. today's a good day to have a good day. my name is phillip calvert, a.k.a. phil walkie, and i am in savannah, georgia looking to feel the culture. i've been to over 70 different countries, using positivity as my tool. when you display positivity, you big john stud.

there you go. i'm talking about. you got the glasses and everything. people are more likely to open up and invite you in. how you doing bro. dang. thank you. definitely me. and that's how it is in savannah, just random people saying what's up? i cannot wait to show you why savannah is the most beautiful city in the world. don't you guys agree? yeah. hey, yeah, me too. let me show y'all why. come on. [music playing] (singing) gonna give up and be mine, b-b-be mine. in the heart of america's south, situated on the banks of the ogeechee river, you'll find savannah! the oldest city in georgia, dating back to 1733. today, savannah is a destination for good times and good weather, where you come for the drinks,

but stay for the history, which savannah has plenty of. history has its place. we're georgia's first city, georgia's first capital. phillip calvert: it's hard to find a starting point for this town's story. but if anyone can give context to where the past and the present collide, it's mayor van johnson. pleasure to have you here in the world's greatest city. this is the world's greatest city. it is the world's greatest city. that is a big statement. i'm excited. van johnson: savannah is an international city. we have the third busiest port in america. we feel the effects of hurricanes. and we feel the effects of storms here. we have a responsibility to make sure that that stays pristine, and that we take care of them. we're a place that acknowledges the role that slavery played here. the largest slave trade ever in american history occurred right here in savannah, georgia, maybe more than two miles from this very spot. wow.

for me, it's a great honor, but it's also a great responsibility, knowing that the city hall that i occupy wasn't made for me. but it also shows how much our community has grown, how much our nation has grown, and that we are the land of opportunity. with great power comes great responsibility. absolutely. and if this is the best city in the usa. - the best city in the world. - oh i'm sorry, i'm sorry. best city in the world. well, we have the greatest people in the world. and we are blessed to have a community that's growing all in the same direction, respecting our history, but really positioning ourselves for the future. phillip calvert: but aspirations for the future doesn't come without a reckoning with the past. and savannah's dark history can be called flat out bizarre, from haunted mansions to mass graves, savannah had a lot of demons to overcome. and those demons can sometimes take the form of paranormal beings. every now and then, yeah, you'll get some nice ghosts. and then every now and then, you'll get one that's not so nice.

phillip calvert: here to tell us more is ghost expert patrick welch, founder of paranormal society of savannah and actor producer mark mccullough. savannah, one of the most haunted cities in the world. why? patrick welch: back in 1733, there was a yellow fever epidemic that came out three or four times in savannah. over 50% of the population got wiped out. and with no place to really bury them, they would have mass graves. and they would just bury them all over the city. and then as savannah progressed, they were just building on top of all these mass graves out there. phillip calvert: man. and ever since, the city has been plagued with visitors from the beyond. you're born and raised here in savannah. i was, yes. the house that my dad had since i was a young boy, we had a lot of very creepy experiences when i was a kid . but as the years went by it, went from being creepy to terrifying. phillip calvert: oh, man. - yeah. phillip calvert: the ghost stories have even reached the silver screen

with the making of the 2021 film, "a savannah haunting." i heard stories about this piece of land when i was a little girl. phillip calvert: produced by marc mccullough, the film is based on real events from his life using the actual haunted house that he grew up in. right up here is where we see the lady that's in the window a lot. phillip calvert: she goes-- patrick welch: right up here. phillip calvert: i don't see her. when it turns blue, it could be an entity because it's a lot colder. a lot of people notice when there's a presence around that everything gets cold. is it a lot of activity in this room? the majority of the haunting is in the bedroom up here. the alarm went off at like 2:30 in the morning to the sound of laughter. [giggling] and i woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a little girl whispering my name outside the window. and i remember standing up, and as i walked out, i heard her calling my name all the way out the room.

- (whispering) mark. - bro. yeah, it was pretty scary. i would not stay in that house by myself, ever. the hair standing up on the back of my neck. doesn't it feel cooler? yeah, man, let's go over here. is there anyone here that would like to communicate with phil? yes. oh, hell, no. he said yes. this is the scariest paranormal thing i've ever experienced. and you just be living there. yes. savannah, she's been through a lot of trauma. absolutely, just like anyone who goes through a lot of trauma, if you face it and work through it, you grow through it and you get better. and that's why y'all are probably the best city in the world. we try to get along with everybody, dead or alive. oh, that was good, right there. i hope it's more alive. i'm scared of ghosts.

the year was 1912, and the woman suffrage movement was at its peak. but while women were fighting for a voice, the boys were further empowered with their own organization, the boy scouts of america. in response to this, a woman from savannah named juliette gordon low had big dreams for the next generation of girls. so she founded the girl scouts. since its founding, the girl scouts has grown into a national treasure, catering to over 2.5 million girls in the united states and more around the world. so we're visiting the birthplace of it all, the original camp low, where juliette gordon low first broke ground. girl scouts is this worldwide organization helping girls become who they want to be in the future. we teach a lot of valuable life lessons, valuable life skills, financial literacy, stem, art, anything, we teach girls about it. phillip calvert: and perhaps their most popular program

and what they have become synonymous with is a treat that has baked itself into popular culture. everybody wants to know, where did the cookies come from? where did the cookies come from? so, it was started by a troop of older girls in oklahoma, who were selling cookies at their school cafeteria to raise money to send care packages to their military overseas. and the idea exploded. we are the largest run kid business, run by girls, in the entire world. it's $1 billion business. phillip calvert: wow. there are so many skills we learned with selling girl scout cookies, money management, business ethics, promoting yourself. it gives you confidence to get out there. confidence and courage and character to do the things you want. hey, you took the words right out of my mouth. thank you. phillip calvert: and there's no better place to test that motto than in the great outdoors at camp low. i got to have courage. and i'm so confident. and it's going to show my character. [frog croaks]

are you ready? what do i say when i hit it? girl scout! are you a dad? because you really got the dad jokes. not yet. do you feel like the girls here in today's world are far beyond than what they were 10 or 15 years ago? i know they are. they actually have a girl scout institute that does research. and that research shows that girl scouts, in fact, are ahead of non girl scouts in almost every single subject in school by third grade. oh. watch this. whoa. i'm man enough to be a girl scout. here we go. you are too man enough, actually. phillip calvert: so these are definitely the leaders of tomorrow. they really are, in every way. i mean, they want to learn and they want to be in those jobs that traditionally have not been part of a woman's life. i think that i'm probably one of the best archers out here. i actually hit all three of my arrows. that's right. did you? no, i didn't. so, hey. they're sassy. she's sassy.

we allow those girls to look at trying to change the world to be a better place, but in the way that they see it. hey, you are a natural. so it really is a well-rounded education that they get in girl scouting. - that's awesome. women: (singing) come on, ladies. come on, girls. phillip calvert: and all of their hard work is celebrated during their annual bridging ceremony, a girl scout tradition that dates back to 1920. hello, girl scouts. hello. welcome to savannah, where it all started. choir: (singing) we are unit unstoppable. we are a unit of choice. we are a unit that's powerful. nothing can stop the force. a daisy bridges to brownies, then brownies to juniors, and juniors to cadets, and then to seniors, and to ambassadors. crossing the bridge to become what? what level? we're aging out. y'all aging out? so this is the last walk. keep those feet in there. let's walk it up. there you go. what are you going to be now after you bridge over. cadet. give me a high five on that.

congratulations. i think bridging is super important because it teaches us that we are heading into the future and we are the future. you are the future. man, juliet would be so proud of you. thank you. i appreciate that. that's what's up.

savannah, a city of freedom, a city of faith. in august of 1777, these principles came together when a former slave and ordained minister, george lyle, founded the first african baptist church. it's a misnomer to think that those who came from africa did not worship. phillip calvert: and almost 250 years later, reverend thurmond tillman is keeping the faith alive.

they were able to see freedom and liberation in the midst of the same words, how the children of israel were looking to get out of bondage in egypt. you can't help but begin to understand and begin to read and begin to see that there's freedom, that there's joy, that there's peace, in a relationship with god. let us go into the house of the lord. phillip calvert: while the congregation now comes for its faith, some of the original worshippers came for their freedom. there were members of the congregation that were enslaved. yes, sir. the majority would have been. in this building, we have a place where they could in fact leave from here, get to the savannah river. and from the savannah river, be able to go towards freedom. even the actual songs that were being sang, basically those are all songs coded for freedom. when you're singing, wade in the water, we're not just talking about baptism, or just wade in the water, you're saying, when you are escaping,

wade in the water so the dogs can't follow your trail. as a matter of fact, there are so many symbols in this building, i mean, the ceiling itself has a nine patch, which is a symbol of safety. on the side of the pews in the windows, west african symbols. phillip calvert: west african symbols. right. so whenever i'm in the south and i see these nine patches, wherever i see those four symbols, underground railroad. choir: (singing) i saw troubled water. hey, hey, hey. and at the close of the civil war, general sherman and the union army met with 20 ministers of savannah to discuss the protection and reparations for the thousands of newly freed slaves. that's when right here in savannah the declaration of 40 acres and a mule. wow. and then abraham lincoln was assassinated. president johnson came in and kicked all that stuff out. so even today, we're not wrong to ask for our 40 acres and a mule. we're not wrong to ask for reparations.

do not act as if slavery did not happen. it did happen. we can learn from it. we can grow from it. and we can be better because of it. choir: (singing) hey, hey, hey. [vocalizing] phillip calvert: and with freedom and faith comes the strength to bring back what was lost. pinpoint, georgia stands as that testament to resilience. founded by freed slaves, its rich history intertwined with the unique culture of the gullah geechee people has shaped the community's identity and commitment to keeping african traditions alive. people without the knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots. phillip calvert: and dedicated to preserving some of savannah's oldest traditions is the pinpoint heritage museum. once an oyster cannery, its walls now tell the story of a society nearly forgotten.

gullah geechee, they lived in complete isolation. after emancipation, they were able to practice their african traditions. this is how we would steer this thing. phillip calvert: traditions that mr hayes holds quite dear. my great great great grandfather the bond family was one of the families enslaved. a broken oil handle attached to the floor with a door hinge. phillip calvert: that's innovation right there. hanif hayes: this was actually first land ownership and first freedom. wow, so i can sense the pride in you. - oh, yes. - i love it. i feel it. test your gullah. when i was little, going to school, and we were being teased because of the way we spoke. and i think i know this one because my grandma say it. hanif hayes: say it for me. phillip calvert: chirrin. hanif hayes: churn? children, like kids. hanif hayes: children. o, you got it. yeah. but now there's a great pride in gullah geechee.

now the language is actually being taught at harvard. ona. una. so is that one or you? that's you. i don't know how i know that. i think it's because it's just in me. i was getting pretty good at the language, but there's one gullah geechee tradition i was hungry to learn. all right, what have we got to do? teach me teach me about the-- low. low. country. boil. how long has this recipe been around? this recipe been around since before i was born because they brought it from africa. they brought it from africa. africa over here. you think the people that was enslaved was cooking this? oh, yeah. they live off of the river with the oysters and crabs and the shrimp. phillip calvert: drop. drop. hanif hayes: don't burn yourself. i ain't burning myself. all right. i'm going to need somebody to hold that pan for me. ok? phillip calvert: i got the pan. i'm holding it. oh, i smell it. hanif hayes: there you go. you know what to do. i'm teaching you right. you know the things. you teaching me.

choir: (singing) hey, uh, hey, uh, hey, uh. i have this is a lot of low, low country boil. my man, this here is a beauty. and the scenery. and the scenery. you got to pay for scenery like this. yeah, yeah. that's right. you couldn't even copy this on a picture. phillip calvert: you can't copy it. hanif hayes: that's right. you can't copy it.

so today is the start of my food journey here in savannah.

and i'm ready to get it started with mrs. wilkes dining room. i'm excited because this is southern cuisine. this is what i've been waiting for the whole time. come on in. welcome, everyone. phillip calvert: originally a boarding house, the establishment was taken over in 1943 by selma wilkes. and her goal was simple, to bring people together with comfortable lodging and communal dining, which didn't take long with her down home southern cooking. - hey, welcome. - how you doing? - so glad you're here. - nice to meet you. thank you. this looks like my grandmother's living room. today, that tradition continues with her granddaughter, marcia thompson. marcia thompson: you got 25 different things. so you want to pass it all around, ok? i like to feel like we're having 200 people at our house for lunch every day. do you feel like you're at my house for lunch? i just want to give you a hug. here, each table is stacked with plates of smothered, buttered, creamy, and fried goodness, all being passed around and shared by family, friends, and strangers alike.

what are you liking so far? do you like the collard greens? i got it mixed with a rutabaga, but it's delicious. ok. it's like a family style er. so the people that are in line, they get to know each other in line. and then when they come in here they all sit together. phillip calvert: you never know who you're going to sit next to. marcia thompson: you might be sitting by the mayor or the plumber or the electrician or ryan reynolds and blake lively. you're from morocco? yes. [arabic greeting] we have tons of people from all over the world. and i had some folks from germany the other day, and they told me that they had been here 10 times. - 10 times. - 10 times. do you know how to say 10 in german? - no, i don't. - me neither. me neither. but i know how to say more chicken. more chicken. phillip calvert: and while marcia may be an ambassador for southern cooking, donald lubowicki and jeffery downey, the couple behind circa 1875 and their new restaurant, la scala, are in the business of bringing world flavors back home. - right this way. - thank you.

thank you. this place is beautiful. wait till you see the upstairs. am i in savannah or italy? both. they walk in the door and the first impression is-- oh my gosh. is this a chapel in a restaurant? it is. it is. there's so much history around every corner. that's what i'm talking about. god gave you several senses, and i like every sense to be used in a restaurant. i'm ready to use all my senses on this food. our menu is old school italian but it's also got a southern flair to it. so here we have the lobster and blue crab ravioli. mama mia. you're going to have rigatoni burrata, the pesto, and you have wild georgia shrimp. georgia shrimp. wild georgia shrimp are the best shrimp in the world. they really are. that is delicious. that is delicious. the flavor, you taste it.

one of my favorite things about chef india is that she was able to come into an old school italian restaurant and she gave it a fresh perspective. here's to chef india. to chef india. love her. and while donald and jeffrey brought a fresh perspective to savannah, the city returned the favor in the most unexpected way. so we came here on vacation driving from detroit to fort lauderdale. and we fell in love with savannah. people don't care about who you are, what your sexual preferences are here. you're judged by quality of character. and that was a place that i would like to call home. i'll give it to savannah, man. you guys are extremely welcoming. the city is incredible. savannah is like 90% people from all over the world that moved here in one big melting pot, ourselves included. savannahians are all about being real, being interesting, and living your life. live your life.

savannah.

good morning. it is saturday, february 3rd. 7:00. a live look outside. japantown in san jose. some cloud cover there, and calm outside now,