Marlena Smalls and the Legacy of Gullah Culture in the Lowcountry

Singer, educator, historian (and Bubba’s mom) Marlena Smalls has carried Gullah culture in her heart her entire life

Story by Barry Kaufman + Photography by Lisa Staff

Long before the world came to know Marlena Smalls through a short but scene-stealing role as Bubba’s mom in the 1994 Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump, she was well known throughout the Lowcountry. Having founded the Gullah Festival in Beaufort 10 years prior and serving as leader of the Hallelujah Singers, who also appeared in the film, she had already made her mark as a fierce champion of Gullah culture, music and traditions.

Which makes it all the more interesting that it took an article from Smithsonian Magazine to truly open her eyes to something that had always been around her.

“I was familiar with the term Geechee, but not Gullah. When I moved to Carolina to work as a coordinator for the City of Beaufort, I read an article talking about the Gullah people. It piqued my interest because it was about me,” she said. “I realized that that’s who I am. And that’s why I do what I do.”

It was hardly her first introduction to the culture, however. Growing up in Ohio in a family that had migrated north from the Sea Islands, the thread that traces all the way back to West Africa had long been woven into her story.

Bubbas Mom in Forrest Gump — Forrest travels to Bayou La Batre, filmed on Lady’s Island, to meet Bubba’s family. When he tells Mrs. Blue, played by Marlena Smalls, that he has purchased a shrimping boat in Bubba’s honor, she scoffs, asking, “Are you crazy or just plain stupid?” Forrest responds calmly with one of the film’s most quoted lines, “Stupid is as stupid does, Mrs. Blue.” Smalls later steals the scene when she dramatically faints upon realizing just how valuable Forrest’s investment has become. ***©Paramount Pictures***

“My mom was a Carolinian, and my mom’s mom was a Geechee woman and a Carolinian. My first educators were all Carolinians,” she said. “And my grandmother’s culture was very much intact — the way she dressed, the way she looked, the way she prepared her food. We want to think that the Gullah can only be found from the Carolinas to Florida, and that is not true.”

As evidence, she points to the massive impact that culture had as the African diaspora filtered its way through the Lowcountry, from the drumbeats of Cuba to the dance moves of South America and the rice dishes found across both continents. But closest to her heart, showcased by the beautiful songs that effortlessly escape her as she speaks, is the rich musical legacy of the Gullah people.

“You’d be surprised how many times I talk to people, not just Black people but white people, asking, ‘Can I sing Negro spirituals?’ Yes, you can. It’s a universal language. It’s open to us all,” she said. “And some don’t want to sing them because they say, ‘It takes me back.’ But you should want to go back to know where you come from. That way, you know how far you can go.”

And so far, that music has taken her far, from performances in front of presidents and royalty to stages in countries as far away as Japan as she spreads the joy of the Gullah tunes at the root of her heritage.

“The responsibility that God has given me is not a dream, sweetheart,” she said. “He gave me a vision as to how I could play a part in uniting people and sharing culture through love.”

Marlena Smalls Gullah culture Beaufort South Carolina — Marlena Smalls is a Beaufort icon whose life’s work bridges performance and preservation. Best known for her role as Bubba’s mother in Forrest Gump, she has spent decades sharing Gullah heritage through music, storytelling and education. From founding the Gullah Festival in Beaufort to leading the Hallelujah Singers as cultural ambassadors, Smalls continues to build a legacy that carries Gullah culture far beyond the Lowcountry.

In a region shaped by tides and time, Marlena Smalls has become one of the Lowcountry’s most enduring voices.

FAQs About Marlena Smalls and Gullah Culture

Who is Marlena Smalls?
Marlena Smalls is a singer, educator and historian known for her work preserving Gullah culture in the Lowcountry and her role in Forrest Gump.

What is Gullah culture?
Gullah culture refers to the traditions, language and heritage of descendants of enslaved Africans in the Sea Islands and coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

What is the Gullah Festival?
The Gullah Festival is an annual event in Beaufort celebrating Gullah heritage, music and community..