Sandhills Family Heritage Association
About Us
Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
Sandhills Family Heritage Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history, land, and legacy of families rooted in the Sandhills region of North Carolina. Through community-driven programs and hands-on engagement, we uplift the rich cultural traditions and stories that have shaped our communities for generations.
OUR MISSION
Sandhills Family Heritage Association (SFHA) strives to improve the quality of life for underserved communities in the Sandhills region of North Carolina through economic self-sufficiency, protection of land and livelihoods, preservation of African American cultural heritage and promotion of health and wellness.
MEET OUR FOUNDER
Ammie McRae Jenkins is a respected community leader and social entrepreneur based in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Though her work is local, her approach to community development has gained national
recognition.
Jenkins believes that shared history is a powerful tool for building consensus and addressing challenges that
affect families—especially in African-American communities.
Her passion for land preservation is personal. In 1954, her family lost their farm—an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to protecting land and cultural heritage for future generations.
In 1962, Jenkins broke new ground as the first African-American student admitted to High Point University in North Carolina. As the great-granddaughter of a formerly enslaved person, her journey was guided by a deep desire to honor the past and shape a better future.
By 1970, driven by questions about her family’s history and the broader story of land loss, she began researching her genealogy. What started as a personal search quickly grew into a community-wide effort to uncover and preserve the African-American experience in the Sandhills region.
Through a series of round-table discussions with local residents, Jenkins helped spark a grassroots movement focused on reclaiming and celebrating cultural identity.
In 2001, at age 60, she founded the Sandhills Family Heritage Association (SFHA) to address critical issues of land ownership, cultural preservation, and self-sufficiency. She selected the Sankofa Bird as the organization's symbol—reminding us to “go back and get it,” to understand the past in order to move forward with wisdom.
In 2008, Jenkins was named a Purpose Prize Fellow, one of just 55 honorees selected from more than 1,200 nominees nationwide. The Purpose Prize, a program of Civic Ventures (now Encore.org), recognizes social innovators over 60 making a powerful impact.
Jenkins led SFHA as Executive Director for nearly two decades before retiring in 2014. But in 2017, she returned to guide the organization to greater stability and to spearhead the renovation of the Historic Civic Center Building—a vital space for community, culture, and connection.
Today, her legacy continues to inspire a new generation committed to honoring history and building a stronger future.
WHAT WE DO
Sandhills Family Heritage Association carries out its mission through our programs of H.O.P.E.:
-
History and Heritage
-
Outreach Education
-
Preservation of Land
-
Economic Self Sufficiency
OUR LOGO
The concept of “Sankofa” is derived from the Akan people of West Africa.
“Sankofa” is expressed in the Akan language as “se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki.” Literally translated, this means “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.
"Sankofa” teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is, we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward. Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone, or been stripped of can be reclaimed, revived, preserved, and perpetuated.
"Visually and symbolically, “Sankofa” is expressed as a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth. This ties with our motto: “In order to understand our present and ensure our future, we must know our past.”
University of Springfield, Illinois - African-American Studies
SFHA Timeline: Our Journey
1998
Sandhills Family Heritage Association is incorporated, marking the beginning of a grassroots effort to preserve land, culture, and community in the Sandhills region of North Carolina.
2001
Received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, formalizing our mission to address land loss, preserve African-American history, and promote economic self-sufficiency.
2005
Accepted the gift of the Historic Civic Center Building, along with the community’s charge to renovate and reopen this treasured local landmark as a gathering space and cultural hub.
2018
Launched the Historic Civic Center Renovation Project, breathing new life into the building and renewing our commitment to preservation and community service.
2019 – Present
Continuing decades of grassroots work, SFHA remains rooted in the community—meeting people where they are, honoring the past, and building toward a stronger future.