The Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Southeastern United States. Numbering over 100, they are located between the mouths of the Santee and St. Johns Rivers along the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The largest of these is Johns Island in South Carolina. The Sea Islands, particularly Sapelo Island, are home to the Gullah people. The islands are very acutely threatened by sea level rise due to Climate Change. History Settled by indigenous cultures over thousands of years, the islands were selected by Spanish colonists as sites for founding of colonial missions. Historically the Spanish influenced the Guale and Mocama chiefdoms by establishing Christian missions in their major settlements, from St. Catherine's Island south to Fort George Island (at present-day Jacksonville, Florida). The area was home to multiple plantations; in 1863 Fanny Kemble published Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838–1839 about her experience on her husband's plantations in St. Simon's Island and Butler Island. After President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1, 1863, more than 5,000 slaves on Union-occupied islands obtained their freedom. Major Sea Islands South Carolina Charleston County Bull Island Dewees Island Edisto Island (also in Colleton County) Folly Island Isle of Palms James Island Johns Island Kiawah Island Morris Island Seabrook Island Sullivan's Island Wadmalaw Island Yonges Island Colleton County Bear Island Beaufort County Bay Point Island Cane Island Cat Island Coosaw Island Dataw Island Daufuskie Island Distant Island Fripp Island Gibbes Island Harbor Island Hilton Head Island Horse Island Hunting Island Lady's Island Morgan Island Parris Island Port Royal Island Pritchards Island St. Helena Island St. Phillips Island Spring Island Georgia Chatham County Tybee Island Little Tybee Island Cockspur Island Wilmington Island Talahi Island Whitemarsh Island Oatland Island Skidaway Island Isle of Hope Williamson Island Dutch Island Burnside Island Wassaw Island Ossabaw Island Liberty County St. Catherine's Island Isle of Wight Hampton Island McIntosh County Blackbeard Island Sapelo Island Glynn County Jekyll Island Little St. Simons Island St. Simons Island Sea Island Camden County Cumberland Island Florida Nassau County Amelia Island Duval County Big Talbot Island Little Talbot Island St. Johns County Anastasia Island See also Sea Island cotton Carolina Gold rice Sea Island red peas References Further reading External links Sea Islands: Erosion Remnant Islands and Barrier Islands -- Beaufort County Library Barrier islands of