JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Saturday marked the somber first anniversary of the gangway collapse on Sapelo Island in coastal Georgia, which plunged at least 20 people into the water and resulted in the deaths of seven, including four residents from Jacksonville.

As the victims gathered to honor the Gullah Geechee heritage, a tragedy unfolded. In remembrance of those who perished, a Jacksonville city council member is spearheading efforts to establish a monument dedicated to the memory of the Sapelo Seven.

“It’s been a year, but we have a lifetime to honor their memory,” remarked Jacksonville City Council Member Rahman Johnson.

Throughout the past year, Johnson has immersed himself in learning about the lives of the seven individuals who lost their lives in the collapse, seeking meaningful ways to celebrate their contributions and legacies.

“We’ve done even more research and learned about Sapelo Island,” said Johnson. “Learned why they were there, the processes. Right now, it’s more about celebration than anything.”

Johnson doesn’t want to lose sight of what the Sapelo Seven were doing when the gangway collapsed – they were at Sapelo Island for a Gullah Geechee Cultural Day.

 “What it was is to really celebrate a part of American history that in some ways is forgotten,” said Johnson.

According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, Gullah Geechee refers to descendants of enslaved African people, who created a new culture that mixed African traditions to create a unique blend of language, art, food and music.

That history is already honored at Freedom Park in East Arlington, and Johnson wants to add to that in honor of the Sapelo Seven – with a big boulder.

“We wanted something that would speak to legacy,” said Johnson. “How much more different can we be than stone?”

Johnson launched a survey for folks to weigh in on what they’d like to see inscribed on the plaque that will go with the boulder.

 That plaque will also have a QR code visitors will be able to scan to take them to a deeper dive into Gullah Geechee culture from the Jacksonville public library.

 “I’m glad we’re able to find a way so their families can come to see their sacrifice wasn’t in vain,” said Johnson. “It allows us, whether they be black folk, white folk or candy-striped folk to come and say, ‘This is a part of our history we can celebrate.”

While the City of Jacksonville works on the monument for the Sapelo Seven, there have been a lot of other developments in the year since this happened.

An investigation into the collapse, new gangways installed and a lawsuit filed by the survivors all within the past year.

Come next month, Johnson hopes that boulder will be installed to go along with these Gullah Geechee plaques.