessor to the field of 121:
training program to prepare young volunteers for service in
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University of London School of Oriental and African Studies
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https://archive.org/details/dusttracksonroad00hurs_0
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Lorenzo Dow Turner: First African-American Linguist
1209: 359:"A Language Explorer Who Heard Echoes of Africa" 378:. Vol. 159, no. 55, 152. p. C20. 188:When Turner finally published his classic work 560: 535:Turner's Research Leads to a Modern Discovery 450:Lorenzo Dow Turner: Father of Gullah Studies 303:Lorenzo Dow Turner: Father of Gullah Studies 223:in Chicago, Illinois, on February 10, 1972. 540:Text of "Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect" 1278:People from Elizabeth City, North Carolina 607:A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion 567: 553: 505: 446: 437: 421: 253: 784:Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor 212:, which developed in the 1960s and ′70s. 574: 409:. Vol. 41, no. 11. p. 22. 301:Hargrove, Melissa D. (2009). "Review of 300: 1253:20th-century African-American academics 332:Kelly, Jason (November–December 2010). 1210: 404: 390: 373: 356: 548: 357:Cotter, Holland (September 2, 2010). 331: 957:Timeline of African-American history 506:Wade-Lewis, Margaret (Spring 1990). 474: 226: 156:, to learn about the development of 172:, respectively. He did research at 13: 1268:Researchers in Gullah anthropology 468: 141:began in 1929 when he first heard 132: 85: 16:American sociolinguist (1890–1972) 14: 1294: 658:Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl 523: 343:Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect 190:Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect 145:while teaching a summer class at 1192: 1191: 843: 837: 763:Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses 219:Turner died of heart failure at 30:who did seminal research on the 1258:20th-century American academics 391:Hendry, Erica R. (March 2011). 307:The Journal of Southern History 512:Studies in Linguistic Sciences 491:10.5816/blackscholar.41.1.0004 393:"Holding on to Gullah Culture" 384: 350: 338:University of Chicago Magazine 325: 294: 270: 259: 109:In 1946, he began teaching at 76:Elizabeth City, North Carolina 1: 447:Wade-Lewis, Margaret (2007). 438:Wade-Lewis, Margaret (1988). 240: 69: 1283:Roosevelt University faculty 1238:University of Chicago alumni 1042:Slavery in the United States 1037:History of the United States 147:South Carolina State College 66:volunteers going to Africa. 7: 794:Michael Row the Boat Ashore 278:"Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers" 10: 1299: 431: 127:Anacostia Community Museum 1243:Howard University faculty 1233:Harvard University alumni 1189: 1052: 944: 936:South Carolina Lowcountry 890: 859: 852: 835: 812: 771: 690: 674: 649: 590: 583: 160:languages, as well as to 989:History of Guinea-Bissau 952:African-American history 898:Beaufort, South Carolina 820:African-American culture 530:Biographical Information 210:African American studies 1248:Fisk University faculty 1025:History of Sierra Leone 918:Golden Isles of Georgia 180:" he discovered in his 1228:Fisk University alumni 698:Afro-American religion 221:Michael Reese Hospital 168:, to study Creole and 1053:Related ethnic groups 1018:History of the Gambia 877:Port Royal Experiment 691:Religion and folklore 631:Daughters of the Dust 92:University of Chicago 964:Atlantic slave trade 639:Gullah Gullah Island 403:Published in print: 372:Published in print: 111:Roosevelt University 60:Roosevelt University 779:Charleston red rice 591:Film and television 129:in Washington, DC. 1013:History of Senegal 999:History of Nigeria 994:History of Liberia 748:John the Conqueror 363:The New York Times 206:creole linguistics 20:Lorenzo Dow Turner 1205: 1204: 1185: 1184: 1060:African Americans 969:History of Angola 925:(protected site) 833: 832: 825:Culture of Africa 804:Robot Hive/Exodus 772:Music and culture 665:Vibration 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Retrieved 281: 272: 261: 249: 234:Charles Drew 218: 214: 199: 189: 187: 154:Sierra Leone 151: 136: 108: 101: 95: 89: 73: 19: 18: 1223:1972 deaths 1218:1890 births 929:Hog Hammock 799:Ranky Tanky 733:Goofer dust 642:(1994–2000) 485:(1): 4–15. 407:Smithsonian 397:Smithsonian 256:, p. . 193:across the 182:Sea Islands 178:Africanisms 119:Peace Corps 64:Peace Corps 38:of coastal 36:Low Country 1212:Categories 1177:Toucouleur 1008:Senegambia 758:Ring shout 738:Haint blue 287:2023-07-24 241:References 170:Portuguese 70:Early life 499:142310396 162:Louisiana 1198:Category 1155:Niominka 1110:Mandinka 675:Language 319:27779094 195:diaspora 74:Born in 28:linguist 24:academic 1065:Ambundu 913:Georgia 853:History 789:Kumbaya 708:Boo Hag 599:Conrack 584:Culture 432:Sources 115:Chicago 44:Georgia 34:of the 1263:Gullah 1145:Laalaa 1100:Kpelle 718:Hoodoo 634:(1991) 626:(1989) 618:(1984) 610:(1982) 602:(1974) 578:topics 497:  457:  317:  166:Brazil 158:Creole 123:Africa 1170:Saafi 1165:Palor 1140:Serer 1135:Wolof 1125:Temne 1115:Mende 1105:Limba 1095:Kongo 1090:Kissi 1004:Sahel 623:Glory 495:S2CID 315:JSTOR 1160:Noon 1150:Ndut 1120:Susu 1085:Jola 1080:Igbo 1075:Fula 1070:Baga 723:Mojo 455:ISBN 204:and 164:and 50:and 42:and 26:and 1130:Vai 487:doi 305:". 113:in 96:Sun 1214:: 1006:/ 516:20 514:. 510:. 493:. 483:41 481:. 395:. 365:. 361:. 340:. 336:. 311:75 309:. 280:. 568:e 561:t 554:v 501:. 489:: 463:. 399:. 321:. 290:.

Index

academic
linguist
Gullah language
Low Country
South Carolina
Georgia
Howard University
Fisk University
African Studies
Roosevelt University
Peace Corps
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Howard University
University of Chicago
Fisk University
Roosevelt University
Chicago
Peace Corps
Africa
Anacostia Community Museum
Gullah people
Gullah speakers
South Carolina State College
Sierra Leone
Creole
Louisiana
Brazil
Portuguese
University of London School of Oriental and African Studies
Africanisms

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