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"We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers. Our abundance has brought us neither peace of mind nor serenity of spirit." —Martin Luther King, Jr. Places & Spaces Graveyards & Cemeteries 1/5 North Carolina is home to many places and spaces that celebrate the contributions and achievements of African Americans. From museums to cultural centers, visitors can learn about the important strides made by this community throughout history. These sites offer a unique opportunity to explore the rich cultural heritage of African Americans in North Carolina. Plantations 1/6 North Carolina is home to many places and spaces that celebrate the contributions and achievements of African Americans. From museums to cultural centers, visitors can learn about the important strides made by this community throughout history. These sites offer a unique opportunity to explore the rich cultural heritage of African Americans in North Carolina. Monuments & Markers 1/1 North Carolina has a significant number of monuments and markers that commemorate the contributions of African Americans throughout history. From the Civil to the Civil Rights Movement, these monuments and markers are a testament to the resilience and perseverance of African Americans in North Carolina. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

< Back Henry Johnson Henry Johnson was born July 15 1892. He was a decorated African American soldier in WW1. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina William Henry Lincoln Johnson moved to Albany, New York when he was in his early teens. He worked as a redcap porter at the Albany Union Station on Broadway. *Henry Johnson was born July 15 1892. He was a decorated African American soldier in WW1. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina William Henry Lincoln Johnson moved to Albany, New York when he was in his early teens. He worked as a redcap porter at the Albany Union Station on Broadway. Johnson enlisted in the United States Army on June 5, 1917, joining the all-black New York National Guard 15th Infantry Regiment, which, when mustered into Federal service was re-designated as the 369th Infantry Regiment, based in Harlem. The 369th Infantry joined the 185th Infantry Brigade upon arrival in France, but the unit was relegated to labor service duties instead of combat training. The 185th Infantry Brigade was in turn assigned on January 5, 1918 to the 93rd Infantry Division. Although General John J. Pershing wished to keep the U.S. Army autonomous, he "loaned" the 369th to the 161st Division of the French Army. Supposedly, the unreported and unofficial reason he was willing to detach the Negro regiments from American command was that White American soldiers refused to fight alongside Black troops, although they were all American citizens. These regiments suffered considerable harassment by American White soldiers with many dying on American soil at their hands and even denigration by the American Expeditionary Force headquarters which went so far as to release the notorious pamphlet Secret Information Concerning Black American Troops, which "warned" French civilian authorities of the alleged inferior nature and supposed tendencies of African American troops to commit sexual assaults. Johnson and his fellow Black soldiers arrived in France on New Year’s Day, 1918. The French Army and people were happy and welcoming to accept the reinforcements. Among the first regiments to arrive in France, and among the most highly decorated when it returned, was the 369th Infantry (formerly the 15th Regiment New York Guard), which later became famous as the "Harlem Hellfighters." The 369th was an all-Black regiment under the command of mostly White officers including their commander, Colonel William Hayward. Charles W. Fillmore, a Black New Yorker, first put the idea of a Black New York National Guard regiment forward. Governor Charles S. Whitmore, inspired by the brave showing of the Black 10th Cavalry in Mexico, eventually authorized the project. He appointed Col. William Hayward to carry out the task of organizing the unit, and Hayward gave Fillmore a commission as a captain in the 15th Infantry Regiment, New York National Guard. The 15th New York Infantry Regiment became the 369th United States Infantry Regiment prior to engaging in combat in France. The 369th got off to a rocky departure from the United States, making three attempts over a period of months to sail for France before finally getting out of sight of land. Even then, their transport, which had stopped and anchored because of a sudden snowstorm, which arose before they could get out of the harbor, was struck by another ship due to the poor visibility. The captain of the transport, the Pocahontas, wanted to turn back, much to the dismay of his passengers. Col Hayward's men repaired the damage themselves and the ship sailed on, battered but undaunted. According to Col. Hayward’s notes, they “landed at Brest. Right side up” on December 27, 1917. They acquitted themselves well once they finally got to France. However, it was a while before they saw combat. The French Army assigned Johnson's regiment to Outpost 20 on the edge of the Argonne Forest in the Champagne region of France and equipped them with French rifles and helmets. While on guard duty on May 14, 1918, Private Johnson came under attack by a large German raider party, which may have numbered as many as 24 German soldiers. Johnson displayed uncommon heroism when, using grenades, the butt of his rifle, a bolo knife, and his bare fists, he repelled the Germans rescuing Needham Roberts from capture and saving the lives of his other fellow American and French soldiers. Johnson suffered 21 wounds during this ordeal. This act of valor earned him the nickname of "Black Death", as a sign of respect for his prowess in combat. The story of Johnson's exploits first came to national attention in an article by Irvin S. Cobb entitled "Young Black Joe" published in the August 24, 1918 Saturday Evening Post. Returning home, now Sergeant Johnson participated (with his regiment) in a victory parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City in February 1919. Johnson was then paid to take part in a series of lecture tours. He appeared one evening in St. Louis and instead of delivering the expected tale of racial harmony in the trenches; he instead revealed the abuse Black soldiers had suffered, such as White soldiers refusing to share trenches with Blacks. Soon after this a warrant was issued for Johnson's arrest for wearing his uniform beyond the prescribed date of his commission and paid lecturing engagements dried up too. Veterans Bureau records show that a "permanent and total disability" rating was granted to Johnson on September 16, 1927 as a result of his tuberculosis. Additional Veterans Bureau records refer to Johnson receiving monthly compensation and regular visits by Veterans Bureau medical personnel until his death. William Henry Johnson died on July 1, 1929 in Washington, DC. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on July 6, 1929. On June 2, 2015, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Wilson of the New York National Guard on behalf of Private William H. Johnson due to Private Johnson having no living relatives. Reference: Arlington National Cemetery Previous Next

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" Unknown Spirituality The Black Church 1/5 Throughout North Carolina's history, the Black Church has been a vital institution for the African American community. From its origins during the slavery era to its present-day influence, the Black Church has provided a source of strength and resilience. Its teachings, music, and community outreach have all contributed to shaping the cultural and social landscape of the state. African centered Practices 1/1 More great content coming soon! Clergy 1/2 North Carolina has been home to many influential African American clergy members throughout its history. From the earliest days of the state's settlement, these leaders have played a vital role in shaping the spiritual and moral landscape of the region. Today, North Carolina continues to be home to a diverse and vibrant religious community, with African American clergy members from a wide range of faiths and traditions serving the needs of their congregations with distinction. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! ​ TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" L.D. Edwards Education & Educators Edu cation 1/4 In this gallery learn about early education institutions, specifically set up to serve the North Carolina African-American community. North Carolina HBCUs 1/11 Explore North Carolina's historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), their founders, history, and student life. Educators Mike Wiley is a North Carolina-based actor, playwright, and director of multiple works in documentary theatre. His dramas relay the stories of fugitive slaves, civil rights game-changers, sports heroes and freedom fighters. Dynamic multi-character portrayals offer penetrating views into parallel lives whose roles within African American history have shaped a richer total American experience. Wiley’s remarkable one-man “cast” sometimes introduces dozens of characters over the course of a single 1/7 In this gallery we highlight the brilliant and dedicated educators who created and shaped the educational framework for African-Americans in North Carolina. U.S. HBCUs 1/7 Historically Black Colleges and Universities were founded throughout the United States. This gallery highlights their founders, history and student life. TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon. ​

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" L.D. Edwards Cemeteries & Graveyards Cemeteries & Graveyards 1/5 North Carolina is home to many historic African American cemeteries and graveyards that hold significant cultural and historical value. These cemeteries serve as a reminder of the contributions and struggles of African Americans throughout the state's history. From the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh to the Mount Hope Cemetery in Asheville, these sacred grounds offer a glimpse into the past and honor the lives of those who have passed on. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" L.D. Edwards Business Industry Science & Research Inventors & Technology 1/5 North Carolina has been home to many African American inventors and technology leaders who have made significant contributions to their fields. From the pioneering work of Dr. Patricia Bath in ophthalmology to the groundbreaking research of Dr. Mark Dean in computer science, these individuals have left an indelible mark on the world of innovation. Their achievements and the achievements of others serve as an inspiration to future generations of inventors and leaders. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Science/Scientist Mike Wiley is a North Carolina-based actor, playwright, and director of multiple works in documentary theatre. His dramas relay the stories of fugitive slaves, civil rights game-changers, sports heroes and freedom fighters. Dynamic multi-character portrayals offer penetrating views into parallel lives whose roles within African American history have shaped a richer total American experience. Wiley’s remarkable one-man “cast” sometimes introduces dozens of characters over the course of a single 1/2 North Carolina has a rich history of African Americans who have made significant contributions to the world of finance. From the early days of slavery to the present day, African Americans have played a vital role in shaping the financial landscape of the state. In this gallery we explore some of the key figures and events that have helped to shape the financial history of North Carolina's African American community. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content content soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" L.D. Edwards Cemeteries & Graveyards Cemeteries & Graveyards 1/5 North Carolina is home to many historic African American cemeteries and graveyards that hold significant cultural and historical value. These cemeteries serve as a reminder of the contributions and struggles of African Americans throughout the state's history. From the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh to the Mount Hope Cemetery in Asheville, these sacred grounds offer a glimpse into the past and honor the lives of those who have passed on. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" L.D. Edwards Enslavement, Emancipation & Freedom Enslavement 1/5 North Carolina is home to many historic African American cemeteries and graveyards that hold significant cultural and historical value. These cemeteries serve as a reminder of the contributions and struggles of African Americans throughout the state's history. From the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh to the Mount Hope Cemetery in Asheville, these sacred grounds offer a glimpse into the past and honor the lives of those who have passed on. Emancipation 1/1 More great content coming soon! Freedom 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

< Back Andrew J. Brown [or Browne] Real-photo postcard of a studio portrait of Andrew J. Brown [or Browne] of Vaughn, N.C., wearing his U.S. Army uniform, sitting in a chair. An African American soldier. Andrew J. Brown [or Browne] of Vaughn, N.C. Real-photo postcard of a studio portrait of Andrew J. Brown [or Browne] of Vaughn, N.C., wearing his U.S. Army uniform, sitting in a chair. An African American soldier. Brown served during World War I in Company B, 349th Labor Battalion. He died of the results of diphtheria at Camp Greene in Charlotte, N.C., on October 18, 1918, less than two months into his service (undated) Photograph by: The Carolina Studio, Charlotte, N.C. Source: WWI 92.B1.F11.1 - From Warren County Compiled Individual Military Service Records, WWI 92, WWI Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C. Previous Next

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” ​ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Health Wellness & Medical Healthcare Systems 1/5 African Americans have made significant contributions to the medical field in North Carolina, overcoming obstacles and discrimination throughout history. From the days of slavery when they were used as medical experiments, to the present day where they are still underrepresented in the field, their perseverance and dedication have paved the way for future generations. Despite the challenges, African American doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals continue to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of their communities. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Medical 1/1 African Americans have made significant contributions to the medical field in North Carolina, overcoming obstacles and discrimination throughout history. From the days of slavery when they were used as medical experiments, to the present day where they are still underrepresented in the field, their perseverance and dedication have paved the way for future generations. Despite the challenges, African American doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals continue to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of their communities. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" L.D. Edwards Cemeteries & Graveyards Cemeteries & Graveyards 1/5 North Carolina is home to many historic African American cemeteries and graveyards that hold significant cultural and historical value. These cemeteries serve as a reminder of the contributions and struggles of African Americans throughout the state's history. From the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh to the Mount Hope Cemetery in Asheville, these sacred grounds offer a glimpse into the past and honor the lives of those who have passed on. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

< Back Negro Church in Durham, NC Negro Church in Durham, NC The ushers of a Negro church have their photograph taken to be sold in order to raise money for the church. Durham, North Carolina. May 1940. (We think this is St. Mark AME Zion Church that is on S. Roxboro St. in Durham, NC. The Pastor at the time of this photograph was, Rev. S. P. Perry. He pastored St. Mark from 1936-1956. Roxboro St. used to be called Pine Street. ) Photographer: Jack Delano-FSA/WPA. Source: NYPL, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. Previous Next

< Back Ernest Richardson Real-photo postcard of a studio portrait of Ernest Richardson of the community of Essex in Halifax County, N.C. He is wearing his U.S. Army uniform, sitting in an elaborately-carved wood chair with an American flag in the background. Real-photo postcard of a studio portrait of Ernest Richardson of the community of Essex in Halifax County, N.C. He is wearing his U.S. Army uniform, sitting in an elaborately-carved wood chair with an American flag in the background. An African American soldier, Richardson was originally from Warren County, N.C. He served during World War I in Company C, 344th Labor Battalion, U.S. Army (undated). Source: WWI 92.B2.F35.1 From Warren County Compiled Individual Military Service Records, WWI 92, WWI Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C. Previous Next

< Back John H. Hunter French real-photo postcard of John H. Hunter of Warrenton, N.C., wearing his full U.S. Army uniform and campaign hat, standing outside in front of a stone wall with his arms at his sides. An African American soldier, Hunter served in the Army’s Quartermaster Corps during World War I (undated). French real-photo postcard of John H. Hunter of Warrenton, N.C., wearing his full U.S. Army uniform and campaign hat, standing outside in front of a stone wall with his arms at his sides. An African American soldier, Hunter served in the Army’s Quartermaster Corps during World War I (undated). Source: From WWI 92.B2.F4.1 - Warren County Compiled Individual Military Service Records, WWI 92, WWI Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C. Previous Next

< Back Eufaula, Alabama, where local white residents in determined to regain political dominance in the county that they had lost during Reconstruction ​ EJI: On this day calendar. Image and words credit, eji On Election Day, November 3, 1874, local white residents in Eufaula, Alabama, determined to regain political dominance in the county that they had lost during Reconstruction, used terror and intimidation to suppress Black votes, ultimately waging a violent, deadly massacre. As the 1874 election neared, white employers openly fired any Black workers who intended to vote for Elias Keils, a white candidate who supported the aims of Reconstruction, for the position of City Court Judge. False rumors spread that Black residents planned to violently drive white voters from the polls, and white residents began stockpiling guns near Eufaula polling sites. Judge Keils tried to notify state and federal officials of the danger, but Alabama’s Attorney General rebuffed the warning and federal troops stationed in Eufaula refused to intervene. Despite the risk, hundreds of Black men marched to the downtown Eufaula polling site on November 3. Some Black voters were immediately arrested and jailed on fraud accusations. Around noon, several white men forced a Black man into an alley and threatened to arrest him if he did not vote against civil rights. As witnesses protested, a single gunshot was fired by an unknown individual, harming no one. Soon afterward, a large mob of white men retrieved the stockpiled guns stored nearby and fired “indiscriminately” into the crowd of mostly unarmed Black voters. Within minutes, 400 shots had been fired, killing at least six Black people, and possibly many more based on some estimates; as many as 80 additional Black people were left injured. Many survivors fled, including an estimated 500 Black people who had not yet voted. #IrememberOurHistory® Later that day, a white mob attacked another county polling station in Spring Hill, Alabama, where Judge Keils was the election supervisor. The mob destroyed the ballot box, burned the ballots inside, and killed Judge Keils’s teenage son Willie. Although the identities of many white perpetrators of the massacre were known, no white person was ever convicted. Instead, a Black man named Hilliard Miles was convicted and imprisoned for perjury after identifying members of the white mob. Decades later, Braxton Bragg Comer, whom Mr. Miles had named as a perpetrator of the massacre, was elected governor of Alabama. The Eufaula Massacre and its aftermath showed Black residents that exercising their new legal rights—particularly by voting—made them targets for deadly attacks and that they could not depend on authorities for protection. The result was mass voter suppression. While 1,200 Black Eufaula residents voted in the 1874 election, only 10 cast ballots in 1876. That legacy remains. Today, the population of Barbour County is nearly 50% Black but white officials hold 8 of 12 elected county positions. In 2016, the county had the highest voter purge rate in the U.S. Learn more about the history of racial violence during Reconstruction and how it was used to suppress political reform and hinder Black political development. Link: https://eji.org/reports/reconstruction-in-america-overview/ Link to "a violent, deadly massacre." : https://eji.org/.../a-truth-that.../sidebar/eufaula-alabama/ Source: https://calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/nov/03... Previous Next

< Back Willie Otey Kay (b.1894 – d.1992) , Was A Renowned African American Raleigh Designer. ​ Pictured is dressmaker Willie Virginia Otey Kay c. 1910. Growing up in Raleigh, Willie graduated from Shaw University in 1912 with a degree in Home Economics. She later went on to forge a living legacy crafting dresses and gowns for both Raleigh's White and Black women. Women from around the state also commissioned her to design dresses for them. Willie met John Kay while attending Shaw University. In 1915 the two married and moved to Wilmington where John began his medical practice while also co-founding The Community Hospital, a hospital for Blacks. Sadly, John unexpectedly passed away in 1927 at the age of 37 due to complications from a hernia. Despondent after John's death, Willie moved with her five children back to Raleigh and started her profession as a seamstress, quickly becoming a household name. As the civil rights movement progressed, one of Willie's daughters, June Campbell, played an important role in desegregation efforts as she walked her son, Bill, to Murphey Elementary school on September 7, 1960. That morning, Bill became the first Black child to attend an all-White school in Raleigh. During a time when integration attempts were met with death threats, Willie took on the courageous task of walking Bill home from school. Bill Campbell went on to become mayor of Atlanta. During her 60-year career, she became one of the most sought-after dress makers in Raleigh, making gowns for debutantes, governor's wives, and socialites. She died in 1992 at the age of 98 and is interred in Raleigh's New Hope Cemetery. Source: N.93.9.66-From the General Negative Collection, State Archives of NC. READ More about Willie Virginia Otey Here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=564245027633417&set=a.446645532726701 Previous Next

"People are underrepresented because that's a consequence of being 'historically excluded' which is the cause" Unknown Organizations, Clubs & Black Philanthropy Organizations 1/1 In North Carolina, there exist numerous organizations that are specifically focused on improving the lives of African Americans. These organizations are committed to providing educational resources and advocating for social justice, among other things. In this gallery we celebrate the individuals that are helping to make life better. Black Philanthropy 1/1 North Carolina's rich history of black philanthropy, has many individuals and organizations dedicated to giving back to their communities. From supporting education and healthcare to promoting social justice and economic empowerment, black philanthropists in North Carolina have made significant impact on the state and beyond. Through their generosity and commitment, they continue to inspire others to make a difference and create positive change. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! Clubs 1/1 Clubs in North Carolina are dedicated to enriching the lives of their members through various activities and events. From social gatherings to community service projects, these clubs offer a sense of belonging and camaraderie that truly special. Coming Soon 1/1 More great content coming soon! TESTIMONIALS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN GEMS ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS RICH HISTORY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH CAROLINA. DEMETRIA TUCKER - FACEBOOK THIS IS A MUCH-NEEDE RESOURCE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK PEOPLE - ESPECIALLY IN OUR STATE. VALERIE ANN JOHNSON - FACEBOOK LOVE THE EFFORT TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT NC BLACK HISTORY! THE HISTORIC DETAILS SHARED HERE ARE A TREASURE! CHRISTINA ROOSON - FACEBOOK

All Videos All Categories Play Video Play Video This is a silent film of Clayton (N.C.), circa 1936-1937 (Reel 1) The H. Lee Waters collection housed at Duke University. This is a silent film of Clayton (N.C.), circa 1936-1937 (Reel 1) The H. Lee Waters collection housed at Duke University. ABOUT: H. Lee Waters from the Duke web site: Born on August 23, 1902 in Caroleen, North Carolina, Herbert Lee Waters spent the majority of his life in Lexington, North Carolina. As a teenager Waters worked alongside his family at the Erlanger textile mill, and developed a passion for photography, helping to run the projector at the local theatre and eventually apprenticing in the Hitchcock Studio at 118 ½ Main Street in downtown Lexington. In 1926, Waters bought the studio, and soon after married Mabel Elizabeth Gerald, who would become his partner in running all aspects of the H. Lee Waters Studio. In addition to commercial studio photography Waters also sought freelance work, and was hired to photograph the construction of High Rock Dam in 1927. During the Depression, when many couldn’t spare hard-won wages for a portrait but did allow themselves the luxury of going to the movies, Waters supplemented the family’s income by traveling across North Carolina and parts of Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, to film the people of the region’s communities. Between 1936 and 1942, Waters collaborated with local movie theaters to screen his films, which he called Movies of Local People and billed with the phrase "See yourself in the movies!" As a filmmaker, Waters produced 252 films across 118 communities. In addition to selling tickets to the many people who appeared in his films, he also sold advertising space in his movies to local businesses. With the birth of the Waters’ third child and the entrance of the United States into World War II, Waters returned to Lexington and continued operating his photographic studio until his death in 1997. The Library of Congress listed Waters' Kannapolis film on the National Film Registry in 2004. This collection contains a mixture of items that are in the public domain and items that may be in copyright, which makes determining the publication status for some items difficult. --- Title: Clayton (N.C.), circa 1936-1937 (Reel 1) Date: 1936 to 1937 Creator: Waters, H. Lee Description: 00:00:00 --Children walking in groups in school yard, boys posing for camera 00:00:15--Service station attendant wiping the rear windshield of a car, young African American men posing by service station 00:00:25--High school students walking toward the camera from school steps, in groups or alone, group of boys posing in front of school steps, children standing and walking on sidewalk in front of school, boys shooting marbles, close up shots of students, group shot of children, boys sharing water fountain, boys shooting marbles 00:02:24--Young African American man sitting on steps, group shot of white children posing in front of school, close up shot of boy missing front teeth and wearing Lindbergh cap, girls playing hopscotch, boy riding bicycle, girls walking in small groups down residential sidewalk, girl on roller skates 00:03:04--African American man sweeping sidewalk taken from moving vehicle, service station attendant attaching spare tire to car, white girl walking on sidewalk 00:03:15--Group of African American boys and girls standing on sidewalk, two African American men in suits talking, shots of African American children outdoors in school yard, probably William Mason Cooper School. 00:03:41--Man holding child in air, child hugging man, child being held by another man in a vest and tie 00:03:51--Car arriving at service station, “Essolube” sign, attendants checking car's fluids and under hood, “Acto” sign, man polishing car's chrome, car raised on lift, man posing under car with tool, “Drain Refill your Crankcase Now For Continued Protection” sign, “Atlas Certified Water Battery Service” sign, close up of “Essolube” display with cans of motor oil, “Standard Esso Dealer” hanging sign, “Champion Spark Plugs” sign, “Ladies Rest Room” sign, “Atlas Tires 1 Year Guarantee Backed by Complete tire service” sign, panning shot of service station grounds 00:05:15--Two young women looking out school bus window, two boys with Lindbergh hats standing on sidewalk, close up shots of children on downtown sidewalk, young African American men laughing on downtown sidewalk 00:05:39--Shot from front of moving vehicle of Clayton's Neuse River Covered Bridge and single-lane road, children exiting school bus, group shot of students and teachers posing in front of school bus, men and boys posing in front of building 00:06:16--Exterior shot of car dealership, “Chevrolet” sign, “Ever-Green 'The Best for Less'” sign, man cleaning sign from rooftop, “Coca-Cola” sign, men standing on downtown sidewalk 00:06:34--Man pointing at “Wall's Shoe Shop” sign, African American man in taxi driver's hat, “Ex-Lax” sign, close up shots of children on downtown sidewalk, “John T. Talton Insurance and COAI Notary Public” sign with family posing in front of it, boy in Lindbergh aviator helmet cap standing on sidewalk, police officer standing on sidewalk, African American man standing outside barbershop, children standing on downtown sidewalk 00:07:15--“Poole's Drug Store” sign, man posing by “Barber Shop J.E. Jones Prop. Baths” sign, African American men shoveling coal into truck bed, group of girls posing, young people standing on downtown sidewalk, boy on bicycle 00:07:57--Two African American girls talking, African American boys playing basketball outside, white children walking down sidewalk, girls on roller skates, group of white children standing on school steps 00:08:22--Workers leaving factory building, African American men moving bales of cotton, parents showing babies off in car, pedestrians walking on downtown sidewalk in rain, “Clayton Supply Co.” sign on car, African American man stepping out of car, man holding baby, group of children sitting on low wall 00:09:28--Mother holding baby, men exiting barbershop, men standing on sidewalk, African American man walking bicycle, African American women walking arm-in-arm, dog on downtown sidewalk, pedestrians standing on sidewalk, dog performing tricks for camera 00:10:40--“Catherine's Beauty Salon” sign, “Chick's Luncheonette” neon sign, “Bank of Clayton” sign, pedestrians walking on sidewalk, boy holding puppy, “N. Clyde Wall Grocery & Market Fish & Oysters” sign on window, men standing in front of car on lift 00:11:36--“W.J. Akins Dry Cleaning” sign, wide shot of exterior of gas station, “Sinclair” oil sign, “Piggly Wiggly” sign, “White's” cafe sign, girl walking toward camera 00:12:15--“The Clayton News” sign, quick shots of children outside school, “Clayton Furniture Co.” sign, exterior of movie theater, “Clayton Supply Co.” sign, “Poole's Drug Store” sign Play Video Play Video This is a silent film of Roxboro (N.C.), circa 1936-1937 (Reel 1) From the H. Lee Waters collection housed at Duke University, Durham, NC. This is a silent film of Roxboro (N.C.), circa 1936-1937 (Reel 1) From the H. Lee Waters collection housed at Duke University, Durham, NC. ABOUT: H. Lee Waters from the Duke web site: Born on August 23, 1902 in Caroleen, North Carolina, Herbert Lee Waters spent the majority of his life in Lexington, North Carolina. As a teenager Waters worked alongside his family at the Erlanger textile mill, and developed a passion for photography, helping to run the projector at the local theatre and eventually apprenticing in the Hitchcock Studio at 118 ½ Main Street in downtown Lexington. In 1926, Waters bought the studio, and soon after married Mabel Elizabeth Gerald, who would become his partner in running all aspects of the H. Lee Waters Studio. In addition to commercial studio photography Waters also sought freelance work, and was hired to photograph the construction of High Rock Dam in 1927. During the Depression, when many couldn’t spare hard-won wages for a portrait but did allow themselves the luxury of going to the movies, Waters supplemented the family’s income by traveling across North Carolina and parts of Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, to film the people of the region’s communities. Between 1936 and 1942, Waters collaborated with local movie theaters to screen his films, which he called Movies of Local People and billed with the phrase "See yourself in the movies!" As a filmmaker, Waters produced 252 films across 118 communities. In addition to selling tickets to the many people who appeared in his films, he also sold advertising space in his movies to local businesses. With the birth of the Waters’ third child and the entrance of the United States into World War II, Waters returned to Lexington and continued operating his photographic studio until his death in 1997. The Library of Congress listed Waters' Kannapolis film on the National Film Registry in 2004. This collection contains a mixture of items that are in the public domain and items that may be in copyright, which makes determining the publication status for some items difficult. Play Video Play Video This is a silent film of Oxford (N.C.), 1938-1941 (Reel 1) From the H. Lee Waters collection housed at Duke University, Durham, NC. This is a silent film of Oxford (N.C.), 1938-1941 (Reel 1) From the H. Lee Waters collection housed at Duke University, Durham, NC. ABOUT: H. Lee Waters from the Duke web site: Born on August 23, 1902 in Caroleen, North Carolina, Herbert Lee Waters spent the majority of his life in Lexington, North Carolina. As a teenager Waters worked alongside his family at the Erlanger textile mill, and developed a passion for photography, helping to run the projector at the local theatre and eventually apprenticing in the Hitchcock Studio at 118 ½ Main Street in downtown Lexington. In 1926, Waters bought the studio, and soon after married Mabel Elizabeth Gerald, who would become his partner in running all aspects of the H. Lee Waters Studio. In addition to commercial studio photography Waters also sought freelance work, and was hired to photograph the construction of High Rock Dam in 1927. During the Depression, when many couldn’t spare hard-won wages for a portrait but did allow themselves the luxury of going to the movies, Waters supplemented the family’s income by traveling across North Carolina and parts of Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, to film the people of the region’s communities. Between 1936 and 1942, Waters collaborated with local movie theaters to screen his films, which he called Movies of Local People and billed with the phrase "See yourself in the movies!" As a filmmaker, Waters produced 252 films across 118 communities. In addition to selling tickets to the many people who appeared in his films, he also sold advertising space in his movies to local businesses. With the birth of the Waters’ third child and the entrance of the United States into World War II, Waters returned to Lexington and continued operating his photographic studio until his death in 1997. The Library of Congress listed Waters' Kannapolis film on the National Film Registry in 2004. This collection contains a mixture of items that are in the public domain and items that may be in copyright, which makes determining the publication status for some items difficult. Play Video Play Video The G.C. and Frances Hawley Museum Raeford (N.C.), circa 1938 (Reel 1) H. Lee Waters Film Collection Duke University Silent films documenting communities in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, from 1936 to 1942. Play Video Play Video Troy (N.C.), 1936-1940 (Reel 1) Play Video Play Video Chapel Hill (N.C.), 1939 (Reel 1) Chapel Hill (N.C.), 1939 (Reel 1) Source: Duke University H. Lee Waters Film Collection Silent films documenting communities in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, from 1936 to 1942.

< Back Frank Calvin Mann ​ *Photo:Frank Mann, Waco, Tx with his Bio-Plane* Mr.Frank Calvin Mann, Hidden Genius The Black Engineer Behind Howard Hughes He’s been ignored and cast aside much like new home hunters touring a property covered in wallpaper. Scholars have left him out of the history books and Hollywood couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge his existence either. He was Howard Hughes’ top engineer and lifelong best friend. This is about Frank Mann, the hidden genius behind much of Howard Hughes’ success in the world of aviation and mechanics. Frank Calvin Mann (November 22, 1908 – November 30, 1992) was an African American engineer who was known for his participation in many Howard Hughes's projects including the Spruce Goose. He also starred in the Amos 'n' Andy radio show. Apparently, his lifelong friendship with Hughes was instrumental in opening doors for Mann's exceptional talents. A native of Houston, Texas, Frank Calvin Mann's parents wanted him to become a schoolteacher, but from childhood, he had a natural ability to fix things. At age 11, he had his own mechanic shop. As a teenager, he worked alongside airplane mechanics, repairing engines. By the ago of 20, he had designed and built several of his own Model-T cars. It was unheard of in the 1920s for a Black man to have anything to do with cars, trains, or airplanes. His life-long friend Howard Hughes was instrumental in opening doors for Mann's exceptional talents. Mann attended the University of Minnesota and UCLA where he earned a mechanical engineering degree. World War II equipment that revolutionized military weaponry would not exist if not for his involvement. Incredibly, few Americans are aware of Frank Mann. He was the first Black commercial pilot for American Airways. He was also a distinguished military officer. In 1935, following Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, Frank Mann flew reconnaissance missions for the Ethiopian army. He served in the World War II Army Air Corps and was the primary civilian instructor of the famous Tuskegee Airmen in 1941. He left Tuskegee after a rift with the U.S. government, which didn't want the Squadron, an all-Black unit, flying the same high caliber of airplanes as their White counterparts. An angry Mann had refused to have his men fly old "World War I biplane crates," because his airmen had proven themselves as equals. Though they were being given inferior equipment and materials, their squadron never lost a plane, bomber, or pilot, and they were nicknamed the "Red Tails.” After the war, Mann was instrumental in designing the first Buick LeSabre automobile and the first communications satellite launched for commercial use. His pride and joy was a miniature locomotive enshrined in the Smithsonian Institute, He was an avid live steamer. Mann built two large 1.5 inch scale steam locomotives, one of which resides in the Smithsonian Museum. Mann also played a principal role in the Amos ‘N’ Andy radio show. He moved back to his hometown in the 1970s. Frank Mann died November 30, 1992 in Houston. ----- Credit to Dianne Washington who posted Mr. Mann's story on November 22, 2017 via her fb page Source:http://ibls.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Frank_Mann Source:http://bostonlifemagazine.com/.../hidden-genius-black.../ Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Mann_(engineer) Previous Next

< Back Cavalry members from a Buffalo Soldier Regiment, standing by their horses. Circa 1895. Cavalry members from a Buffalo Soldier Regiment, standing by their horses. Circa 1895. image 3/3: Cavalry members from a Buffalo Soldier Regiment, standing by their horses. Circa 1895. Retrieved from: NPS - Buffalo Soldiers Previous Next

< Back “Harriet,” movie starring Cynthia Erivo in the title role. Words on image: Tubman was a spy for the Union army during the Civil War which was fought to Emancipate Enslaved Black people. Massachusetts Governor John Andrew, a staunch abolitionist, asked Tubman to join the contingent of his state’s volunteers heading for South Carolina, and promised his sponsorship. Andrew also obtained military passage for Tubman on USS Atlantic. ‘General Tubman’: The Abolitionist Was Also A Formidable Secret Military Weapon Whose Gifts Should Never Be Underestimated. Black Military History By Catherine Clinton / Military Times Feb 7, 2018 Words on image: Tubman was a spy for the Union army during the Civil War which was fought to Emancipate Enslaved Black people. Massachusetts Governor John Andrew, a staunch abolitionist, asked Tubman to join the contingent of his state’s volunteers heading for South Carolina, and promised his sponsorship. Andrew also obtained military passage for Tubman on USS Atlantic. This still is from the movie “Harriet,” starring Cynthia Erivo in the title role. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Focus Features -- -Begin article- When the Civil War began, Harriet Tubman had already been a freedom fighter for more than a decade. As a renowned abolitionist and intrepid Underground Railroad conductor who went into slave territory to lead refugees to safety in the North and Canada, she had undertaken numerous clandestine and dangerous rescues. Tubman wasn’t afraid of assisting her escaped brothers and sisters either. In 1860 she helped liberate runaway slave Charles Nalle from a slave catcher in Troy, N.Y. Shortly after Abraham Lincoln’s call to arms in April 1861, Tubman realized that joining forces with the Federal military would increase her effectiveness in the fight against slavery, and she volunteered for duty. She enrolled first as a nurse, and then expanded her efforts to serve as a scout and spy for the Union in occupied South Carolina. Her role as an American patriot is undisputed, but her service as a war hero was challenged at the time. Over the years scholars and schoolchildren have begun to recognize her significant contributions to guaranteeing Union victory in the Civil War. Born in 1825 to enslaved parents on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the young Araminta Ross, her birth name, was severely challenged. Tubman later lamented: “I grew up like a neglected weed, ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it.” In 1849, when she heard a rumor that her owner was planning to “sell her down the river,” as siblings before her had been exiled to the Deep South, she decided to escape, to make her own journey to freedom. In doing so, she was leaving her brother, sisters and parents behind and also deserting her husband, John, a free black, who refused to leave with her. Before she undertook the journey, she assumed her mother’s name, Harriet, and her husband’s last name, Tubman. The rechristened and self-liberated Harriet Tubman arrived in Philadelphia unharmed and launched an illustrious career as a member of the Underground Railroad. By all rights, in legend and deed, Tubman was the “Great Emancipator,” leading scores of escaping African Americans to freedom, often all the way to Canada. She built up a network of supporters and admirers, including William Lloyd Garrison and William Seward, to name but two who lauded her efforts. When the slave power extended its tentacles into the North with the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, Tubman relocated to Canada along with thousands of other black refugees. Tubman risked her freedom again and again, not just by returning to the North, but also with missions into the Slave South. Her activities became even more notorious when Tubman became a staunch supporter of John Brown, who called her “General Tubman” long before Lincoln began handing out commissions. Early in the war, Tubman informally attached herself to the military. Benjamin Butler, a Democrat, had been a member of the Massachusetts delegation to Congress and made a name for himself in the Union Army. A tough opportunist, Butler was often underestimated until his bully tactics began to pay off. Commissioned a brigadier general, Butler led his men into Maryland, where he threatened to arrest any legislator who attempted to vote for secession. Trailing along with Butler’s all-white troops in May 1861, Tubman arrived at the camps near Fort Monroe, Va. The large fort and the nearby tent city of troops soon became a major magnet for escaped slaves. Tubman found herself in familiar territory. By March 1862, the Union had conquered enough territory that Secretary of War Edwin Stanton designated Georgia, Florida and South Carolina as the Department of the South. Massachusetts Governor John Andrew, a staunch abolitionist, asked Tubman to join the contingent of his state’s volunteers heading for South Carolina, and promised his sponsorship. Andrew also obtained military passage for Tubman on USS Atlantic. The Union troops along the coast of South Carolina were in a precarious position. They were essentially encircled, with Confederates on three sides and the ocean on the fourth. Nevertheless, Maj. Gen. David Hunter, the newly appointed Union commander of the region, had ambitious ideas about how to expand Northern control. In November 1862, Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson arrived with the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, and Colonel James Montgomery and the 2nd South Carolina were in the area by early 1863. Escaped slaves filled both regiments, and Higginson and Montgomery both knew Tubman from before the war. In those men, both abolitionists, Tubman had gained influential friends and advocates, and they suggested that a spy network be established in the region. Tubman had spent 10 months as a nurse ministering to the sick of those regiments, and by early 1863 she was ready for a more active role. She was given the authority to line up a roster of scouts, to infiltrate and map out the interior. Several were trusted boat pilots, like Solomon Gregory, who knew the local waterways very well and could travel on them undetected. Her closely knit band included men named Mott Blake, Peter Burns, Gabriel Cahern, George Chisholm, Isaac Hayward, Walter Plowden, Charles Simmons and Sandy Suffum, and they became an official scouting service for the Department of the South. Tubman’s espionage operation was under the direction of Stanton, who considered her the commander of her men. Tubman passed along information directly to either Hunter or Brig. Gen. Rufus Saxton. In March 1863, Saxton wrote confidently to Stanton concerning a planned assault on Jacksonville, Fla.: “I have reliable information that there are large numbers of able bodied Negroes in that vicinity who are watching for an opportunity to join us.” Based on the information procured by Tubman’s agents, Colonel Montgomery led a successful expedition to capture the town. Tubman’s crucial intelligence and Montgomery’s bravado convinced commanders that other extensive guerrilla operations were feasible. Their confidence led to the Combahee River Raid in June 1863 — a military operation that marked a turning point in Tubman’s career. Until then, all of her attacks upon the Confederacy had been purposefully clandestine. But she did not remain anonymous with her prominent role in that military operation. South Carolina’s lowcountry rice plantations sat alongside tidal rivers that fanned inland from the Atlantic and that had some of the South’s richest land and largest slave populations. Federal commanders wanted to move up the rivers to destroy plantations and liberate slaves in order to recruit more black regiments. The raid up the Combahee River, a twisting waterway approximately 10 miles north of Beaufort where Tubman and her comrades were stationed, commenced when the Federal gunboats Harriet A. Weed and John Adams steamed into the river shortly before midnight on the evening of June 2, 1863. Tubman accompanied 150 African-American troops from the 2nd South Carolina Infantry and their white officers aboard John Adams. The black soldiers were particularly relieved that their lives had been entrusted not only to Colonel Montgomery but also to the famed “Moses.” Tubman had been informed of the location of Rebel torpedoes — floating mines planted below the surface of the water — in the river and served as a lookout for the Union pilots, allowing them to guide their boats around the explosives unharmed. By 3 a.m., the expedition had reached Fields Point, and Montgomery sent a squad ashore to drive off Confederate pickets, who withdrew but sent comrades to warn fellow troops at Chisholmville, 10 miles upriver. Meanwhile, a company of the 2nd South Carolina under Captain Carver landed and deployed at Tar Bluff, two miles north of Fields Point. The two ships steamed upriver to the Nichols Plantation, where Harriet A. Weed anchored. She also guided the boats and men to designated shoreline spots where scores of fugitive slaves were hiding out. Once the “all clear” was given, the slaves scrambled onto the vessels. “I never saw such a sight,” Tubman described of the scene. “Sometimes the women would come with twins hanging around their necks; it appears I never saw so many twins in my life; bags on their shoulders, baskets on their heads, and young ones tagging along behind, all loaded; pigs squealing, chickens screaming, young ones squealing.” According to one Confederate onlooker, “[Tubman] passed safely the point where the torpedoes were placed and finally reached the … ferry, which they immediately commenced cutting way, landed to all appearances a group at Mr. Middleton’s and in a few minutes his buildings were in flames.” Robbing warehouses and torching planter homes was an added bonus for the black troops, striking hard and deep at the proud master class. The horror of this attack on the prestigious Middleton estate drove the point home. Dixie might fall at the hands of their former slaves. The Confederates reportedly stopped only one lone slave from escaping — shooting her in flight. Hard charging to the water’s edge, the Confederate commander could catch only a glimpse of escaping gunboats, pale in the morning light. In a fury, Confederate Major William P. Emmanuel pushed his men into pursuit — and got trapped between the riverbank and Union snipers. In the heat of skirmish, Emmanuel’s gunners were able to fire off only four rounds, booming shots that plunked harmlessly into the water. Frustrated, the Confederate commander cut his losses after one of his men was wounded and ordered his troops to pull back. More than 750 slaves would be freed in the overnight operation on the Combahee. The Union invaders had despoiled the estates of the Heywards, the Middletons, the Lowndes, and other South Carolina dynasties. Tubman’s plan was successful. The official Confederate report concluded: “The enemy seems to have been well posted as to the character and capacity of our troops and their small chance of encountering opposition, and to have been well guided by persons thoroughly acquainted with the river and country.” Robbing the “Cradle of Secession” was a grand theatrical gesture, a headline-grabbing strategy that won plaudits from government, military and civilian leaders throughout the North. After the Combahee River Raid, critics North and South could no longer pretend that blacks were unfit for military service, as this was a well-executed, spectacularly successful operation. Flushed with triumph, Hunter wrote jubilantly to Secretary of War Stanton on June 3, boasting that Combahee was only the beginning. He also wrote to Governor Andrew, promising that Union operations would “desolate” Confederate slaveholders “by carrying away their slaves, thus rapidly filling up the South Carolina regiments of which there are now four.” Andrew had been a champion of black soldiers, a steadfast supporter of Hunter’s campaign to put ex-slaves in uniform. The Confederacy discovered overnight what it took the Union’s Department of the South over a year to find out — Harriet Tubman was a formidable secret weapon whose gifts should never be underestimated. Federal commanders came to depend on her, but kept her name out of official military documents. As a black and a woman she became doubly invisible. This invisibility aided her when Union commanders sent her as far south as Fernandina, Fla., to assist Union soldiers dropping like flies from fevers and fatigue. Tubman’s own health faltered during the summer of 1864, and she returned north for a furlough. She was making her way back South in early 1865 when peace intervened, so she returned to Auburn, where she had settled her parents, and made a home. Postwar, Tubman often lived hand to mouth, doing odd jobs and domestic service to earn her living, but she also collected money for charity. She sought patrons to realize her dream of establishing a home for blacks in her hometown—for the indigent, the disabled, the veteran and the homeless. “It seems strange that one who has done so much for her country and been in the thick of the battles with shots falling all about her, should never have had recognition from the Government in a substantial way,” chided the writers of a July 1896 article in The Chautauquan. Tubman echoed that lament: “You wouldn’t think that after I served the flag so faithfully I should come to want under its folds.” In 1897 a petition requesting that Congressman Sereno E. Payne of New York “bring up the matter [of Tubman’s military pension] again and press it to a final and successful termination” was circulated and endorsed by Auburn’s most influential citizens. Payne’s new bill proposed that Congress grant Tubman a “military pension” of $25 per month — the exact amount received by surviving soldiers. A National Archives staffer who later conducted research on this claim suggested there was no extant evidence in government records to support Tubman’s claim that she had been working under the direction of the secretary of war. Some on the committee believed that Tubman’s service as a spy and scout, supported by valid documentation, justified such a pension. Others suggested that the matter of a soldier’s pension should be dropped, as she could more legitimately be pensioned as a nurse. One member of the committee, W. Jasper Talbert of South Carolina, possibly blocked Tubman’s pension vindictively — it was a point of honor to this white Southern statesman that a black woman not be given her due. Regardless, a compromise was finally achieved, decades after she had first applied for a pension based on her service. In 1888, Tubman had been granted a widow’s pension of $8 a month, based on the death of her second husband, USCT veteran Nelson Davis. The compromise granted an increase “on account of special circumstances.” The House authorized raising the amount to $25 (the exact amount for surviving soldiers), while the Senate amended with an increase to only $20 — which was finally passed by both houses. President William McKinley signed the pension into law in February 1899. After 30 years of struggle, Tubman’s sense of victory was tremendous. Not only would the money secure her an income and allow her to continue her philanthropic activities, her military role was finally validated. Details of Tubman’s wartime service became part of the Congressional Record, with the recognition that “in view of her personal services to the Government, Congress is amply justified in increasing that pension.” Tubman’s heroic role in the Civil War is finally being highlighted and appreciated for what it was, part of a long life of struggling for freedom, risking personal liberty for patriotic sacrifice. This article originally appeared in Civil War Times Magazine, a Military Times sister publication. For more information on Civil War Times Magazine and all of the HistoryNet publications. Source: https://www.militarytimes.com/.../general-tubman.../... Previous Next

< Back Parker David Robbins This is Mr. Parker David Robbins, he was a free person of Indigenous American and African descent, and he constructed the steamboat Saint Peter in 1888. Born in 1834 in either Colerain Township, Bertie County, North Carolina or the Choanoac Indian community of Gates County, North Carolina. This is Mr. Parker David Robbins, he was a free person of Indigenous American and African descent, and he constructed the steamboat Saint Peter in 1888. Born in 1834 in either Colerain Township, Bertie County, North Carolina or the Choanoac Indian community of Gates County, North Carolina. The Bertie County native was among the 30,000 free Blacks living in the state in 1860. Robbins’s career yielded many accomplishments as a successful boatbuilder, farmer, politician, soldier, mechanic, inventor, carpenter, and postmaster. He was one of 15 African Americans elected to the state’s 1868 constitutional convention, a member of the state house of representatives, and a sergeant major in the Second United States Colored Cavalry. He was the son of John A. Robbins; his mother's name is unknown. He was considered a mulatto with Chowan Indian ancestors, and he was regarded as a free Black. He had a common school education and before the Civil War he acquired a 102-acre farm, in part with money earned as a carpenter and a mechanic. After the Civil War began, Robbins left Bertie County In 1863 and went to Norfolk, Va. then went to Fort Monroe, Virginia and on January 1, 1864, at the age of 29. He enlisted as a Private with the Union Colored Troops and was appointed Sergeant Major on January 11, 1864 in the Second Regiments of the United States Colored Cavalry He was active until mustered out at Brazos Santiago, Texas, on February 12, 1866 due to illness. Returning to his home in the Colerain Township, Bertie County, he was one of fifteen Blacks elected to the 1868 constitutional convention, the delegates gathered in Raleigh, NC on Jan 14. He also was one of nineteen Blacks elected to the 1869–70 term in the state house of representatives. The 1870 census recorded him as a 35-year-old farmer in a household consisting of 29-year-old Elizabeth, presumably his wife, whose occupation was housekeeper, and a 17-year-old mulatto female whose name is illegible in the manuscript census. Under the national Republican administration, Robbins was named postmaster of the town of Harrellsville. While holding this position he invented and secured a patent for a new kind of cotton cultivator and a device to sharpen saws. In 1877, with the return of Democrats to power, he resigned as postmaster and soon afterwards moved to Duplin County, where he established a sawmill and a cotton gin. While there he built a steamboat, the St. Peter , which plied the Cape Fear River. He also built some houses in the town of Magnolia. There is a photograph of Robbins in military uniform in the State Archives, Raleigh. The 1917 death certificate for Robbins indicates that he was married and that he was buried in his home burial ground. He was 83 years old when he died on Nov. 1, in the community of Magnolia, in Duplin, NC. He was buried in the Parker Robbins Cemetery in Magnolia, Duplin NC. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_David_Robbins Previous Next

< Back Charles Frederick Page ​ Words on image: Pineville, Louisiana, Charles F. Page (top left image) predates the Wright Brothers in the invention of the airship according to a local historian. Charles Frederick Page, was a Black man who was born into slavery and taught himself how to read and write. But more impressively according to Local Historian Michael Wynne, Page patented the first airship. Top right images: Charles F. Page's USPTO Patent for an Airship, Patented Application Filed: APR. 24. 1903. Application Granted: APR. 10, 1906. 0. F. PAGE. ' AIR SHIP. Family of Charles Frederick Page, (bottom left image) Fights to Recognize His Aviation Legacy Source: KLAX ABC 13 NEWS Source of Page's patent drawings USPTO . Pineville man Charles F. Page predates Wright Brothers in invention of airship according to local historian Brandon Brown - October 6, 2023 - KLAX ABC 13 News PINEVILLE, La – When names like Orville and Wilbur Wright are mentioned, the beginning of aviation is often the thought that follows. But history changes as we learn more truths that were erased, and it's time to introduce another name into the conversation. “He’s doing something that virtually no other person in world history did, and he did it here in Pineville,” said local historian Michael Wynne. Meet Charles Frederick Page, a Black man born into slavery that taught himself how to read and write. But more impressively according to Local Historian Michael Wynne patented the first airship. “It’s a story that truly is unbelievable and not only unbelievable that it happened, unbelievable that it’s being ignored until 2023.” Wynne has uncovered local newspaper articles and reports from 1904 recording the outstanding feat of flight by a Black man and his airship. His research even further led him to find Charles F. Page’s patent predates that of the Wright Brothers. “I think Page deserves that whenever the Wright brothers are mentioned. Page should also be mentioned to some extent in our national history books.” The innovative accomplishments of Page are not only confirmed by historical record but have lived on through family lore and Joseph Page, Frederick’s Grandson, is glad his accomplishments are finally being recognized. “For our grandfather to finally be recognized for his contribution to aviation, it’s a significant event not just for our family but also for Central Louisiana.” The City of Pineville unveiled a Historical Landmark in honor of Frederick Page on the land that he and his family have owned since he purchased it over a hundred years ago. Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree has known the Page’s name since the early 2000’s for economic additions to the property, and now he shares the unveiling of history with them. “We need to remember where we come from, and history is unveiled today in a very special way in the City of Pineville,” said Mayor Dupree. History for Central Louisiana is changing, and Joseph Page hopes it changes elsewhere as well. “You hear about the airplane, and you immediately think about Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and the Wright Brothers but you never have heard of Charles Frederick Page,” said Joseph Page. Now, Pineville has a historical marker honoring Charles Frederick Page for his innovation and contributions to the community of Pineville. As for the airship Page patented in 1906, there is no surviving model because as Page was sending his model to St. Louis for a World Convention, Wynne says it was presumably destroyed. “It was shipped and something happened,” said Wynne. “Now, due to the Jim Crow prejudice of that time, we firmly believe that it was stolen and destroyed.” After the destruction of the airship, Page changed route due to the racial obstacles of the time and reportedly went about his life no longer pursuing aviation excellence but rather excellence for his community and family including future descendants like Darryl Davidson. “It’s very obvious that there were barriers and challenges that kept other people from making it as far as even he did.” Pineville’s recognition of Page marks history for Central Louisiana but it also sends a message people should remember about history. “The message here is that there really is only one history,” said Davidson. “That one history is what unites everybody together and gets us farther as human beings.” -End of first article- . . Begin Second Article Family of Charles Frederick Page Fights to Recognize His Aviation Legacy Brandon Brown/ KLAX ABC 13 News When you think of aviation, the first name that comes to mind is the Wright Brothers. But around the same time, a Pineville, Louisiana man patented his plan for the first airplane. In his hands, Joe Page holds the proof his grandfather, Charles Frederick Page, created first patent of the airplane. Joe Page says, “He was well ahead of time even thinking that and trying to get people together to do farming, he did a variety of things.” Charles Frederick Page got the patent for his airship in 1906 before the Wright Brothers. “After spending what was probably his life’s savings to put this work and model together, and then pay to ship it off to St. Louis World Fair and it never arrived, and so I’m imagining that was a huge disappointment to him.” Charles Page planned to enter his airship into the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Joe Page says, “He had to care for his family. He just never saw an opportunity to gather that amount of money again and deny his family of a decent living, so he never pursued it again.” His granddaughter Kattie Williams believes his airship could have won the competition. “I think it was actually number one, probably found by someone who didn’t want it to get there and was destroyed or it was stolen.” Here lies Charles Frederick Page, a Black man who was never recognized for his contribution to aviation, but instead of giving up, he became a farmer and a family man. Joe Page says, “He made bricks, he made coal, which was fuel at that time, commonly used for and it was number of things that he tried to do to better serve the community. Kattie Williams says she enjoyed hearing stories about Charles Page growing up. “I loved him even though I didn’t know him. I loved him as my grandfather.” The Page family is grateful to Michael Wynne for bringing their grandfather’s story to the public. Historian Michael Wynne says, “Not only is a historical marker needed, at one time, the England Authority was considering a mural at the airport. I think that mural should be done. I think in every venue that we can, we should remember and teach our children about Charles Frederick Page. As they walk towards their grandfather’s grave, Kattie Williams hopes the City of Pineville recognizes who her grandfather was. “When I say our children, African American children could look forward to that somebody at that stage, in time, had the tenacity to do something like that, they certainly can do it now.” Charles Frederick Page built this cemetery because of his love for people. His family asks the City of Pineville to recognize his accomplishments and honor his legacy. The Page family also asks for the City of Pineville to build a historical marker to recognize Charles Page’s accomplishments. -End of second article- Previous Next

< Back Thomas J. Bullock. Studio portrait of African American U.S. Army Lt. Thomas J. Bullock. Bullock was born and raised in Henderson, N.C. He served in the Spanish-American War, and later served as the principal of the Williston Industrial School in Wilmington, N.C. Studio portrait of African American U.S. Army Lt. Thomas J. Bullock. Bullock was born and raised in Henderson, N.C. He served in the Spanish-American War, and later served as the principal of the Williston Industrial School in Wilmington, N.C. Bullock served during World War I in the 367th Infantry, U.S. Army. He died in action at the Second Battle of the Marne in France on September 2, 1918 (Undated). Source: WWI 14.B7.F80.1 From Compiled Individual Military Service Records, WWI 14, WWI Papers, Military Collection, State Archives of North Carolina. -- Read the history of Williston School Here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=551989873596375&set=a.170087133715877 Previous Next

< Back Richard E. Pennington Real-photo postcard of a studio portrait of Richard E. Pennington of Macon, N.C., wearing his full U.S. Army uniform, standing and holding an American flag on a pole, with a hand-painted backdrop behind him. An African-American soldier, Pennington served during World War I in Company E, 365th Infantry, 92nd Division, U.S. Army Real-photo postcard of a studio portrait of Richard E. Pennington of Macon, N.C., wearing his full U.S. Army uniform, standing and holding an American flag on a pole, with a hand-painted backdrop behind him. An African-American soldier, Pennington served during World War I in Company E, 365th Infantry, 92nd Division, U.S. Army (undated) [Photograph by: Novelty Photo Studio, Richmond, Virginia]. *Researcher-Stan Best* Previous Next

< Back Keith Stokes' Ancestral Doll ​ Narrative and owner of doll: Keith Stokes Photographer: Frank Jackson Thank you professional photographer Frank Jackson for this striking image of our 1830 slave doll. The doll is made from the clothing of an enslaved woman in my great, great grandmother’s home. The image is a chilling reminder of early America. Previous Next

Farmers Everette Jones (1851- 1927) with his wife, Celia, and daughter, Lucy Ann ​ Read More Dr. S.A. Malloy examining Louis Graves ​ Read More Wes Cris ​ Read More Wes Cris ​ Read More Young Negro farm laborer. Stem, North Carolina. ​ Read More Florida agricultural migrant ​ Read More Negro tobacco planter’s family. ​ Read More Skimming the boiling cane juice to make sorghum syrup at cane mill near Carr, Orange County, North Carolina, September 1939. ​ Read More Jesse Lytle (1838-1922) was the Worth-McAlister Family “outdoor man”—gardener, groom, and livestock caretaker. ​ Read More Percentage of Black farm ownership by County in North Carolina in 1920. ​ Read More Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association ​ Read More Scott family are among the handful of black farmers who have been able to keep or get back some of their agricultural land. ​ Read More (Two Black women and a Black man) Rendering fat after hog-killing. Near Maxton, North Carolina. Dec.(?) 1938. ​ Read More Black farmers sleeping in White camp room ​ Read More Black farmers sleeping in Negro camp room ​ Read More Prize-winning colt and mares raised by colored farm owner who cooperated with colored farm agent in planning program. Caswell County, North Carolina, 1940 Oct. ​ Read More Caroline Atwater ​ Read More Feggen Jones and family ​ Read More Negro farmers in Stem, North Carolina, May 1940. ​ Read More Son of farmsteader at Roanoke Farms-Halifax County--Enfield. North Carolina - 1938 Apr. ​ Read More Kendrick Ransome is a Black farmer with Golden Organic Farms that is responsible for the Black Farming Incubator. ​ Read More Grass Grazed farm is owned and operated by Paige and her husband, Derrick Jackson. They founded the farm in 2019 following Derrick’s retirement after serving in the U.S. military for 14 years, eight of which were spent at Fort Bragg. ​ Read More Kelton Moore, owner and operator of The Moore's Family Farm in Blounts Creek North Carolina, and founding member of Down East Fresh Cooperative. ​ Read More Green Heffa Farms ​ Read More The Brown Family Farm Est. 1865, is located in southeast Warren County, NC in the Hecks Grove Community. ​ Read More Fourtee Acres ​ Read More LaTonya Andrews is the owner of Soul City Farm. ​ Read More Latonya Andrews bought a 60-acre tract of Warren County land to become the fourth generation of her family to farm it. ​ Read More

Back to Places & Spaces 400-grave Black cemetery, Ayden, Pitt county NC ECU Researcher Uncovers 400 Graves In Abandoned African American Cemetery In City Of Ayden, Pitt County, NC. By Nikki Hauser / WITN Updated: Jun. 15, 2021 at 7:13 PM EDT GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Off of Lee Street in Ayden sits an old, largely forgotten graveyard for African Americans. Read More African American Grave Site Disturbed By Subdivision Development The G.C. and Frances Hawley Museum March 19, 2021 · African American Grave Site Disturbed By Subdivision Development By Kassie Simmons | March 16, 2021 at 6:30 PM EDT - Updated March 16 at 7:50 PM WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Work by developers ground to a halt after residents complained they were getting too close to a community cemetery last week, but for some graves it was too late. Read More Barbee-Hargraves Historic Slave Cemetery Photograph: Barbee-Hargraves Historic Slave Cemetery located at 610 Greenwood Rd, Chapel Hill, NC.---"Slave" cemetery, now owned and maintained by the Town of Chapel Hill. Approximately 7 indistinct rows of depressions and stones, some 'true stones' very firmly set, probably 40 or 50 graves. 1790-1915. Location and Land Ownership The Barbee-Hargrave Cemetery is located near the Greenwood subdivision of Chapel Hill on land that once belonged to members of the Morgan, Hargrave, and Strowd families, early inhabitants of the area. Read More Beechwood Cemetery A moment in Durham: ‘We do not walk past without saying their names’ By Claire Kraemer / The 9th Street Journal November 3, 2022 Image: Melva Rigel (top left) and Beverly Evans (center) lead a tour of Beechwood Cemetery. Photos by Claire Kraemer — The 9th Street Journal Read More Boddie-Wills Family Mausoleum "Spotted in Enfield., Halifax County, North Carolina." Image and narrative Source: African American Cemeteries of Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina fb page. ---- Engraving on head stone: FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM Read More Citizens Cemetery Youths, Volunteers Uncover More Hidden Slave's Graves In Historic Black Cemetery In Madison, Rockingham County, NC By Susie C. Spear- staff writer for RockinghamNow - May 29, 2019 Editor’s Note: This is the first installation of a series that will explore African-American history and forgotten historic black settlements in Rockingham County. Read More Dew Family Cemetery CEMETERIES, NO. 25: THE DEW FAMILY CEMETERY. Photograph: The well-maintained Dew cemetery lies behind Repha Church of God on Weaver Road east of the city of Wilson, NC. --- *NOTE: We are shaing this from the FB Page & web site #BlackWideAwake - Documents of Historical and Genealogical Interest to Researchers of Wilson County, North Carolina's African-American Past---End NOTE --- The stones mark the graves of Raiford and Jency Short Dew, both born into slavery, and their descendants. Raiford Dew Feb 18, 1838 Apr. 12, 1907 Read More Geer Cemetery NOTE: This article is about the efforts to rescue, preserve, maintain and honor African American burial grounds. With profiles about Oberlin Cemetery in Raleigh, NC, and Durham’s Geer Cemetery, Read More Geer Cemetery Photograph: Ron Bartholomew and Wayne Tabron help re-erect and restore a headstone at the Geer Cemetery in Durham, NC on June 22, 2019. credit Bryan Cereijo A Hope For Reclamation And Preservation At An Old African-American Cemetery In Durham By Aandrew Carter June 22, 2019 06:30 PM N&O Durham, NC Read More Geer Cemetery Geer Cemetary Durham, NC Jesse Geer buried black residents from 1877 to 1944, when the city of Durham shut it down. Lost to time: Overgrown Durham cemetery holds centuries of Black history By Julie Wilson and Cameron Clinard Sunday, February 03, 2019 Read More Geer Cemetery-Annice Lunsford Glenn Image and Annice Lunsford Glenn's life story by: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC Monday, October 10, 2022 Today, we celebrate the birthday of Annice Lunsford Glenn. She was born 201 years ago, and so much has changed as she would have known it. Some portions of her life are difficult to piece together and some we will probably never know. Read More Geer Cemetery-Asbury Shaw "Today we remember Asbury Shaw, born July 19, 1888, to Romulus Shaw and Agnes Smith Shaw, the middle of three children. Few records exist for him - only one census (1900, when he was attending school) and a 1903 newspaper article which cryptically refers to him as “a boy that no one seemed to know.” Read More Geer Cemetery-Charity Holman Source for photograph and narrative: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC Charity Holman’s marble marker reminds us that today is the 181st anniversary of her birth. Though some of those enslaved at Stagville and further north in Person County shared this surname, we are unsure of her origins. Read More Geer Cemetery-Delia Jenkins "Today we honor the life of Delia Jenkins, whose headstone tells us was born this day, June 10, in 1860. Delia was most likely born enslaved, to parents Wiley and Judy/Julia (Jordan) Mitchell. We first find record of their family after emancipation in the 1870 census living in rural Orange County. Read More Geer Cemetery-Ester Chavis Sourced from: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC FB page Ester Chavis was born on 15 June 1876. Her parents were Henry and Louisa (Day) Chavis. The marriage bond for her parents was registered on 19 August 1866, in Granville County. The bond indicated that both were free people of color. Members of Lousia Day's family are listed in the 1850 and 1860 census, another indication that they were free people of color. Read More Geer Cemetery-Fendell (Fendal) Banks Photograph and narrative sourced from: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC Fendell (Fendal) Banks was born on April 29, 1856. His entire family was enslaved on the Stagville Plantation in Orange County, NC. A place where over 900 enslaved people once lived. Read More Geer Cemetery-James E. R. Lewis Mr. James E. R. Lewis was born 160 years ago on November 22, 1861. Shared from: Friends of Geer Cemetery in Durham, NC Monday Nov. 22, 2021 James E. R. Lewis was born 160 years ago today according to his grave marker at Geer Cemetery. Read More Geer Cemetery-Jeff Bass Photograph and narrative source: Friends Of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC. “Gone but not forgotten,” the family of Jeff Bass had inscribed on his headstone, a lamb symbolizing the loss of a sibling and son just turned 18. Jeff was one of 15 children born to Charlie and Sallie Miller Bass. Married in Franklin County in 1895, they raised their growing family on farmland near Youngsville before migrating to Oak Grove Township in eastern Durham County around 1920. Read More Geer Cemetery-Katie Lillian Brown Shared From: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC October 12, 2021 5:34pm According to her headstone, Katie Lillian Brown was born this day, October 12, in 1905. Sadly, she died at the age of only 8 in July of 1914, within a few days of her 4-year-old sister Jennette. While no death certificates could be found for either sister, four other souls buried in Geer all died of Tuberculosis within a few weeks of them, suggesting a possible cause of death. Read More Geer Cemetery-Olivia Wills "Looking at Olivia Wills’ headstone in Geer Cemetery, it appears that she lost several children before her own early death. A closer look indicates a different story. Olivia Wills was born Oliva Tilley. In 1920, she married Edmund Wills. It was her second marriage. Read More Geer Cemetery-Rufus Purefoy Photographs and narrative source: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC Rufus Purefoy was born on 10 January 1905. Shown here in a family collection photograph, likely taken in the latter 1920s, he was the youngest of six children born to Haywood and Sallie Ann Hedgepeth Purefoy. Read More Geer Cemetery-Samuel Barbee Photograph and narrative sourced from: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC .#IrememberOurHistory® Samuel Barbee was born on March 15, 1872, in Johnston County, North Carolina to Joseph and Louisa McCullers Barbee. By 1880, he was living in the small rural community of Pleasant Grove with his older brother Julius and two younger sisters, Clara and Martha. He was later joined by three more younger sisters: Emma, Pattie, and Viola. Read More Geer Cemetery-Sarah Yearby Left image and narrative source: Friends of Geer Cemetery - Durham, NC Right image: Sarah Yearby is in this photograph, published in The Herald Sun 26 Apr 1953 page 34. Yesterday’s (Sat. Feb. 18, 2023) find was the headstone for a young schoolgirl, Sarah Yearby. She was twelve years old when she died of typhoid fever. Read More Grove Hill Cemetery GROVE HILL CEMETERY - is an African-American burial ground located at 2919 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC (We thank Denise Hester for letting us know about this unmarked, forgotten Black cemetery.) Location - on private property at the rear of 2919 Fayetteville Street, just south of the Fayetteville Street School and just north of the old railway right-of-way. Read More Holman Family Cemetery "Old, abandoned African American cemeteries that were created before and after slavery are archives, not unlike museums,", says North Carolina Central University history professor Charles Johnson. Read More John N. Smith Cemetery The John N. Smith Cemetery is the largest African American cemetery in Brunswick County where many notable Southport citizens were interned, including servicemen from every war since the Civil War. Read More John N. Smith Cemetery in Southport NC The John N. Smith Cemetery in Southport NC, (Source: WECT)-By WECT Staff Published: Oct. 13, 2021 at 4:08 PM EDT SOUTHPORT, N.C. (WECT) - A ribbon-cutting will be held for a new outdoor interpretive museum at the historic John N. Smith cemetery Saturday, October 16, at 10 a.m. The outdoor museum will celebrate the history and contributions of the Black community in Southport and the surrounding area. Read More John N. Smith Cemetery-Mary Ann Galloway Mary Ann Galloway,, 1825 - 1944 Born a slave in the prominent Galloway family in the early days of the Cape Fear County, Mary Ann Galloway spent her girlhood and early womanhood over 40 years enslaved on a plantation in Smithville Township. Read More Oak Grove Cemetery Uncovering the past: City to help fund survey of Old Oak Grove Cemetery By Paul Nielsen Staff Writer /The Daily Advance-Nov 15, 2021 Elizabeth City officials have agreed to help fund an archaeological survey that will identify marked and unmarked graves at the city’s oldest cemetery for Black residents. Read More Oak Grove Cemetery Will Historic Designation Protect This Black Cemetery From Beltline Construction? By Richard Stradling /News & Observer MAY 15, 2021 09:17 AM RALEIGH Deborah Lofton and Ethel LaVerne Patterson raked oak leaves and pine needles from the graves of their ancestors last weekend and gathered up bouquets of last year’s faded plastic flowers, replacing them with bright new ones they had bought that morning. Read More Pilgrim Funeral Home HENDERSONVILLE NC AFRICAN AMERICAN BURIALS These records contain 2,462 funeral records of burials performed by Pilgrim Funeral Home during the period 1941 – 2001. There may be some funeral records for other time periods which have not yet been received. Pilgrim Funeral Home was located in Hendersonville, Henderson County, North Carolina and normally handled African American burials. Read More Private Peter Bragg in Cedar Hill Cemetery Shared Post from: I'm from Washington NC and nobody told me this! I'm from Washington NC and nobody told me this! 11:20 pm July 8, 2021 "Washington has some amazing history and I am so grateful I get to share some of it on this page. Read More Rock Hill AME Church & Cemetery Left image: Photograph circa 1952- Rock Hill AME Church with John Henry Moore and grandson Larry Parks in the foreground. The church began as a worshipping congregation around 1865. The size of the membership decreased after the construction of Lake James. Read More Saint Delight Cemetery-Sheriff J. Harris Image: "Behold the Lamb of God." The gravestone for Sheriff J. Harris. Marble cutter Clarence B. Best’s work is well-represented in Saint Delight Cemetery, near Walstonburg, Greene County, North Carolina. . Image and narrative sourced from: Black Wide-Awake - Lisa Y. Henderson Read More Sanders Plantation Slave Cemetery Not forgotten: Unmarked graves of enslaved families discovered in woods of Johnston County. North Carolina A swath of wooded land hides a few dozen graves marked with fallen and broken headstones -- and potentially hundreds of unmarked graves, some of which belonged to men and women once enslaved on that very land. Read More Unity Cemetery-Columbus Faison Image and narrative source: African American Cemeteries of Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina. "Most of the known Veterans buried in Unity Cemetery have standard military-issue grave markers, but some are "hidden in plain sight." Such is the case of WWI Veteran PVT Columbus Faison, born in 1896 (per military records), Tarboro, NC. Read More Unity Cemetery-William E. Purvis Shared from: African American Cemeteries of Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina Posted August 6, 2022 Rocky Mount, North Carolina: Received this photo of the newly installed gravestone for WWII veteran William E. Purvis, from his descendant. Read More Graveyards & Cemeteries

Black Culture Keepers Back to Black Culture Keepers 2018 Career Ladder Profiles 1 Rising Professionals in the Agricultural Field of North Carolina Read More 2018 Career Ladder Profiles 2 Rising Professionals in the Agricultural Field of North Carolina Read More A Gullah Geechee native is fighting to keep her culture alive When Jackie Mikel (pronounced as “Michael”, a.k.a. Geechee Gal), stands in front of one of the slave houses at Boone Hall plantation, she must be standing where her great-great-grandmothers once stood. They must give Jackie enough strength, inspiration and conviction to tell a compelling story of the Gullah People. Like her great-great-grandmothers, who were brought from west Africa as slaves to the Gullah Geechee Corridor of North and South Carolina and Georgia. Read More A Tribute to Mr. Marshall Harvey 12/8/45 - 2/13/22 This tribute to Mr. Marshall Harvey -(12/8/45 - 2/13/22), was written by Mrs. Bettie Murchison. We thank Mrs. Murchison for allowing us to add her tribute to Mr. Harvey's life to our collection of Black Culture Keepers. Read More Agricultural Migrant July 1940. “Florida agricultural migrant with a group who had their own tent which they pitched outside the grading station at Belcross, North Carolina.” Read More Alice Eley Jones Historian Alice Eley Jones and I recently got into her Jeep and went in search of herring -- or at least the history of herring fishing. We were in Murfreesboro, her hometown. Herring have been an important part of life in that northeast corner of the state for centuries. As early as the 1740s, large commercial herring fisheries flourished there. They often employed mile-long nets, sometimes caught half a million fish in a single haul, and exported tons of salted herring up the Eastern Seaboard and to the West Indies. Read More Beaches of the South The government funded beach construction for private developers, which displaced Black farmers from their coastal lands. Read More Black Farm Ownership 1920 Percentage of Black farm ownership by County in North Carolina in 1920. (shared via Stan Best) Read More Black Farmer Image: Prize-winning colt and mares raised by colored farm owner who cooperated with colored farm agent in planning program. Caswell County, North Carolina, 1940 Oct. Read More Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association Black farmers from Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and other southern states, and the national president of Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association (BFAA), Gary R. Grant, participated. The first of five protests took place at the Farm Services Agency (FSA) offices in Brownsville and Bolivar, Tennessee. It was in support of Black farmers who had been denied or delayed operating loans. Read More Black Farmers in Stem Negro farmers in Stem, North Carolina, May 1940. Photographer: Jack Delano Source: LOC Read More Black Farmers sleeping in White camp room Image: Black farmers sleeping in White camp room in warehouse. They often must remain overnight or several days before their tobacco is auctioned. Durham, North Carolina, November 1930. Read More Black Farmers' Land Loss Photograph: The Scott family are among the handful of black farmers who have been able to keep or get back some of their agricultural land. (Zora J. Murff) Black landowners in the South have lost 12 million acres of farmland over the past century—mostly from the 1950s onward. Read More Caroline Atwater Photograph: Caroline Atwater standing in the kitchen door of her double one and a half story log house. Orange County, North Carolina, July 1939. By Dorothea Lange Source: LOC Read More Derrick and Paige Jackson Grass Grazed Farm Home on the Homestead: Meet A North Durham Farming Family of Seven September 14, 2021/Marie Muir/Eat & Drink/Durham Magazine The Jacksons started Grass Grazed farm in 2019 to introduce others to the benefits of regenerative agriculture. Read More Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 11, North Carolina, Part 1, Adams-Hunter North Carolina Slave Narrative Project Read More Feggen Jones and family Arthur Rothstein made a photo-study of the Jones family—an example of a successful farm loan recipient. He noted that, “Mr. and Mrs. Feggen Jones live with their 14 children on an 86-acre farm purchased with assistance from the Farm Security Administration. The farm’s electricity is supplied by the Rural Electrification Administration.” Read More Finding Personality In The Past Jerome Bias conducts a cooking demonstration last spring at the Lakeport Plantation near Lake Village. Read More Impeached of His Efforts To Fight The KKK during Reconstruction Eddie Davis, a former teacher and politician from Durham who is now the town historian Read More Jesse Lytle The Lytle Family were members of Randolph County’s,(NC) African American aristocracy. His grandfather, Frank Lytle (c, 1774-1869) was freed in 1795 after the death of his master and father, Thomas Lytle of the Caraway community. Read More Kendrick Ransome Kendrick Ransome is a Black Farmer and Owner of Golden Organic Farms LLC that is responsible for the Black Farmer Incubator, in Edgecombe County, NC. Read More Lizzie Piggot Image: Left photo: Lizzie Piggot sits in her kitchen reading a book in the 1950s Right photo: Lizzie and Henry. Credit: NPS Lizzie Pigott was born to Leah Abbott (who later took on the name Pigott) August 28, 1889 on Portsmouth. Read More Mr. John William Mitchell John William Mitchell (1885 – 1955) was a 1909 graduate of the Agricultural and Mechanical College for The Colored Race (now North Carolina A&T) who became a pioneering leader in the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, and later for the United States Department of Agriculture. Read More Negro Tobacco Planter's Family May 1940. “Negro tobacco planter’s family. Read More Negro group meeting of the county land use planning committee in the schoolhouse in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina. J.E. Brown, leading farmer, elected chairman and also Negro member of Caswell County planning commission. October 1940. Read More New Bern's African American Heritage Trail New Bern's new African American Heritage Trail has no equal in Eastern North Carolina and adapts visual arts needed for a modern audience. That's an assessment by David Dennard, retired East Carolina history professor and founder of ECU's African American Studies program. Read More Nonprofit, Local Churches Partner to Support Farmers of Color To combat inequality in the food system, a new pilot program created by the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA this spring is partnering Wake County churches with N.C. farmers of color. Read More Our Founder and Culture Keeper From The G.C. and France Hawley's founder, a short article for Black History Month 2019. Black History Month to many African Americans is a time to remember and honor the lives of our enslaved ancestors who lived and died in bondage, to celebrate our freedom from chattel slavery, to uplift our advancements in spite of America's White supremacist foundations, and to encourage our youth to continue to strive to be the best they can be. Read More Our Founder and Culture Keeper (cont.) We would like to share with you an opportunity that was provided to our founder, Lynda D. Edwards. In her work in being a culture keeper, to gather, protect, decolonize and make available in one space the History and Culture of the African Americans of NC, she found that one of her stories was in need to speak out and be heard.. Read More People Are Underrepresented People are “underrepresented” because that’s a consequence of being "historically excluded" which is the cause. Read More Preserving Legacies Meet the woman helping preserve the legacy of Black cowboys and cowgirls. Read More Rendering fat after hog-killing (Two Black women and a Black man) Rendering fat after hog-killing. Near Maxton, North Carolina. Dec.(?) 1938. Photographer: Marion Post Wolcott, 1910-1990. Source: LOC - Farm Security Administration Collection Read More SOUL CITY FARM Latonya Andrews standing in a newly cleared field Friday, March 12, 2021, in Norlina, NC, that will be returned to farming. Read More Samantha Foxx Meet the Inspiring Woman Behind North Carolina's Buzziest Farm Samantha Foxx, a master beekeeper, started Mother’s Finest Urban Farms three years ago in an effort to serve the local community, educate, and inspire people to look after the earth. Read More Son of Farmsteader at Roanoke Farms Son of farmsteader at Roanoke Farms-Halifax County--Enfield. North Carolina - 1938 Apr. Read More The Black Church Food Security Network Fourtee Acres is a 45-acre family owned forestry, farming, natural gardening and rental property operation established in 1994 that is engaged in sustainability for the future. Fourtee Acres is part of the 195 acre century old Williams Family Farm (established 1916). Read More The Brown Family Farm The Brown Family Farm was established in 1865 by first generation farmer Byron Brown. Byron was the first generation farmer who grew timber and raised live stock until his death in 1931. His son Grover Brown began farming as a second generation farmer establishing a peach orchard on the land, cultivating grain and raising live stock until the late 1970’s. Read More The Culture Keepers National Black Storytelling Festival, in Wake this week, highlights Moral Monday movement Read More The Green Heffa Farms "There are bigger farms. Richer farms. Inherited farms. Better-resourced farms. More knowledgeable and tech savvy farms. More popular farms. But there is only one Green Heffa Farms. And that’s what we focus on." Read More The Moore's Family Farm Meet Kelton Moore, owner and operator of The Moore's Family Farm in Blounts Creek North Carolina, and founding member of Down East Fresh Cooperative. BCFSN's Black Church Supported Agriculture program is a proud partner of Moore's Family Farm. Read More The Origins of Black History Month As we draw closer to Black History Month 2019, we would like to provide background about Mr Carter G. Woodson, the fire behind the push in Black committees to become culture keepers which would preserve, celebrate and remember our history, culture and our stories. Let us continue to speak the name Carter G. Woodson. Read More Wes Chris 1939 - Feeding the sorghum cane into the mill to make syrup on property of Wes Chris, a tobacco farmer of about 165 acres in a prosperous Negro settlement near Carr, Orange County, North Carolina. Read More Wes Cris Photograph title: given by photographer: Skimming the boiling cane juice to make sorghum syrup at cane mill near Carr, Orange County, North Carolina, September 1939. Read More Young Negro Farm Laborer May 1940. “Young Negro farm laborer. Stem, North Carolina.” Read More

< Back Loretta Whitfield ​ Loretta Whitfield, Creator Of A Doll With A Difference, Dies At 79 Photo collage description: Left image, 3 Baby Whitney Dolls standing side by side. They each have black curly hair, white socks and black pattern leather shoes. They each have brown skin with African American features. The first one is dressed in a white dress with little sail boats. The second one is dressed in a red dress. The third one is dressed in a light purple dress. Article description with photograph: The Baby Whitney doll was designed by Loretta Whitfield and her husband, Melvin, as a way, Mr. Whitney said, to “make a contribution to our culture. " Photo Credit. Debbie Behan Garrett Right image, Ms. Whitfield in an undated photo. She is a Black woman with salt and pepper colored short hair. She is smiling and facing the camera. She has her arms crossed in from of her. She is wearing a dark blue top with a grey and blue scarf. Article description with the photograph: “The Whitfields’ Baby Whitney was ahead of its time,” one expert on the subject said, in that it “wasn’t just a white doll colored brown, but a doll that little Black girls could truly identify with.” Credit...via Whitfield family --- In the 1980s, amid the craze for Cabbage Patch Kids, she and her husband came up with an alternative: Baby Whitney, a doll with realistic Black features. By Clay Risen / NYT -Feb. 25, 2021 In the early 1980s, Melvin Whitfield was working for a health nonprofit in West Africa when he came to a realization: Few of the children he encountered had dolls, and the dolls he did see were modeled after white European faces and bodies. Mr. Whitfield, who is Black, returned to Washington in 1983, around the time his girlfriend, Loretta Thomas, was coming to to her own doll-inspired despair after trying to find a toy for her niece. It was the height of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, and toy stores were filled with their cherubic white faces; the few Black dolls scattered among them were made with the same shape and features, but used brown fabric. The Whitfields, who married in 1984, decided to design an alternative to the Cabbage Patch Kids. After three years of development and experimentation, they released Baby Whitney, one of the first realistic mass-produced Black dolls. “The doll is the byproduct of their collective revulsion at what they regarded as an ‘endless parade of distorted, phony, and demonic images’ of Black children passed off as dolls,” read a sheet attached to the back of the doll’s cardboard box. There were other Black dolls on the market that had similar aspirations to authenticity, but Baby Whitney stood out for its high quality and its makers’ close attention to detail. “The Whitfields' Baby Whitney was ahead of its time in mass-producing a baby doll that wasn’t just a white doll colored brown, but a doll that little Black girls could truly identify with,” Debbie Behan Garrett, an expert on the history of Black dolls, said in an interview. Ms. Whitfield, who died on Dec. 27 at 79 at her home in Washington, had a master’s degree in psychology and had spent most of her career as a counselor at Howard University. It was that background, her husband said, that drove her passion for creating Baby Whitney. “We felt it was necessary to take our money and go from scratch to create a real doll that would make a contribution to our culture,” Mr. Whitfield — who confirmed his wife's death, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease — said in an interview. “We wanted to make a statement without using words.” Loretta Mae Thomas was born on Feb. 17, 1941, in Wellington, Kan. Her family moved to Washington after her father, Jesse, got a job as a clerk at the Pentagon. Her mother, Verna Mae (Hayden) Thomas, also worked for the federal government. Loretta entered Eastern High School in 1954, the same year the Supreme Court struck down school segregation in Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. Dolls played an important part in that case: Thurgood Marshall, the lead lawyer, relied on research by the psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark that showed Black children had a preference for white dolls — evidence that segregation taught them that being Black meant being inferior. She graduated magna cum laude from Howard University in 1962 and later received a master’s in psychology from American University in Washington. The Whitfields were not the only people in the mid-1980s thinking about Black dolls, said Fath Davis Ruffins, a curator at the Smithsonian Institution and an expert in Black consumer culture. In 1968 Mattel began selling Christie, marketed as a Black friend to Barbie. In 1980 Kitty Black Perkins, one of the company’s few Black product designers, created the first Black Barbie, complete with an Afro. And in the late 1970s, Ms. Ruffins said, Black artists had already begun selling handmade Black dolls with realistic features at markets and art fairs. A few other entrepreneurs had even sold mass-produced dolls like Baby Whitney. But none had gone as far as the Whitfields. Rosalind Jeffries, a historian of African art whom the Whitfields hired to design the doll’s face, based it on the flat, disk-shaped heads of the Akuaba dolls of the Ashanti people of West Africa. Baby Whitney’s eyes, lips and nails were hand-painted, and her outfits were designed by Ms. Whitfield. Friends and neighbors helped with the painting and sewing. Mr. Whitfield worked on the dolls full time while Ms. Whitfield continued her work as a counselor at Howard. She retired in 1999 as the director of the university’s educational advisory center. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a brother, Jesse Thomas. The Whitfields, who operated under the name Lomel Enterprises, made only 3,500 dolls over their decade in business, selling mostly through mail order and gift shops. Still, Baby Whitney was a hit. The Whitfields regularly sold out their production runs, and they expanded their line to include different outfits. “We had situations where adults would come back to us and buy a second doll because they wouldn’t let their kids play with the first,” Mr. Whitfield said. The doll was considered sufficiently lifelike that several of them were used as stunt dummies in a 1989 episode of “Rescue 911,” in which infants were dropped from a burning apartment complex. The Whitfields stopped production in the mid-1990s to care for ailing parents, Mr. Whitfield said. It didn’t help that their undercapitalized two-person operation demanded an enormous amount of work, especially when they were negotiating with a manufacturer halfway around the world. Nevertheless, the Whitfields proved to be pioneers: By the early 1990s companies like Mattel were making more dolls of color, and paying closer attention to their features. “Kids identify with their dolls,” the Whitfields wrote, “and the dolls become their children and they become the dolls’ parents. You want the dolls to have an image with which the children can interact in a loving way.” Source: https://www.nytimes.com/.../loretta-whitfield-dead.html... Previous Next

Doll Makers Back to Fashion & Fabrics Betye Saar ​ Read More Deborah Neff Collection ​ Read More Keith Stokes' Ancestral Doll ​ Read More Loretta Whitfield ​ Read More Sandra Epps ​ Read More Toni Sturdivant / The Conversation ​ Read More Yolonda Jordan's MY PRETTY BROWN DOLL ​ Read More

Black Foodways Back to Black Foodways Betye Saar ​ Read More Deborah Neff Collection ​ Read More Keith Stokes' Ancestral Doll ​ Read More Loretta Whitfield ​ Read More Sandra Epps ​ Read More

< Back Sandra Epps ​ Largest Black Doll Show to Open a Black Doll Museum in Shipping Containers - Monday, February 15, 2021- BlackNewsdotcom Detroit, MI — Sandra Epps decided to turn her negative into a positive after surviving three near-death experiences due to lupus. In 2005, she established Sandy’s Land where the mission is to party with a purpose, to encourage women and girls to “Love the Skin They’re In!” Presently, Sandy’s Land LLC conducts art parties and hosts the Detroit Doll Show which is the largest black doll show of its kind. She founded The Detroit Doll Show in 2011 with the purpose of celebrating history, culture, self-love, and diversity with the promotion of Black dolls. Epps decided that with the up-rise and reveal of injustice to people of color and the establishment of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Black Doll Museum will be a perfect resource for visitors to learn about the positive history and culture of Black people, while little brown girls will be inspired to love themselves. The build-out shipping containers will include the Black dolls in addition be a space to host art parties, doll-making workshops, and classes taught by black historians, therapists, and gardeners. Epps comments, “The Butterflyy represents the rash that appears on a lupus patient’s face when they are experiencing a flare-up. The butterfly is also symbolic of hope, transformation, peace, and prosperity. And these vivid and powerful insects are now quasi-extinct due to lack of habitat caused by new development, pesticides, and climate change.” Her plan is to help save the butterfly by incorporating them into her business space. With the help from the community, black doll collectors, butterfly lovers, nature enthusiasts, or just admirers Epps will make her dream a reality. She will introduce an entertainment space that uplifts black culture, empower brown girls and assist the environment. The launch of the GoFundMe for the Black Doll Museum & Butterfly Garden is to raise funds to purchase land and to then kick start the foundation work for the build-out shipping containers in Detroit, Michigan. The space will be intentional with empowerment including black art, statues with affirmations, and classes to be taught by African American doll makers, historians, gardeners, entomologists, therapists, and nutritionists. Also, there will be a pond with koi fish, gazebo, and rock path of hope to pay homage to loved ones. In addition, patrons can participate with interactive Nature Fun Facts. And Epps plans to become a certified way-station for Monarch Butterflies to have a safe pesticide-free habitat to eat, to lay their eggs, to grow, and be released to migrate. Epps plans to purchase land in 2021. There are two ways to support the construction of the Black Doll Museum. People can make a donation on the GoFundMe page or with the purchase of Girlfriend, It’s Time to SOAR! A Work Journal for Personal Transformation written by Sandra Epps. The proceeds from each book will go toward the purchase of land for the Butterflyy Garden and Black Doll Museum at DetroitDollShow.com. For press inquiries, contact Ny’Ree Hardway at 313-492-6953 or info@sandyslandllc.com . Source: https://www.blacknews.com/.../largest-black-doll-show.../... Previous Next

< Back Toni Sturdivant / The Conversation ​ What I Learned When I Recreated The Famous ‘doll test’ That Looked At How Black Kids See Race By Toni Sturdivant / The Conversation - February 22, 2021 8.24am EST Image description with article: What it means when Black children prefer white dolls. commerce and culture stock/Moment via Getty Images Image description: A little Black girl who is smiling, carrying a white doll. ---- Back in the 1940s, Kenneth and Mamie Clark – a husband-and-wife team of psychology researchers – used dolls to investigate how young Black children viewed their racial identities. They found that given a choice between Black dolls and white dolls, most Black children preferred to play with white dolls. They ascribed positive characteristics to the white dolls but negative characteristics to the Black ones. Then, upon being asked to describe the doll that looked most like them, some of the children became “emotionally upset at having to identify with the doll that they had rejected.” The Clarks concluded that Black children – as a result of living in a racist society – had come to see themselves in a negative light. I first heard about the Clarks’ doll experiment with preschool children during a Black studies class in college in the early 2000s. But it wasn’t until one of my daughters came home from preschool one day in 2017 talking about how she didn’t like being Black that I decided to create the doll test anew. Struggling with identity When my daughter attended a diverse preschool, there weren’t any issues. But when she switched over to a virtually all-white preschool, my daughter started saying she didn’t like her dark skin. I tried to assuage her negative feelings about the skin she was in. I told her, “I like it.” She just quipped, “You can have it.” But it wasn’t just her skin color she had a problem with. She told me she also wanted blue eyes “like the other kids” at her school. Perturbed, I spoke with others about the episode. I began to suspect that if my daughter had identity issues despite being raised by a culturally aware Black mom like me – an educator at that – then countless other Black children throughout America were probably experiencing some sort of internalized self-hatred as well. In search of the cause The Clarks’ research was used in the 1954 landmark Brown v. Board of Education case to advance the cause of integrated schools. Their findings about Black children’s negative view of themselves were attributed to the effects of segregation. But I knew from experience that the preference for whiteness that the Clarks found was not limited to just Black kids in segregated schools in the 20th century. It was affecting Black kids in integrated schools in the 21st century as well. Maybe, I thought, the racial bias wasn’t related to schools as much as it was to the broader society in which we live. Maybe it was much more nuanced than whether Black kids attended an all-Black school or went to school alongside other kids. But to verify that Black kids were still viewing their Blackness in a negative light the way the Clarks found that they were back in the 1940s, I would have to do so as a researcher. So I set out to get my doctorate in early childhood education and began to look deeper into how children develop racial identities. A new approach In their doll test studies, the Clarks prompted young children to respond to questions of character. They would ask questions like, which doll – the Black one or the white one – was the nice doll? This required the children to select a doll to answer the question. This experiment – and prior research by the Clarks – showed that young children notice race and that they have racial preferences. While these studies let us know that – contrary to what some people may think – children do, in fact, see color, the tests were far from perfect. Although I respect the Clarks for what they contributed to society’s understanding of how Black children see race, I believe their doll tests were really kind of unnatural – and, I would even argue, quite stressful. What if, for instance, the children were not forced to choose between one doll or the other, but could choose dolls on their own without any adults prodding them? And what if there were more races and ethnicities available from which to choose? With these questions in mind, I placed four racially diverse dolls (white, Latina, Black with lighter skin, and Black with medium skin) in a diverse preschool classroom and observed Black preschool girls as they played for one semester. My work was published in Early Childhood Education, a peer-reviewed journal. I felt choosing to watch the children play – rather than sitting them down to be interviewed – would allow me to examine their preferences more deeply. I wanted to get at how they actually behaved with the dolls – not just what they said about the dolls. Observing play in action Without asking specific questions as the Clarks did, I still found a great deal of bias in how the girls treated the dolls. The girls rarely chose the Black dolls during play. On the rare occasions that the girls chose the Black dolls, they mistreated them. One time a Black girl put the doll in a pot and pretended to cook the doll. That’s not something the girls did with the dolls that weren’t Black. When it came time to do either of the Black dolls’ hair, the girls would pretend to be hairstylists and say, “I can’t do that doll’s hair. It’s too big,” or, “It’s too curly.” But they did the hair for the dolls of other ethnicities. While they preferred to style the Latina doll’s straight hair, they were also happy to style the slightly crimped hair of the white doll as well. The children were more likely to step over or even step on the Black dolls to get to other toys. But that didn’t happen with the other dolls. What it means Back in the 1950s, the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, used the Clarks’ doll test research as evidence for the need to desegregate schools. Yet in my own doll test study, more than half a century later in an integrated setting, I found the same anti-Black bias was still there. Children are constantly developing their ideas about race, and schools serve as just one context for racial learning. I believe adults who care about the way Black children see themselves should create more empowering learning environments for Black children. Whether it be in the aisles of the beauty section of a grocery store, the main characters selected for a children’s movie or the conversations parents have at the dinner table, Black children need spaces that tell them they are perfect just the way they are. Note: Toni Sturdivant is an Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M University-Commerce. Source: https://theconversation.com/what-i-learned-when-i... Previous Next

< Back Betye Saar ​ ARTIST BETYE SAAR HAS BEEN COLLECTING BLACK DOLLS SINCE THE 1960S YOU COULD SAY ARTIST BETYE SAAR’S NEW SUITE OF WATERCOLORS STARTED IN THE 1960S, WHEN THE NOW 95-YEAR-OLD ARTIST BEGAN COLLECTING BLACK DOLLS IN LOS ANGELES. THIS LED TO A LIFELONG COLLECTING PURSUIT THAT IS NOW PLAYING OUT IN AN EXHIBITION AT ROBERTS PROJECT IN LOS ANGELES CALLED “BETYE SAAR: BLACK DOLL BLUES.” HERE SAAR ANSWERS OUR INQUIRIES ON THE MATTER. CULTURED MAGAZINE 09.17.2021 CM: When did you start collecting dolls? Betye Saar: As a child, I never had a Black doll. I usually had dolls that my mother found, and every year she would repaint their hair or make a new dress. Black dolls were not manufactured back then. If there was a Black doll, it was a rag doll that your grandmother or mother or someone else had made. When I was young, there was a radio show called Amos ‘n’ Andy, which had a couple of white actors playing Black characters. In the show, Amos got married and had a baby who was called Amosandra, and they made a doll for that character, who was Black. The show was so popular that everyone wanted those dolls, including white kids, but by that time I was already in college at UCLA. As I experienced it, that is how Black dolls came into being manufactured, with the exception of rag dolls that were made by hand. I love buying things at antique stores. In the late 1960s, I found a black doll on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, by Book Soup and the old Tower Records, and I was fascinated with it. So I didn’t begin collecting Black dolls until I was an adult and I started to notice them at swap meets and elsewhere. Then friends began gifting them to me and my brother gave me some which had been discarded by someone. Friends and family still give me Black dolls. My daughter Alison just gave me a Topsy-Turvy doll for my birthday that she bought at a flea market in Maine last month. CM: Do you collect other things besides dolls? BS: Yes, I have many collections. I like things that are made from recycled materials. That has always been more interesting to me than new products. I have collections of shard-mosaic vessels, mercury glass, elephant teapots, as well as outsider, tramp and prisoner art. CM: What drew you to the medium of watercolor? What’s your favorite quality about it? BS: I’ve always used watercolors for personal notes and also sketchbooks when I travel. Throughout COVID, things were so strange and I wasn’t interested in making big art or assemblages. I was interested in creating watercolors, but I didn’t know what I wanted to paint. I have a large cabinet of toys and Black dolls, so I decided to concentrate on painting a series of Black dolls from my collection. Usually, people think about watercolors as being very light and airy, but I enjoy using them as rich, saturated, bright colors. CM: What’s the last picture you took? BS: Last week, I took a photo of my family at my 95th birthday party with my iPhone. Source: https://www.culturedmag.com/betye-saar-black-dolls.../... Previous Next

< Back Deborah Neff Collection ​ An exhibition view of “Black Dolls: The Deborah Neff Collection” at La Maison Rouge. Photo: Marc Domage / Courtesy of La Maison Rouge The Black Dolls on Showcase at a Parisian Gallery Have a Poignant Story to Tell MARCH 16, 2018 by LYNN YAEGER Two weeks ago, just after Paris Fashion Week, on an afternoon that hung between rain and sunshine, I took the Métro to Bastille, walked a few blocks to the gallery La Maison Rouge, entered the “Black Dolls: The Deborah Neff Collection” exhibition, and burst into tears. This extraordinary assemblage, the collection of an American woman, Deborah Neff, runs the gamut from the most modest, touching efforts—a mere sock and rag with eyes—to figures that demonstrate dazzling needlework skills. The 200 or so dolls on display, proud survivors of an unspeakable time in American history, are far from the demeaning representation of African Americans that dominated the larger culture. Dating from 1840 to 1940, they are assumed to be made largely by African-American women. In the years before the Civil War, when enslaved individuals were forbidden to paint or sculpt, to learn how to read or write, the artists who created these works managed a stunning rebuke to these strictures. Neff says she didn’t consciously set out to build a collection. “I found my first doll in Atlanta on a business trip. I went by chance to an antique fair, and there was this decrepit but proud-looking doll fashioned out of leather scraps, nails, and wood, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it.” So many others followed—orphans stranded at antique shows, auctions, dusty shops—who eventually found their way into Neff’s home. Mystery shrouds these silent babies. The dolls may exude a quiet dignity, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun—they are toys, meant to be loved, meant to be played with. Here are nursemaids and newsboys; elegant sisters in their Sunday best; gentlemen out for a stroll in striped vests. Others, just as worthy of affection, feature humble outfits made from flour sacks. Their faces and bodies are given life with cloth, of course, but also leather, wood, and found materials. One area of the exhibition holds shadow boxes in which small dolls are sequestered, looking out of the suggestion of a window, as if they wished they could know how it feels to be free. Another section offers variations of topsy-turvy dolls, those two-headed girls that flip over—a black head on one end, a white one on the other. You can enjoy their company only separately; they are joined at the waist, sharing a single skirt. They can never look each other in the eye. We will never know who made these wonderful dolls; we can only imagine under what circumstances their creators sewed. But we know that they were treasured, passed down from hand to hand, and that over the course of a century, no one could bear to throw them away. Mute witnesses to our American story, in all its glory and its wretchedness, they are small but mighty testaments to our shared history, our survival, and our triumphs. Previous Next

< Back Yolonda Jordan's MY PRETTY BROWN DOLL ​ MY PRETTY BROWN DOLL CROCHET PATTERNS FOR A DOLL THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU By Yolonda Jordan Additional formats: Ebook Publication Date: May 24, 2022 Imprint: Abrams Books Trim Size: 7 x 9 ISBN: 9781419750397 Page Count: 144 Illustrations: 144 color images throughout Rights: World/All Summary: The first pattern book for making unique, customizable African American crochet dolls From American Girl Dolls to Barbie, there's something special about having your own doll, and even more so, having a doll that looks like you. And it’s not just about clothing; having a doll that has eyes, skin tone, and even a hairstyle to match your own is a thrill. For African American girls, this isn't the norm nor is it easy to find. Created by Yolanda Jordan, My Pretty Brown Doll offers patterns and crochet techniques to create this charming crochet doll, with skin tone, hairstyle, eyes, and outfits that are customizable to match the young person this gift is for. Jordan’s unique aesthetic will appeal to a wide variety of crocheters, and there are endless possibilities to make this doll unique. The book covers a basic wardrobe, including pants, shirts, shoes, coats, a hat, and a scarf. But then Jordan dives into specific adventures like going to school and playing soccer, dancing ballet and traveling to Paris. There's even a mermaid and a scientist outfit, complete with lab coat. Offering African American girls the chance to have their own doll, who looks like them and can be outfitted exactly the way they want, is a gift unlike any other. It's a wonderful opportunity to deliver something special to an underserved market. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Yolonda Jordan is the creator and owner of My Pretty Brown Doll, where she sells custom dolls as well as crochet doll patterns and teaches others how to create their own through online and live workshops. She lives in Bailey, North Carolina, with her family. -End Summary- Here is a link to her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/myprettybrowndoll Previous Next

Law Back to Social Justice & Activism Abner Sessoms ​ Read More Banner State Woman's National Baptist Convention in 1915 ​ Read More Civil Rights Act of 1964 ​ Read More Dovey Johnson Roundtree ​ Read More Dovey Johnson Roundtree ​ Read More Dr. Anna .Julia Cooper ​ Read More Dr. Pauli Murray ​ Read More Dr. Pauli Murray ​ Read More Dr. Pauli Murray ​ Read More Ellen Harris ​ Read More Elreta Melton Alexander-Ralston ​ Read More George Royster Greene, Sr. ​ Read More Henry Frye ​ Read More Joan Little ​ Read More Kellis Earl Parker ​ Read More Paula Dance ​ Read More Paula Dance ​ Read More Pearsall Plan ​ Read More Poll Tax Receipt ​ Read More Robert Lee Vann ​ Read More Robert Lee Vann ​ Read More Rosanell Eaton ​ Read More Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander ​ Read More Sarah Keys ​ Read More Sylvia Elizabeth Mathis ​ Read More The Kissing Case ​ Read More Voting Rights Act Of 1956 ​ Read More Walter and Sylvester Long ​ Read More William Hooper Councill ​ Read More

Back to Social Justice & Activism Social Justice & Activism 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration N.C A&T held the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration at its Greensboro campus on Jan. 31, 2020. The event commemorates the first downtown Greensboro NC sit-in on Feb. 1, 1960, and celebrates the four A&T freshmen who led the effort to integrate whites-only lunch counters. Read More Devon Henry In the photograph we see Devon Henry. His construction company, Team Henry, LLC. being awarded the contracts to remove other confederate monuments in other locations like Charlottesville., dismantled and removed the #LeeMonument in #RichmondVirginia. Read More Dr. Anna Julia Cooper On August 10, 1858, Dr. Anna Julia Cooper was born enslaved in Raleigh, NC. Dr. Cooper received a scholarship to Saint Augustine's Normal School at the age of 9 years old, she was one of the first students to matriculate from there. Read More Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company in 1892 Pictured is the Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company in 1892. Durham’s first all-Black volunteer fire department. (Durham, NC) Read More Pearsall Plan "September 8,1956, N.C. voters approved the Pearsall Plan to prolong segregation & thwart Brown v Board of Education. A committee had decided integration ‘should not be attempted’ because of low support. Local votes on integration & vouchers for private tuition were est. All measures of the plan were unconstitutional." Read More Rev. Douglas E. Moore Durham pastor and civil rights leader Rev. Douglas E. Moore gives communion to five of the seven local youths who sat-in at the Royal Ice Cream Company shop in 1957. Read More Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Photo description: Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, NC being interviewed by Bennett Belles when he visited the campus in Feb 11, 1958. This photograph is displayed in the college's Thomas F. Holgate Library. Read More Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray We #NCMAAHC Celebrate The Life And Work Of Sista Rev. Pauli Murray!! Read More "The Kissing Case," "The Kissing Case," as it came to be known, drew international media attention to Monroe, N.C. October 28, 1958. Two Black Boys, Seven and Nine Years Old, Arrested and Jailed for Over Three Months After White Girl Kissed Them on Their Cheeks. Read More 1000 students march against segregation More than 1000 students march against segregation, 1960.-Orangeburg, SC Read More 100th anniversary of Congress passing the #19thAmendment June 4, 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of Congress passing the #19thAmendment, granting women the right to vote, a freedom they had long deserved. Read More 56 Years Ago, Is Not That Long Ago! August 6, 1956, President L.B. Johnson Signed The Voting Rights Act Of 1956 Breaking Open The Way For Black Americans To Vote. Read More 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration Students from The Middle College at N.C. A&T lead high school students in a march from the A&T campus to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the former site of a Woolworth store where the first Greensboro sit-in was held on Feb. 1, 1960, during the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration at the A&T campus in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration The Richard B. Harrison Players perform a reenactment of the original four at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration in the Alumni-Foundation Event Center on the N.C. A&T campus in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration People watch the ceremonies at the wreath laying at the February One Monument at N.C. A&T on Friday. Read More 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration Jibreel Khazan and Joseph Alfred McNeil and the families of Franklin Eugene McCain and David Leinail Richmond stand in front of the February One Monument on the N.C. A&T campus. Read More 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration Joseph Alfred McNeil, right, and Judy Rashid share a moment after the wreath laying ceremony at the February One Monument at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration on North Carolina A&T campus in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration Jibreel Khazan and Joseph Alfred McNeil sit on the front row at the wreath laying ceremony at the February One Monument at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration on the N.C. A&T campus in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More 7 Indians Arrested in Sit-In at a North Carolina School. A total of 21 students were arrested that day along with their parents. They were accused of violating a court order forbidding them from “engaging in sitting-in, picketing, trespassing or otherwise interfering with the normal operation” of the school. Judge W.H.S. Burgwyn of the Harnett Superior Court in Lillington directed the Dunn School Committee and the Harnett County Board of Education to appear at the hearing and stated he thought the whole affair something of “a tempest in a teapot” as he expresses the hope it could be settled amicably. Read More A "Round Robin" demonstration Image: March 15, 1962-A “round-robin” demonstrator asks to buy a ticket to the Carolina Theatre and gets a refusal at the box office. Once turned away, protesters went to the end of the line and waited their turns to try again. Photographer: Jim Sparks, Durham Herald Sun. Read More A Safe Place to Fill Up To be able to stop at almost any Southern gas station and have a good, inexpensive meal is an American tradition rooted in Black survival and entrepreneurship Read More Adkin High School Protest To Protest Segregation, They Walked Out Of Their Classroom And Into History Read More Alma S. Adams U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams speaks after being awarded the Human Rights Medal at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration at the Alumni-Foundation Event Center at N.C. A&T in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Photo Credit-Woody Marshall/News & Record Read More Alma S. Adams U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams listens as she is introduced as the Human Rights Medal recipient at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration at the Alumni-Foundation Event Center at N.C. A&T in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More Amanda V. Gray, Doctor of Pharmacy Amanda V. Gray (1869-1957), Doctor of Pharmacy, (center). Photo in promotional leaflet, between 1903 and 1917? Read More Andrea Harris #NCMAAHC is sad to share the news of the passing on May 20, 2020, of Ms. Andrea Harris. She was a pure fire trailblazer for Black North Carolinians. Read More Andrea Harris Andrea Harris' legacy of economic development and minority enterprise commands attention. Read More Angie Brooks, her nephew, and Allard Lowenstein On April 30, 1963, Angie Brooks, with her nephew, who was a student at St. Augustine’s at that time1, and Allard Lowenstein attempted to have lunch together at two restaurants in downtown Raleigh but were denied service because Brooks was African. Read More Ann Atwater Photograph of Ann Atwater registering voters in Durham, N.C., December 1967. From the Billy E. Barnes Photographic Collection (P0034), North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Read More Anna Julia Cooper Anna Julia Cooper (1858-1964), educator and civil rights activist, sufferagist, seated, with book on her lap. Read More April 9, 1968…the King family in mourning. 1. Dr. King's oldest daughter, oldest son and his brother. 2. Mrs. King and their youngest daughter. 3. Dr. King's youngest son, his sister and his father. 4. The funeral procession after the church ceremony. Mrs. King and their children lead the way. Read More Association for the Black Revolution and the White Backlash Event Materials produced by the Association for the Black Revolution and the White Backlash event, including a sheet for submitting audience questions for the panel and a transcript for the event. Read More Attorney George Greene (far left) Attorney George Greene (far left) is seen at the Wake County Jail with St. Augustine College and Shaw University students after they were arrested outside the Cameron Village (present-day Village District) Woolworth’s before a planned sit-in protest, 12 February 1960. Read More Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. Activist and former head of the NAACP, Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., (Born in Oxford, NC), told in his HistoryMakers interview of his great-great-great grandfather, John Chavis, who was one of the earliest black educators in the United States. Read More Bennett Belles We all know about the four men students from A & T and the lunch counter sit-ins. That story and photograph are rolled out every #bhm and on the anniversary of that sit-in happening. Read More Bennett Belles from Bennett College For Women Bennett Belles from Bennett College For Women-1937-Students protesting Jim/Jane Crow laws enforced by the Carolina Movie Theater in Greensboro, NC-photographer unknown. Read More Birth of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) On April 15, 1960, black college students guided by civil rights activist Ella Baker formed the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) at Shaw University in North Carolina. Inspired by the sit-ins that college students waged throughout the South in February 1960, Ella Baker organized a conference at Shaw University to bring these young activists together. Read More Black Students Arrested During Sit-in Black Students Arrested During Sit-in In Former Cameron Village Honored With Historic Marker Read More Black Women Activists/Suffrage/Civil Rights/Educators Rare 19th-century photographs of African American women who were active in suffrage, civil rights, temperance, education, reform, and journalism. Digitized By the Library of Congress. Read More Bree Newsome "“You come against me with hatred, oppression, and violence,” Newsome shouted with the flag in her hand. “I come against you in the name of God. This flag comes down today.” #BreeNewsome - June 27, 2015 - Read More CECIL J. WILLIAMS Prayer on the front lines of the fight for civil rights, 1963 PHOTO BY CECIL J. WILLIAMS Read More Campaign for Integration in Durham African American citizens campaign for integration in Durham, N.C., 1963 Read More Ceciil J. Williams Photograph of Ceciil J. Williams Read More Cecil J. Williams Learn More About Mr. Cecil J. Williams By Visiting His Museum Web Site. Read More Cecil J. Williams The photograph of him drinking from the "Whites Only" water fountain is thought to have been taken by Mr. Williams mentor, John Goodwin, who joined him for a talk at Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina in September 2013 to share their experiences as Black photographers in South Carolina during Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era. Read More Cecil J. Williams Cecil J. Williams , was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina ,November 26, 1937. He is an American photographer, publisher, author and inventor who is best known for his photography documenting the civil rights movement in South Carolina beginning in the 1950s. Read More Charles Bess The Greensboro Sit-Ins In an iconic photo from 60 years ago, four young African American men sit at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and stare resolutely back at the photographer behind them. Behind the counter is a young busboy. His name was Charles Bess. Read More Chowan Herald Image is from the front page of the December 20, 1962 edition of the "Chowan Herald". On December 20, 1962, Rev. Dr. King spoke to a massive crowd at the National Guard Armory on North Broad Street. Read More Christmas Boycott Photograph: Left corner insert, Louis Lomax. Back row: James Baldwin, Oliver Killens, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and (folk singer) Odetta Holmes are the artists who formed the Association of Artists for Freedom, which called for a Christmas boycott to protest the church bombing, and asked that, instead of buying gifts, people make Christmas contributions to civil rights organizations. Read More Clarissa M. Thompson 1872 Portrait of educator Clarissa M. Thompson, (b. 1856-?) tintype. Read More Coretta Scott King, and daughter, Yolanda, April 9th 1968: Coretta Scott King, widow of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (1929 - 1968), and their daughter, Yolanda, sit in a car as it leaves for Martin Luther King Jr’s funeral, Atlanta, Georgia. The reflection of a group of mourners standing in front of a house is visible in the window of the car. Read More Cover of Trade of Puerto Rico Personal explanation - speeches of Hon. George H. White of North Carolina, in the House of Representatives, Monday, February 5, and Friday, February 23, 1900. There are 17 pages in this publication. Read More Dignified Defiance: The Ellen Harris Story In Durham, NC on February 12, 1938, Harris refused to move to the back of the bus, this is the story of how she won her case before the North Carolina Supreme Court and sued the bus company for damages. Read More Dorothy Cotton Dorothy Cotton sits for a photo with other staff members at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, including the organization's president, Martin Luther King Jr. Read More Dovey Johnson Roundtree Even though she was not allowed to use the law library, cafeteria or restroom in the courthouse, Dovey Johnson Roundtree was a master litigator. Read More Dovey Johnson Roundtree Dovey Johnson Roundtree- Born Dovey Mae Johnson, on April 17, 1914, in Charlotte, North Carolina, She Died on May 21, 2018 (aged 104). She was an African-American civil rights activist, ordained minister, army vertern and attorney. Read More Dr. Anna .Julia Cooper Portrait of Dr. Anna .Julia Cooper taken circa 1902 - C.M. Bell, photographer. [between February and December 1903] Source: Library of Congress, Read More Dr. Pauli Murray Anna Pauline "Pauli" Murray born on November 20, 1910 was a Civil Rights activist who became a lawyer, a women's rights activist, Episcopal priest, and author. Read More Dr. Rev. Pauli Murray The wager was ten dollars. It was 1944, and the law students of Howard University were discussing how best to bring an end to Jim Crow. In the half-century since Plessy v. Ferguson, lawyers had been chipping away at segregation by questioning the “equal” part of the “separate but equal” doctrine—arguing that, say, a specific black school was not truly equivalent to its white counterpart. Read More Dr. Willa Johnson Cofield Dr. Willa Johnson Cofield, during the years of segregation, she was a very courageous teacher activist of Halifax County, NC. After her major teacher rights victory in the high Federal courts, Willa Johnson eventually moved to New Jersey and got her PhD in Urban Planning at Rutgers. Read More Durham, NC, Feb. 12, 1938: Ellen Harris Refuses to Move for White Passenger In Durham, North Carolina on February 12, 1938, a bus driver asked Ellen Harris to move to the back of the bus when a white passenger got on board. She refused, but offered to get off the bus if her fare was refunded. Instead of refunding her fare, the bus driver had Ms. Harris arrested for violating segregation laws. Read More East Carolina Indian School The High School students from Cumberland, Harnett and Bladen counties attend this school in Sampson County. Some of the students in the picture lived or now live in Cumberland Counties. Read More Educator and activist Elizabeth Brooks posing with singer and activist Emma Hackley This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Read More Edward H. Jones Edward H. Jones was born on Sun, 05.09.1920. He was an African American businessman and activist. Read More Ella Baker Ella Baker, born Dec. 13, 1903 and died Dec. 13, 1986, was a civil rights and human rights activist beginning in the 1930s whose career spanned more than five decades. She was instrumental in the launch of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Read More Ella Baker Ella Baker born on December 13, 1903 was a Civil Rights and Human Rights Activist who began her long career in the 1930s. Baker was born in Norfolk, Virginia and when she was seven, her family moved to her mother's hometown of Littleton in rural North Carolina. Read More Ella Josephine Baker Ella Josephine Baker- born December 13, 1903, and died December 13, 1986 Ella J. Baker was the granddaughter of enslaved grandparents. She was the daughter of Georgia Anna Ross and Blake Baker of Elams, NC. Read More Elreta Melton Alexander-Ralston Elreta Melton Alexander-Ralston was born on March 19, 1919 - and died on March 14,1998. In 1947, after passing the North Carolina bar exam, Alexander became the first Black woman to practice law in North Carolina. However, it is important to note that Ruth Whitehead Whaley was the first Black woman admitted to the North Carolina bar, but she never practiced in the state. On December 2, 1968, Alexander became the first Black judge elected in North Carolina and the first Black woman to be elected an elected district court judge in the United States. Read More Emma Jean and Juanita Chance Two Indian girls, Emma Jean and Juanita Chance sit outside as white children load up school buses after the first day of school. Read More Ervin Hester Ervin Hester, the first regularly scheduled African-American news anchor in the southeast died at 81 years old, in Durahm, NC. Read More Eva Clayton Pictured is Eva Clayton filing for office in North Carolina’s primary elections, on February 25, 1968. This was Clayton’s first attempt seeking election to congress—an effort encouraged by civil rights activist Vernon Jordan. Read More Eva M. Clayton The Honorable Eva M. Clayton was born on September 16,1934. She is an African American politician (retired) and administrator. Read More Fannie Barrier Williams Bust portrait of educator and activist, Fannie Barrier Williams,(1855-1944), photographed by Paul Tralles (Washington, DC, 1885), cabinet card. Read More Fannie Lou Hamer Courage Speaks Backed By Truth! Read More Fannie Lou Hamer We all here on borrowed land. We have to figure out how we’re going to make things right for all the people of this country." - Fannie Lou Hamer Read More Fannie Lou Hamer "On this day (June 9th) in 1963, Fannie Lou Hamer and other activists were arrested in Winona, Mississippi, as they returned from a voter registration workshop. They had been traveling in the "white" section of a Greyhound bus. Read More Fighting Environmental Racism in North Carolina Photo collage description: Photo top left corner is David Caldwell, Jr.,he and fellow activists have tried for decades to push local, state, and federal officials to counteract environmental racism. Photograph by Jeremy M. Lange Photograph by Jeremy M. Lange. Read More Food Workers Strike Food Workers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill protest their working conditions and employment terms under SAGA Food Services. Read More Freedom Tree Students were denied the right to hold civil rights meeting on campus so they held meetings under the "freedom tree" 1956 - Orangeburg, SC Read More George H. White On this day January 29, 1901, North Carolina Congressman George H. White delivered his now-famous "Phoenix" Farewell Address. Read More Gianna Floyd. George Floyd's daughter. Read More Golden Asro Frinks Golden Asro Frinks (August 15, 1920 – July 19, 2004) was an American civil rights activist and a Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) field secretary who represented the New Bern, North Carolina SCLC chapter. Read More Griggs v. Duke Power In the 1950s Duke Power's Dan River Steam Station in Draper, North Carolina had a policy restricting Black employees to its "Labor" department, where the highest-paying position paid less than the lowest-paying position in the four other departments. Read More Hallie Quinn Brown Hallie Quinn Brown, (1850-1949), educator and activist. Read More Harvey Beech (left) and J. Kenneth Lee (right) Harvey Beech (left) and J. Kenneth Lee (right) on the first day of classes at UNC Law School in 1951. Read More Harvey Gantt “Harvey Gantt and the Sea of Reporters”: On January 28, 1963, Gantt became the first Black student of Clemson College (now Clemson University) in South Carolina. The Charleston, SC native later became the first Black mayor of Charlotte, NC twice elected, in the 1980's. Read More Henry Frye February 3, 1983, Henry Frye became the first African American to serve on the North Carolina Supreme Court! Read More Henry Plummer Cheatham Born into slavery in what is now Henderson, North Carolina, Henry Cheatham was the child of an enslaved domestic worker about who little is known. An adolescent after the American Civil War, Cheatham benefited from country’s short lived commitment to provide educational opportunities to all children. Read More Here, let us Fix that for you. Be Careful supporting and celebrating the false identities created by the White Americans to sanitize Rev. Dr. King Jr. to make him and the whole racial and social justice movement more comfortable for White Americans. Read More Hospital Workers Strike Marching in Support of Striking Hospital Workers, 1968.-Orangeburg, SC Read More Hospital Workers Strike Marching in Support of Striking Hospital Workers, 1968.-Orangeburg, SC Read More Hughie Maynor "Native American civil rights are under-reported. Stories like my Dad’s need to be told to carry on to motivate and educate younger Native American generations of how important their heritage and culture is and the injustices that our parents struggled against so that we could have the civil right of a better education." Read More Hughie Maynor Image description: A photographs of Hughie Maynor, as a member of the US Air Force – Photo courtesy of Maynor Family Read More Hughie Maynor Image description: A family photograph, with people sitting on the steps of a home stairwell. On the landing two men are holding a handmade quilt. Top Row left to right: Mr. Ernest Carter, Jr., Mr. Hughie Maynor. Middle Row: Paul Maynor, Paula Maynor Day, Brandy Maynor. Bottom Row: Hope Thompson, Caleb Maynor, Cassidy Maynor, Tonia Maynor Read More Hughie Maynor On August 31, 1960, Hughie Maynor, along with Edward Chance, Edgar Chance, Stoney Chance, Helen Maynor, Henrietta Maynor, Emma Jean Chance, Juanita Chance and 13 other students arrived at Dunn High School as the 8:30 morning bell rang for the first day of school. Read More Hughie Maynor Civil Rights in Carolina: A Native American’s Story. When one thinks of the Civil Rights era, it’s usually a black and white issue. North Carolina, however, was one of the few states labeled tri-racial. There were three school systems, three seating areas, and three water fountains. Read More J. Kenneth Lee Civil rights attorney J. Kenneth Lee talks about the many social changes he has witnessed over his long career during an interview in Greensboro in 2009. Read More JUNETEENTH IN NORTH CAROLINA Lincoln Signed the Executive Order to Emancipate The Enslaved Black People of the U.S. In Jan 1863! The Enslaved Black People in Texas did not find out Until 21/2 years later, in 1865 that they had been freed. Read More James Edward O’Hara One of four black congressmen elected from North Carolina’s Second District— called the “Black Second” for its black-majority population—during the late 19th century, O’Hara was easily the state’s most flamboyant and controversial black officeholder of the era. Read More James FARMER and John LEWIS Montgomery, AL. 1961. James FARMER (seated in chair) and John LEWIS, (sitting on floor) at a strategy meeting for the Freedom Riders. Lewis' head is bandaged, having been beaten earlier by the Ku Klux Klan. Read More Joan Little "Identity Intersections in the Spotlight: The Joan Little Case" Posted on 31 August 2017 by chaitra Read More Joan Little Left image - Joan Little (left) and one of her attorneys (Karen Galloway) wait for an elevator July 14, 1975 in the Wake County Courthouse where Little was on trial for the 1974 stabbing death of one of her jailers. Source: Washington Area Spark. Right Image- Supports of Joan protesting her arrest. Source: U.S. Prison Culture website. Read More John Campbell Dancy, Jr. John Campbell Dancy Jr., editor and public official, was born in Tarboro, the son of John C. Dancy, Sr., an enslaved person who became a freeman and, after the Civil War, was a builder and contractor and an Edgecombe County commissioner. Read More Jordan H. Dancy. Dancy was one of the first African Americans to be elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1896. He represented the Tarboro District in the legislature for two years before the Wilmington Race Riots disenfranchised African Americans. Read More Joseph Alfred McNeil Joseph Alfred McNeil greets people after the wreath laying ceremony at the February One Monument at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration on the N.C. A&T campus in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More Josephine A. Silone Yates Josephine A. Silone Yates, (1852-1912), educator and activist, seated before studio backdrop. Read More Journey of Reconciliation The Journey of Reconciliation has also been referred to as the "First Freedom Ride." In 1947 the Congress of Racial Equality & local citizens, black & white, protested bus segregation. Setting out from Washington, D.C., "freedom riders" tested compliance with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling barring segregation on interstate buses. Read More Journey of Reconciliation Freedom Riders Surrender in Hillsborough On March 21, 1949, the Freedom Riders surrendered at the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough and were sent to segregated chain gangs. Read More Juanita and Ima Jean Chance Juanita and Ima Jean Chance at a sit in demonstration in all-white Dunn High School. The young high school students refused to leave. Their parents were called and interrogated by Police Chief Alton Cobb, who tried to persuade the parents to take their children home. Read More Kellis Earl Parker Kellis Earl Parker 13 Jan 1942 - 10 Oct 2000 Kinston, Lenoir County, NC native Kellis Earl Parker, an accomplished lawyer, activist, scholar, and musician, was born January 13, 1942 in Kinston, North Carolina. Read More Maria “Molly” Baldwin Bust portrait of educator and civic leader, Maria “Molly” Baldwin,(1856-1922). Read More Mary McLeod Bethune In the late 1800s, African American workers, tradesmen, and professionals who were excluded from all-White labor unions organized their own unions. Mrs. Bethune wrote in her 1936 speech “Closed Doors”: Read More Moranda Smith -Moranda Smith was a black labor organizer and unionist who served as the first regional director of Winston-Salem, North Carolina's local 22 of the Food, Tobacco, Agricultural and Allied Workers of America (FTA) in the 1930 and 1940s. Read More Mr. William C. Chance Mr. William C. Chance Protested Segregated Rail Cars, 1948 On June 25, 1948, Parmele, NC native William Claudius Chance (23 Nov. 1880–7 May 1970), was made to get off an Atlantic Coast Line Railroad passenger train car in Emporia, Virginia, for refusing to move to a car for black passengers. Read More Mrs. King and her four children Mrs. King and her four children flew from Memphis back to Atlanta with Rev. Dr. King’s body for burial. Read More N. C. Indians Cited In School Sit-Ins --Dunn, NC A total of 21 students were arrested that day along with their parents. They were accused of violating a court order forbidding them from “engaging in sitting-in, picketing, trespassing or otherwise interfering with the normal operation” of the school. Read More N.C. Mutual executive R. Kelly Bryant, Jr. N.C. Mutual executive R. Kelly Bryant, Jr., tosses lollipops, and Santa Claus (William McBroom) receives onlookers’ cheers during a “Black Christmas” parade, November 29, 1968. Read More NAACP Officials Celebrating Twentieth Anniversary The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is America’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Read More NC's First Black Cop. Ahoskie, NC Had State's First Black Cop Read More Orangeburg, SC Protests The marchers are tear gassed and attacked with fire hoses. Almost 400 are arrested and herded into a police stockade. -Orangeburg, SC Read More Orangeburg, SC Protests The marchers are tear gassed and attacked with fire hoses. Almost 400 are arrested and herded into a police stockade.-Orangeburg, SC Read More Orangeburg, SC Protests This photo shows three South Carolina State College students recently released from jail. Read More Paula Dance Paula Dance Is The First Black Woman Elected Sheriff In North Carolina. Pitt County, NC. Voters in Pitt County made history Tuesday when they elected the first black woman to the office of sheriff and the first black man to the office of district attorney. Read More Paula Dance Paula Dance becomes the first African American woman sheriff in the state of NC and only the fifth in the entire country. Read More Percy High and City Recreation Director Jimmy Chambers 6 August 1962, Percy High is seen exiting the Pullen Park Pool as City Recreation Director Jimmy Chambers looks on. This photo is part of an exhibit at the Raleigh City Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina. Read More Poll Tax Receipt Receipt for poll tax fee that Black people had to pay to vote. Read More Portrait of journalist Lillian Parker Thomas,(b. 1857- ?) standing before studio backdrop. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Read More President Lyndon B. Johnson July 2, 1964 , President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today marks the 55th anniversary of the signing of The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This legislation outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Read More Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King On April 3 1968, Dr. King and some of his associates returned to Memphis. After they landed, Dr. King checked into room 306 at the Lorraine Motel. Read More Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy On October 30, 1967, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were arrested and forced to begin serving sentences in Birmingham jail because they led peaceful protests against unconstitutional bans on race mixing in Birmingham in 1963. Read More Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assination Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated while standing on the balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, at 6:01 p.m. CST. Read More Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. December 4,1967, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. announced the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Poor People’s Campaign, a movement to broadly address economic inequalities with nonviolent direct action. Read More Reverend Dr. Anna Pauline “Pauli” Murray On this day January 8, 1977 Reverend Dr. Anna Pauline “Pauli” Murray became the first ordained female African American Episcopal priest Read More Robert Lee Vann Robert Lee Vann was an African-American newspaper publisher and editor. He was the publisher and editor of the Pittsburgh Courier from 1910 until his death. Read More Robert Lee Vann Robert Lee Vann was an African-American newspaper publisher and editor. He was the publisher and editor of the Pittsburgh Courier from 1910 until his death Read More Rocky Mount Sanitation Workers Strike The continuation of that civil rights movement was felt in Rocky Mount with a sanitation workers’ strike that started in July 1978. Their efforts to win dignity and to build leaders was recognized today September 7, 2019, with a N.C. Highway Historical Marker at the BTW Community Center, 727 Pennsylvania Ave., Rocky Mount. Read More Roland Martin Guest speaker Roland Martin places the memorial wreaths back into place after the flowers were moved to make photos at the February One Monument at the 60th Sit-In Anniversary Breakfast Celebration on the N.C. A&T campus in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, January 31, 2020. Read More Roland Martin "You don't need permission to stand up': Read More Rosanell Eaton In the 1940s, Rosanell Eaton became one of the first African Americans in North Carolina to successfully register to vote since Reconstruction. Read More Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was a pioneer among Black women in United States law and education, and a committed civil rights activist. Read More Sandra Hughes Sandra Hughes Was Hired And Began Working At WFMY, Helping Pave the Way For Black Women in Journalism Read More Sarah Keys September 1, 1953: In Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company, Keys challenged the “separate but equal” in bus segregation before the Interstate Commerce Commission. Read More Sojourner Motor Fleet Photo description: Hardy Frye and Howard Jeffries standing next to the Holly Springs project’s Plymouth with the SNCC logo painted on the door. Source: Frank Cieciorka Collection, crmvet.org. Read More South Carolina State and Claflin College student protest march South Carolina State and Claflin College student protest march, 1956. Read More Student pickets boycott Kress Student pickets boycott Kress, 1960-Orangeburg, SC Read More Student pickets boycott Kress Student pickets boycott Kress, 1960-Orangeburg, SC Read More Sylvia E. Mathis On June 2, 1976, FBI Director Clarence Kelley presented Special Agent Sylvia E. Mathis with her badge and credentials, #2658. She was issued a leather attaché case, an unadorned purse, and a Smith & Wesson revolver with a snub-nosed barrel short enough to fit inside the purse. Read More The 57th Anniversary Of The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom Today, August 28, 2020 is The 57th Anniversary Of The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom - August 28, 1963 The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, also known as the March on Washington or The Great March on Washington, was held in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, August 28, 1963. Read More The 57th Anniversary Of The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom Today, August 28, 2020 is The 57th Anniversary Of The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom - August 28, 1963 Read More The Birthplace Of The Environmental Justice Movement! North Carolina State Troopers pick up protesters on the road to the Warren County Landfill in Afton, North Carolina, September 1982. Read More The Birthplace of The Environmental Justice Movement Photo: PCB landfill protest in Afton, North Carolina, September 1982. (Jerome Friar/UNC Libraries) -- Warren County, NC Is The Birthplace of The Environmental Justice Movement Read More The FREEDOM RIDERS 1949 Freedom Riders ‘surrendered’ in Hillsborough N.C. Arrested & Placed in Bl/Wh Chain Gangs. 2 Year Protest v Seg. Buses. Read More The FREEDOM RIDERS I The FREEDOM RIDERS Stopped Through Greensboro By Jim Sshlosser- Staff Writer/News & Record May 3, 1991 Updated Jan 24, 2015 They stopped in Greensboro 30 years ago to rest and invite people to join them. Read More The FREEDOM RIDERS II Continued short biographies of these FREEDOM RIDERS involvement in the Anti-Segregation Movement. Read More The Honorable George R. Greene Oct. 5, 1930 – March 17, 2013 Judge George Royster Greene, Sr., was born in Nashville, North Carolina to the late Dr. W. L. Greene and Georgia Royster Greene, on October 5, 1930. He was one of three sons. He transitioned into Heaven on Sunday, March 17, 2013, at his dearly beloved First Baptist Church. Read More The Journey of Reconciliation On Sunday, 04.13.1947 The Journey of Reconciliation is celebrated. This was the first civil rights freedom ride through the American South. Read More The Piedmont Leaf Tobacco Plant Strike, 1946 Image description: Top photo-Black women workers Protesting at Piedmont Leaf Tobacco Company, 1946. Bottom photo- Margaret DeGraffenreid being forced into a police car during the protests.- Forsyth County Public Library. Read More The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C., on Jan. 27, before a backdrop showing the North Carolina house of representatives chamber where he was arrested in 2011. Read More The Round That Changed A Town One afternoon in 1955, six Black men played golf on a whites-only course. What happened next pushed Greensboro toward integration and turned a local dentist into a civil rights icon. Read More The Sit-In Protest: Milkshakes and Jail Image description: Color photograph of the Harnett Regional Theater (Stewarts Theater) in Dunn, NC – photo courtesy of Cinematreasures.org Read More The Williamston Freedom Movement Civil Rights at the Grass Roots in Eastern North Carolina, 1957-1964 Freedom Fighters Remember Williamston, NC Civil Rights Movement -- The Williamston Freedom Movement, Read More The Wilmington Ten September, 1968 - Williston Senior High school, a prominent all-Black high school was suddenly closed in order to integrate its 1100 students into the two white high schools. The sudden closing angered many in the Black community who felt that while it was inevitable and desegregation was necessary, it did not have to and should not have occurred in the sudden and traumatic manner in which it did. Read More The Wilmington Ten In May 2012, Benjamin Chavis and six surviving members of the group petitioned North Carolina governor Beverly Perdue for a pardon. The NAACP was supporting the pardon, as well as compensation to be paid to the men and their survivors for their years in jail. Read More The Wilmington Ten - Continued October 17, 1972—Chavis and the "Wilmington 9" convicted on charges of conspiracy to assault emergency personnel and burning with an incendiary device. Anne Shepard convicted on charges of "accessory before the fact" of firebombing. Read More This is an 1873 portrait of educator Laura A. Moore Westbook (1859- 1894) tinted tintype. (Courtesy William Henry Richards Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division) This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Read More UNC Food Workers Strike Fifty years ago, food services workers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill went on strike for better wages and working conditions. The Black Student Movement supported the strike, which put a spotlight on labor and racial inequities at the university. Read More Walter Long (r) with his baby brother Sylvester Photo: Walter Long (r) with his baby brother Sylvester* ---- Black police officers…the forgotten story… February 25, 2010 A few days ago, in celebration of Black History Month, the Winston-Salem Police Department honored some of the first black police officers in the city. Read More White terrorist bombings Photo Collage Description: Top Row Left- Kelly Alexander Jr. standing in front of his home that he still lives in on Senior Drive which was bombed in 1965. His uncle Fred Alexander, whose house also was bombed, lived next door. Credit: Diedra Laird Dlaird. Top Row Middle- Newspapers headlines about the November 22, 1965 White terrorist bombings. Credit: Charlotte Observer. Read More William Hooper Councill William Hooper Councill was a teacher, social justice activist, college president, and editor. He was born in March.22.1849, Or in July 12, 1848. Council was formerly enslaved and the first president of Huntsville Normal School, which is today Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in Normal, Alabama. Read More Willie Gertrude Brown Willie Gertrude Brown was an African American activist for racial justice and the rights of children and women. Read More was a Minister, Educator And Social Justice Activist, Dr. M. Moran Weston was born on Saturday, 09.10.1910. He was an African American minister, businessman and civil rights activist. Read More ‘Toxic Wastes and Race’ 'This is environmental racism’ How a protest in a North Carolina farming town sparked a national movement By Darryl Fears and Brady Dennis / WAPO - April 6, 2021 Read More

Inventors Back to Business Industry, Science & Research Alfred L. Cralle ​ Read More Alice H. Parker ​ Read More Anna M. Mangin ​ Read More Benjamin Banneker ​ Read More Black Inventors List ​ Read More Charles "Chuck" Harrison ​ Read More Charles Frederick Page ​ Read More Charles S. L. Baker ​ Read More Frank Calvin Mann ​ Read More Frederick Jones ​ Read More Henry Edwin Baker Jr. ​ Read More Herbert Smitherman ​ Read More Jerry Lawson ​ Read More Joseph N. Jackson's early efforts led to the creation precursor of the V-Chip, which is used to block inappropriate content for children. He also created the Programmable Television Controller, and other innovative devices for the television industry. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Read More Laemouahuma Daniel Jatta ​ Read More Lloyd Noel Ferguson ​ Read More Lyda D. Newman ​ Read More Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner ​ Read More Sarah Marshall Boone (Boon) ​ Read More Stephen, an enslaved Black man ​ Read More THE ENSLAVED PECAN PIONEER ​ Read More Thomas L. Jennings ​ Read More Windser E. Alexander ​ Read More

Item List Ada Jenkins ​ Read More Allegra Westbrooks ​ Read More Alma Boykin, a beloved volunteer at Hunter Elementary ​ Read More Anna Julia Haywood Cooper ​ Read More Anna Julia Haywood Cooper (1858-1964) ​ Read More Annie Mae Tucker ​ Read More Booker T. Washington ​ Read More Carter G. Woodson ​ Read More Charles Norfleet Hunter ​ Read More Charles Waddell Chesnutt ​ Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown ​ Read More Dorothy Counts, 15, attempts to become the first black student to attend Harding high school in Charlotte, North Carolina. ​ Read More

Back to Educators & Education Education & Educators Amy Littlejohn Roberts Amy Littlejohn Roberts (1878-1935)-was able to attend, complete her course of study and graduate from Elizabeth City Colored Normal School in 1895. Read More Saint Augustine’s School 1919 High School Graduating Class at Saint Augustine’s School. Read More Albemarle Regional Library Bookmobile Photo Black Mobile Library Albemarle Regional Library Bookmobile, North Carolina. [North Carolina Digital Collections] Read More Albion Academy Albion Academy (1878-1933), a school for black elementary and high school students, founded by the Presbyterian Board o'f Missions for Freedmen, and State Colored Normal School at Franklinton, Franklin County, N.C. was once known to be one of the best black high schools. Read More Allegra Westbrooks Allegra Westbrooks, North Carolina's first Black library supervisor Read More Allen Home School Photograph: Allen Home School students,1921 courtesy UNC-A Special Collections & The Heritage of Black Highlanders Collection from N.C. Digital Heritage Center. Read More Alma Boykin Meet 94-year-old Alma Boykin, a beloved volunteer at Hunter Elementary for 13 years Read More Anna Julia Haywood Cooper Anna Julia Haywood Cooper (1858-1964) was an American author, educator, sociologist, speaker, Black Liberation activist, and one of the most prominent African American scholars in United States history. Read More Annie Mae Tucker Annie Mae Tucker, circulation librarian at the Stanford L. Warren Library in Durham, NC, is captured in this mid-1940s photograph with a group of patrons choosing books from the Bookmobile on a stop in the Rougemont area. Read More Black Issues Forum Photo:A discussion on 'HBCU Legacy and Leadership' on UNC-TV's 'Black Issues Forum.' UNC-TV For more than 150 years, historically black colleges and universities have fostered African-American leaders and fueled social movements. Read More Booker T. Washington Booker T. Washington North Carolina Education Tour At The Home of Samuel H. Vick, November 1, 1910.” Read More Booker T. Washington Booker T. Washington North Carolina Education Tour At The Home of Samuel H. Vick, November 1, 1910.” Read More Brown v Board of Education On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled to abolish school segregation as it violated the 14th Amendment. This decision in Brown v. Board of Education legally initiated integration, but enforcement at the state level was slow to manifest, particularly in the racially tense southern states. Read More Charles Waddell Chesnutt Chesnutt, Charles W. 1858-1932, Writer. Charles Waddell Chesnutt, an Afro-American man of letters, was born in Cleveland, Ohio Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown Charlotte Hawkins Brown, educator and founder of the Palmer Memorial Institute, was born in Henderson, NC. Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown Charlotte Hawkins Brown: Palmer Memorial Institute students studying. The Palmer Institute was named after Alice Freeman Palmer, former president of Wellesley College and benefector of Dr. Brown. Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown Charlotte Hawkins Brown: Sedalia Quartet traveled throughout the East Coast region, singing to raise funds for the Palmer Memorial Institute. Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown Dr Charlotte Hawkins Brown with student in her office at Palmer Memorial Institute. Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown Charlotte Hawkins Brown with Nat King Cole, Maria Cole, and Cookie Cole Read More Charlotte Hawkins Brown's Palmer Institute Palmer Memorial Institute, Dr Charlotte Hawkins Brown school -The old campus from the 1910's and 1920's -The building with the green roof is Grinnell Hall, the domestic science cottage. Read More Charotte Hawkins Brown Dr Charotte Hawkins Brown with three women.Photo is from the 1920's. Read More Currituck Union High School Class of 1958 Currituck Union School opened to serve all students, grades 1-12, in 1950. Opening enrollment was 460 students. The Historic Jarvisburg Colored School, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now open for tours. Admission is free. Read More Darius Swann The Rev. Darius L. Swann, whose efforts to send his young son to a racially integrated school in Charlotte spurred a Supreme Court decision that unanimously endorsed busing, igniting a national debate over tactics to unravel segregation in public schools, died March 8 in Centreville, Va. He was 95.The cause was pneumonia, said his wife, Vera Swann. Read More Division of Cooperation in Education and Race Relations Conference Photograph of doctors attending a conference held by the Division of Cooperation in Education and Race Relations Read More Dorothy Counts Photo On Left: 1957 Dorothy Counts, 15, attempts to become the first black student to attend Harding high school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr Edwin Tompkins, a family friend, escorts her. Photograph: Douglas Martin/AP Photo On Right: 2018 Dorothy Counts-Scoggins poses for a portrait outside of the school she attempted to integrate on 4 September 1957. Photograph: Logan Cyrus for the Guardian Read More Durham Colored Library Durham Colored Library, opened in 1916 at the Corner of Fayetteville and Pettigrew streets. Read More Elizabeth Johnson Photograph:Elizabeth Johnson wears a Winston-Salem State University cap and stoll that she received as a gift to reveal that she will be walking with this year's graduating class during a surprise party for her 99th birthday Thursday, May 2, 2019, at Pinecrest Retirement Community in Hickory, N.C.--credit Allison Lee Isley/Journal Read More Ethel Mae Singleton Bennett As a girl, Mrs. Ethel Mae Singleton Bennett (1914-2005) walked two miles to and from school—from her home in the Hickman Hill section near Havelock. The school is still standing and the Havelock Preservation Society has taken steps to preserve the structure. Read More G.C. Hawley High School Class of 1939 G.C. Hawley High School-Creedmoor, NC This is the first graduating class- 1939 Principal G.C. Hawley, is on the left side of the graduates. Read More Gladys Knight and Nat King Cole Photo: Gladys Knight, 7 years old, meets Nat King Cole in Atlanta in 1952. Maria Cole is standing behind Nat. Read More Hillside Park High School The original Hillside Park High School was built in 1922 on the northern edge of land donated by John Sprunt Hill for Hillside Park. Read More Irwin Holmes Photo: Durham native Irwin Holmes was NC State University's first Black graduate. Read More JoAnne Smart Drane JoAnne Smart Drane Remembers The Integration of Woman's College UNCG Monday, February 11, 2013 In 1954, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas decision that state-sanctioned segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. Read More Joe Holt, Jr. Joe Holt, Jr.: The first student to challenge Raleigh's segregated schools At 13 years old he became the first Black student in Raleigh to challenge segregated schools. For 3.5 years, his family endured lynching threats, bomb threats and abduction threats — all for the opportunity for equal education. Read More John Chavis On June 15, 1838 John Chavis, died. He was a free Black man, a teacher, preacher and a Revolutionary War veteran. Read More Julius Rosenwald School Long-Lost Piece of Black History: Early 19th Century Schoolhouse Found By Monica Manney / Concord Published 4:15 PM ET Jun. 07, 2021 CONCORD, N.C. — Following the abolition of slavery, a Jewish philanthropist learned African Americans had little access to education. So, he built more than 5,000 schools across the South. Read More Julius Rosenwald, Photo Descriptions: Julius Rosenwald visits Hickstown School on a visit to Durham. Photo courtesy of Fisk University Franklin Library, Special Collections. Read More Lincoln Academy Lincoln Academy, named after President Abraham Lincoln, was opened as a boarding school for African-American girls in the fall of 1888 by Emily Catherine Prudden. On the 23rd of January, 1888, Miss Prudden, an educator and missionary, obtained land for the academy when she paid 141 dollars for 14 and 1/10 acres near Crowder’s Mountain in Gaston County, North Carolina. Read More Lincoln Academy Students Photograph of students outside Lincoln Academy in KingsMountain, North Carolina. Read More Lincoln Academy first grade class, 1945 Photograph of first graders at Lincoln Academy. Located infolder labeled: Series: A Subseries: Lincoln AcademPhotographs, Campus, Students, Staff 1945. Read More Marjorie Lee Browne On September 9, 1914, Marjorie Lee Browne was born. She was an African American mathematician and professor. She was one of the first African-American women to receive a Ph.D in mathematics. She was born in Memphis, TN., her father was a railway postal clerk and her mother died before she was two years old. Because her father had taken two years of college, excelling in arithmetic, he passed on his love for math to mathematical concepts to her. Read More Merrick Washington Magazine Image description: Left image is a photograph of Mr. John Carter Washington- 1921-2017 sitting left of Mrs. Lyda Moore Merrick 1890-1987 Right side of image is the cover of an edition of the Merrick Washington Magazine. Read More Missing from Presidents’ Day: The People They Enslaved By: Clarence Lusane- February 12, 2014 “Why We Shouldn’t Forget That U.S. Presidents Owned Slaves” Missing from Presidents’ Day: The People They Enslaved By:By Clarence Lusane- February 12, 2014 Image: In this drawing from about 1815, enslaved people pass the Capitol wearing shackles and chains. (Library of Congress) Read More Mollie Huston Lee Mollie Huston Lee was born on January 18, 1907 in Columbus, Ohio. "After graduating from Columbia in 1930, she moved to North Carolina to begin working as a librarian at Shaw University. She was instrumental in organizing the North Carolina Negro Library Association in 1934. It became the first association controlled by blacks to be admitted as a chapter of the American Library Association. Read More Monroe Nathan Work Monroe Nathan Work, a leading early 20th Century sociologist, was born on August 15, 1866 to his ex-slave parents in Iredell County, North Carolina. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Cairo, Illinois where Monroe’s father worked as a tenant farmer. Read More Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh Photo of Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh (1927-2014),.pictured here in 2004 donating to the History Museum of Burke Co., a wash pot that was on her grandparents' farm. Read More Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh Photo of Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh (1927-2014),.grandfather, Riley Rufus McGimpsey, his wife and their children taken in 1903 in Burke Co. This photo hangs in The History Museum of Burke Co Read More North Carolina Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers, Inc. This is a copy of the "BYLAWS North Carolina Congress of Colored Parents and Teahers, Inc." (As amended at the Annual Convention, November 1953, in Kinston, N.C.) *This belonged to the grandfather (Rev. G.C. Hawley) of the Creator and Admin of North Carolina Museum of African Americans' History & Culture* Read More North Carolina Congress of Colored Parents and Teahers, Inc. This is a copy of the "BYLAWS North Carolina Congress of Colored Parents and Teahers, Inc." (As amended at the Annual Convention, November 1953, in Kinston, N.C.) *This belonged to the grandfather (Rev. G.C. Hawley Principal of G.C. Hawley HS-Creedmnoor, NC), of the Creator and Admin of North Carolina Museum of African Americans' History & Culture* Read More North Carolina Museum of History ​ Read More Oberlin School Students--Oberlin Villiage Raleigh, NC Photograph: Students of Oberlin School Before Brown vs. Board of Education--Oberlin Villiage Raleigh, NC--Credit-Shared From FB page Friends Of Oberlin Village- Friends Of Oberlin Retrospective March 28, 2016By EmergeNC Magazine Read More P. S. Jones Marching Band The P. S. Jones Marching Band in the early 1950's. This photo was taken in front of the Main entrance of what then Washington Elementary School on Bridge near and Seventh Streets. The newly built P. S. Jones High School was located at Bridge and Ninth Street. Read More Palmer Institute "On February 14, 1971, the Alice Freeman Palmer building burned down in the early morning hours. Designed by Winston-Salem architect C. Gilbert Humphries, the AFP building was completed in 1921. It was supposedly the first fireproof building on campus. It was the first building in Sedalia to have electricity and indoor plumbing. Read More Patti Zarling How to improve transfer outcomes for community college students A new guide advises two- and four-year institutions to coordinate programs, offer tailored advising and make transferring a priority. by Patti Zarling -Published March 5, 2018 Read More Peter Weddick Moore Mr. Moore was the first president of what is now Elizabeth City State University. He is also recognized for his contribution to the public school system in the area that had a major impact on the life of many African-Americans in Pasquotank County. Read More Plymouth State Normal School The Plymouth State Normal School operated from 1881-1903 to train African American teachers for work in public #education, which was legally segregated. Read More Reverend Grover Cleveland Hawley Reverend Grover Cleveland Hawley 1907-1990 His loving and devoted wife of 55 years, Frances Johnson Hawley died in May 2005. Read More Rosenwald Schools "Children Go Where I Send You": Rosenwald Schools In Hertford County, NC A Film By Caroline Stephenson & Jochen Kunstier Read More Rosenwald Schools In 1913 educator Booker T. Washington and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald devised a matching grant program to help build black schools in the South. If a rural black community raised a contribution and the white school board agreed to operate the facility, Rosenwald would contribute cash – usually about one fifth of the total project. Eighteen Rosenwald schools were built in Durham County, the first, Rougemont, completed in 1919. Only one stands today. Read More Rosenwald Schools "Children Go Where I Send You": Rosenwald Schools In Hertford County, NC A Film By Caroline Stephenson & Jochen Kunstier Read More The Colored Library, in Oxford, NC The Colored Library, in Oxford, NC Read More The Hickstown School Photo Description: A three teacher school for the African American children in Durham. Photo courtesy of Fisk University Franklin Library, Special Collections Read More The North Carolina Historical Review By 1910, North Carolina led the nation in the number of bachelor of arts degrees awarded to African American women. Of the 168 degrees awarded in the state by 1910, Bennett College had granted 71. Read More Three B's of Education Photograph Description: Left:Charlotte Hawkins Brown: "Education, religion, and deeds." Top Right:Mary McLeod Bethune: "The head, the heart, and the hand." Bottom Right:Nannie Helen Burroughs: "The book, the Bible, and the broom." Read More Wake Forest Normal and Industrial School students i Photograph of students at the Wake Forest Normal and Industrial School in Wake Forest, NC, circa the 1920s-1930s. Photograph from the collections of the State Archives of North Carolina. Presented on the Wake Forest Historical Museum online. Read More West End School students and teachers Students and teachers stand in front of Durham’s West End School, 1906. Courtesy Durham Historic Photographic Archives, North Carolina Collection, Durham County Library Read More West Street Graded School Class of 1911 This photo shows the 1911 class of New Bern's @West Street Graded School. It's taken from one of the oldest known North Carolina African American high school yearbooks, held by New Bern-Craven County Public Library. Read More Willa B. Player Dr. Willa B. Player (August 9, 1909-August 29, 2003) In 1953, Dr. Player became the first female president of Bennett College for Women In Greensboro, NC and the first African American woman in the country to be named president of a four-year fully accredited liberal arts college. Read More William Claudius Chance, Sr., William Claudius Chance, Sr., (23 Nov. 1880–7 May 1970) was an educator and humanitarian, was born in Parmele. His parents were W. V. and Alice Chance; his grandparents, who reared him, were Bryant and Penethia Chance; all were former slaves. Read More Zula Clapp Zula Clapp (1882-1976) was 1 of 3 girls who made up the first graduating class of Palmer Memorial Institute, in 1905. She married Riley Totton in 1918. Together they reared 12 children and instilled in them the value of educational pursuit and moral character. Her high school years were spent at Palmer Memorial Institute. She taught school for several years, but after marriage, she devoted time solely to family and church activities. Read More

< Back Charles "Chuck" Harrison was an African American industrial engineer, designer who oversaw the 1958 redesign of the View-Master, the 3D viewer that had spent its first couple of decades principally positioned as a device for grown-ups to look at photos of vacation destinations. Harrison’s slicker, svelter, more colorful version—and a bevy of reels based on TV shows and cartoons—pivoted the gadget to the kid audience. ​ Charles "Chuck" Harrison (September 23, 1931 — died at age 87 on November 29, 2018), was an African American industrial engineer, designer.. In 1958, Harrison oversaw the redesign of the View-Master, the 3D viewer that had spent its first couple of decades principally positioned as a device for grown-ups to look at photos of vacation destinations. Harrison’s slicker, svelter, more colorful version—and a bevy of reels based on TV shows and cartoons—pivoted the gadget to the kid audience. Along with his View-Master, Harrison worked on hundreds of products for Sears—from trash cans to cordless shavers—during an era when the merchant was one of the American long time staple stores. Harrison attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) from 1949 to 1954, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts. One of his undergraduate professors, Henry P. Glass, would prove to be one of Harrison's greatest mentors and allies over the course of his career. It was also while attending SAIC that Harrison met his future wife. In 1956, he returned to the school to pursue graduate studies, transferring later to the Illinois Institute of Technology to complete his Master's in Art Education. Between his undergraduate and graduate degrees, Harrison was drafted into the United States Army and posted to Germany. He served two years in the topography unit doing spot mapping and drafting. Back in the U.S., fresh out of school, Harrison began looking for work with a design firm. He interviewed at Sears but was told that he could not be hired on staff because he was black. The hiring manager liked Harrison's work, however, and was able to feed him freelance work from Sears on the side. But it was Henry Glass, one of Harrison's undergraduate professors, who gave him his first job with a design firm, putting him to work on furniture designs. Harrison credits Glass with teaching him a great deal about detailing, drawing, and production, as well as the business elements of the trade, such as client relations. Over the next several years, Harrison worked for Ed Klein & Associates and Robert Podall Associates. It was at Robert Podall Associates in 1958 that Harrison updated the popular View-Master toy before getting a call from his old contact at Sears. Sears was ready to offer him a job. It was 1961, and Harrison became the first African-American executive ever hired at the company's Chicago headquarters. Harrison worked for Sears until his retirement in 1993. After retirement, Harrison taught part-time at the University of Illinois at Chicago, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and at Columbia College Chicago Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_%22Chuck%22_Harrison Previous Next

< Back 1939 - Feeding the sorghum cane into the mill to make syrup on property of Wes Chris, a tobacco farmer of about 165 acres in a prosperous Negro settlement near Carr, Orange County, North Carolina. 1939 - Feeding the sorghum cane into the mill to make syrup on property of Wes Chris, a tobacco farmer of about 165 acres in a prosperous Negro settlement near Carr, Orange County, North Carolina. Source LOC Photographer: Marion Post Wolcott. Previous Next

< Back Antoine, an enslaved man, successfully created what would become the country’s first commercially viable pecan varietal. ​ THE ENSLAVED PECAN PIONEER By Tiya Miles Pecans are the nut of choice when it comes to satisfying America’s sweet tooth, with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season being the pecan’s most popular time, when the nut graces the rich pie named for it. Southerners claim the pecan along with the cornbread and collard greens that distinguish the regional table, and the South looms large in our imaginations as this nut’s mother country. The presence of pecan pralines in every Southern gift shop from South Carolina to Texas, and our view of the nut as regional fare, masks a crucial chapter in the story of the pecan: It was an enslaved man who made the wide cultivation of this nut possible. Pecan trees are native to the middle southwestern region of the Mississippi River Valley and the Gulf Coast of Texas and Mexico. While the trees can live for a hundred years or more, they do not produce nuts in the first years of life, and the kinds of nuts they produce are wildly variable in size, shape, flavor and ease of shell removal. Indigenous people worked around this variability, harvesting the nuts for hundreds and probably thousands of years, camping near the groves in season, trading the nuts in a network that stretched across the continent, and lending the food the name we have come to know it by: paccan. Once White Southerners became fans of the nut, they set about trying to standardize its fruit by engineering the perfect pecan tree. Slavers-Planters tried to cultivate pecan trees for a commercial market beginning at least as early as the 1820s, when a well-known slaver from South Carolina named Abner Landrum published detailed descriptions of his attempt in the American Farmer periodical. In the mid-1840s, a slaver in Louisiana sent cuttings of a much-prized pecan tree over to his neighbor J.T. Roman, the owner of Oak Alley Plantation. Roman did what many enslavers were accustomed to in that period: He turned the impossible work over to an enslaved person with vast capabilities, a man whose name we know only as Antoine. Antoine undertook the delicate task of grafting the pecan cuttings onto the limbs of different tree species on the plantation grounds. Many specimens thrived, and Antoine fashioned still more trees, selecting for nuts with favorable qualities. It was Antoine who successfully created what would become the country’s first commercially viable pecan varietal. Decades later, a new owner of Oak Alley, Hubert Bonzano, exhibited nuts from Antoine’s trees at the Centennial Exposition of 1876, the World’s Fair held in Philadelphia and a major showcase for American innovation. As the horticulturalist Lenny Wells has recorded, the exhibited nuts received a commendation from the Yale botanist William H. Brewer, who praised them for their “remarkably large size, tenderness of shell and very special excellence.” Coined “the Centennial,” Antoine’s pecan varietal was then seized upon for commercial production (other varieties have since become the standard). Was Antoine aware of his creation’s triumph? No one knows. As the historian James McWilliams writes in “The Pecan: A History of America’s Native Nut” (2013): “History leaves no record as to the former slave gardener’s location — or whether he was even alive — when the nuts from the tree he grafted were praised by the nation’s leading agricultural experts.” The tree never bore the name of the man who had handcrafted it and developed a full-scale orchard on the Oak Alley Plantation before he was erased from historical records. . Here is another essay about pecan cultivation and Antoine, the enslaved man who is responsible for cultivating pecans as we know them today. ESSAY THE SLAVE GARDENER WHO TURNED THE PECAN INTO A CASH CROP A Louisianan Known Only as Antoine Tamed a Wild Tree and Launched an Industry by Lenny Wells | December 14, 2017 Pecan trees, armored with scaly, gray bark and waving their green leaves in the breeze, grow in neat, uniform rows upon the Southern U.S. landscape and yield more than 300 million pounds of thumb-sized, plump, brown nuts every year. Native to the United States, they’ve become our most successful home-grown tree nut crop. Hazelnuts originated here too, but they come from a shrub, which can be trained into a tree. Almonds come from Asia. Peanuts, which aren’t actually nuts, hail from South America. Most Americans know and love pecans as the signature ingredient in a classic Thanksgiving pie, served with cranberries, sweet potatoes, turkey, and dressing. Few of us give much thought to the nut’s unique history. The domestication of the pecan was a relatively recent event, accomplished during the 19th century in large part by one man: a gardener named Antoine, who toiled in slavery on a Louisiana plantation. As is often the case with enslaved people, we don’t know much about him. But it is certain that he was tremendously skilled. Antoine was the first person to figure out how to propagate individual pecan trees—creating offspring that shared desirable characteristics with a parent—paving the way for the uniformity necessary to cultivate a commercial crop. For centuries, pecans had been a dietary staple of the Native American tribes who lived among the forested lowlands along the Mississippi River and its tributaries, from Illinois down to the Gulf Coast, into Eastern Texas and Mexico. Carried to the Eastern Seaboard by fur traders from the frontier, pecan kernels generated a great amount of interest among early explorers and America’s Founding Fathers. George Washington planted pecans at Mount Vernon in 1775. Thomas Jefferson planted them at Monticello in the 1790s. Washington was known to carry them in his coat pockets as a snack. But growing productive pecan trees wasn’t easy. The earliest pioneers of pecan domestication were settlers along the Mississippi who experimented by planting nuts from their favorite trees. It took the trees a long time to bear nuts compared to most fruit trees. Early planters soon grew frustrated, too, when they hit another roadblock. Like many fruit and nut trees, when left to nature’s devices to multiply, no two pecan trees end up alike. You could plant 1,000 nuts from a single tree and every one of them might produce another tree that varies from its parents and siblings in a multitude of ways—leaf shape; branching pattern; size, quality, consistency, and timing of its nut production; and so on. Would-be pecan farmers did just that, planting entire orchards of nuts from a favored tree, and wound up shocked when the nuts from the resulting trees were quite different. It didn’t take long for them to start looking for solutions. One of the first breakthroughs came from the French explorer and botanist Andre Michaux, who observed stands of wild pecans managed by Native Americans near Kaskaskia, Illinois in 1819. Michaux was convinced of the value of the pecan nut and believed the pecan might be more rapidly adapted to commercial production in the East if its twigs were grafted onto black walnut trunks, which he falsely believed grew more quickly than pecans did. Michaux’s black walnut idea didn’t go anywhere, but his observation that joining two separate plants together could make pecan farming more profitable was a crucial one. For any crop to be successful, it must be consistent in quality and yield, and one way to achieve uniformity is through grafting. Even in ancient times farmers had figured out that joining plant tissues from two species together—one that took root and grew well in a particular region, for example, and another that produced dependably desirable flowers and fruit—allowed them to propagate entire vineyards, fields, or orchards of a single variety. In 19th-century America, farmers achieved great success using grafting to produce apples and peaches but they hadn’t yet made the leap with pecans. The first person known to attempt propagating pecans was Dr. Abner Landrum, who joined small patches of pecan buds to young hickory trees in Edgefield, South Carolina in 1822. Some of his attempts were successful, but there was no viable market in the area to support his efforts. As a result, they were largely dismissed and quickly forgotten. It took a larger commercial center—New Orleans—to propel the development of the pecan as a cash crop. Oak Alley Plantation, originally named Bon Sejour, was established in 1837 by Jacques Telesphore Roman, and is still recognized today by its plantation house, lying at the terminus of two rows of massive, aged live oak trees along the old River Road, southwest of Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain. Oak Alley’s neighbor across the Mississippi River, the Anita Plantation, was home to a verdant pecan tree that regularly produced large, thin-shelled nuts. Sometime in the early 1840s, a local pecan enthusiast, Dr. A.E. Colomb, attempted to graft twigs from this tree onto other pecan trees. Unsuccessful, he grew exasperated, and eventually crossed the river to consult with J.T. Roman. Colomb had heard there was a talented gardener at Oak Alley. Roman’s records show that he owned 113 slaves, 93 of whom labored in the fields. One of these workers was a 38-year-old man known only as Antoine. Roman’s ledger valued Antoine at $1,000, a lot of money for a slave at the time—although of course placing any price on a human life is horrifying. Antoine had a reputation as a master of plants and was employed in Oak Alley’s gardens. Dr. Colomb gave pecan graftwood cut from his beloved tree to Roman, who in turn passed it on to Antoine who began grafting an unknown number of trees near the great mansion. Sixteen of his initial grafts were successful. Eventually, Antoine grafted 126 trees at Oak Alley. We don’t know anything more about Antoine’s life. After the Civil War ended, Oak Alley went through a rapid succession of owners who cut down many of the pecan trees to make way for sugarcane. But enough productive trees remained in 1876 for the latest of the new owners, Hubert Bonzano, to exhibit pecans at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. The nuts were displayed alongside Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, the Remington typewriter, Heinz ketchup, and the right arm and torch of the Statue of Liberty. Professor William H. Brewer, Chair of Agriculture at Yale’s Sheffield Scientific School, awarded Bonzano a certificate for his pecan, commending its “remarkably large size, tenderness of shell, and very special excellence.” Their presence at the exhibition led Antoine’s trees to be named “Centennial,” and to become the world’s first acknowledged pecan variety. An enslaved man’s grafting technique had allowed the selection and propagation of superior pecan trees. Others copied his work, and the commercial pecan industry was born. Farmers made a profusion of new selections around the turn of the 20th century, and propagated and planted the new varieties across the South, as an alternative to King Cotton. In the non-native state of Georgia alone, pecan production grew to 20 million pounds by 1936. Georgia is now the top state in the nation for pecan production with more than 100 million pounds produced annually. Pecans remained a local commodity for a long time, enjoyed mainly in the South, but global demand for them has skyrocketed in the last decade. Much of the emerging marketplace is in China, where the nuts are cracked, soaked in a salty or sweet solution, baked in the shell, and then enjoyed as a snack around the Chinese New Year celebration. Domestic demand is on the rise too. Scientists have discovered that pecans’ golden kernels are heart-healthy, with antioxidant effects, and help to lower bad cholesterol. J.T. Roman’s notations regarding Antoine state only that he was “a Creole Negro gardener and expert grafter of pecan trees.” But Antoine, like so many enslaved individuals hidden from the world, was much more. His skill ultimately made possible the propagation of more than 1,000 different pecan varieties, which today are planted commercially in 14 states and on every continent except Antarctica. Our nation’s history of slavery cannot be glossed over—but within that tragedy are countless examples of courage, perseverance, and contribution which have made America what it is today. Antoine’s story is but one of these. Previous Next

< Back Alice H. Parker- Inventor - The Mother of Modern Heating. (1895 – 1920?) Alice H. Parker was a Black inventor in the early 20th century, best known for patenting a central heating system that uses natural gas. ​ Alice H. Parker - Inventor - The Mother of Modern Heating. (1895 – 1920?) Image: Drawing of Parker's invention awarded the US Patent No. 1,325,905, to Alice H. Parker. Note: There are no known verified photographs of Alice H. Parker. - . . Alice H. Parker was a Black inventor in the early 20th-century, best known for patenting a central heating system that uses natural gas. Her invention played a key role in the development of the heating systems we have in our homes today. Granted on December 23, 1919, Parker’s patent was not the first for a gas furnace design, but it uniquely involved a multiple yet individually controlled burner system. Although her exact design was never implemented due to concerns with the regulation of heat flow, her system was an important precursor to the modern heating zone system and thermostats as well. Parker’s legacy endures with the annual Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Awards via the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the contributions of women to innovation in New Jersey, Parker’s home state. Source: LemelsonMITdotedu . Alice H. Parker was born in 1895 in Morristown, New Jersey, where she grew up some of her life. Parker was a highly educated woman who graduated with honors in 1910 from Howard University Academy, a historically African American university that accepted both male and female students since its founding in November 1866, shortly after the Civil War. According to census data, Parker worked as a cook in the kitchen in Morristown, NJ and lived with her husband, who was a butler. Despite her revolutionary impact on today's modern heating system, there is almost no information recorded on her personal life. Although the specific date of her death is unknown, it is thought she died in 1920 due to a fire or heat stroke. Much of the information regarding Parker’s early life and education history is unknown and debated due to the lack of records that were maintained detailing her life. Parker is widely recorded as being born in 1895 in Morristown, New Jersey. However, recent investigations on Parker’s early life have uncovered contradicting evidence that suggests her year of birth being 1885, including the 1920 patent for a gas furnace filed under her name. Parker graduated with honors from Howard University in 1910, a notable achievement considering the educational opportunities presented to members of the minority during the time period. In 2022, an investigation by Audrey Henderson of the Energy News Network found that a photo commonly said to be of Parker is actually of an unrelated white woman born five years after Parker's furnace patent was issued. Invention At the time, central gas heating had yet to be developed, so people relied on burning coal or wood as their main source of heating. While furnaces and the concept of central heating have been around since the Roman Empire, the science hardly advanced in the years that followed, and the heating methods utilized by the end of the nineteenth century were still relatively primitive in nature. Parker felt that the fireplace alone was not enough to keep her and her home warm during the cold New Jersey winter, and went on to design the first gas furnace that was powered by natural gas and the first heating system to contain individually controlled air ducts that distributed heat evenly throughout the building. In more technical terms, Parker's heating system used independently controlled burner units that drew in cold air and conveyed the heat through a heat exchanger. This air was then fed into individual ducts to control the amount of heat in different areas. What made her invention particularly unique, was that it was a form of "zone heating" where temperature can be moderated in different parts of a building. Although the invention had massive positive impacts, it also came with a few downsides. Her design posed a few health and safety risks as it made certain appliances like the oven more flammable and unsafe to touch. The regulation of the heat flow also posed a few security risks. On the other hand, Parkers invention also decreased the risk of house or building fires that heating units posed by eliminating the need to leave a burning fireplace on throughout the night. With her idea for a furnace used with modifications to eliminate safety concerns, it inspired and led the way to features such as thermostats, zone heating and forced air furnaces, which are common features of modern central heating. Additionally, by using natural gas, it heated homes much more efficiently than wood or coal counterparts (which were more time consuming and expensive). Parker's invention was further improved in 1935 by scientists who created forced convection wall heaters that use a coal furnace, electric fan, and ductwork throughout a home. Nowadays, homes utilize thermostats and forced air furnaces which can be attributed to Parker's design and invention of the central heating furnace. Her filing of the patent precedes both the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Liberation Movement, which made her accomplishments especially impressive, since black women of her generation faced many systematic barriers. Parker’s patent for her gas furnace stemmed from her desire to improve household heating solutions available at the time. Homeowners at the time largely relied on fireplaces requiring the usage of wood or coal, and these fireplaces were ineffective in heating entire homes for the lengthy winters of Northeastern United States. While the usage of natural gas for heating purposes was not a newfound idea at the time, as such concept had been around since the Roman Empire and natural gas heating systems were used to heat water systems in certain parts of the United States before Parker’s invention, her patent was the first to employ this concept for heating homes and offices. Parker’s invention demonstrated a new and unique heating system that utilized air ducts to control the amount of heating a specific part would receive–a system of “zone heating” that was nonexistent at the time. Parker’s invention would have hopefully provided a safer method for household heating, replacing the traditional fireplaces which have always been a fire hazard especially in a time period with less protective technology, and an avoidance for homeowners to stock up on wood and coal providing savings in cost and house space. Legacy In 2019, the National Society of Black Physicists honored Parker as an "African American inventor famous for her patented system of central heating using natural gas." It called her invention a "revolutionary idea" for the 1920s, "that conserved energy and paved the way for the central heating systems". The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce established the Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Awards to honor women who use their "talent, hard work and ‘outside-the-box’ thinking to create economic opportunities and help make New Jersey a better place to live and work." Parker’s patent for her gas furnace, although groundbreaking, was never chosen to enter full-fledged production and usage. This was mainly due to the safety concerns behind her design, as the technology available at the time did not possess the capability to regulate the heat flow as outlined in Parker’s invention. However, Parker’s patent has served as a basis for the development of heating systems throughout the 20th century and today. Parker’s design, which allows for an individual to control the heating received for each room in a house, is recognizable in the zonal heating system, and especially the “smart home” technology, that is used by nearly all households in the current century. Parker’s legacy lives on numerous awards and grants, and most noticeably in the annual Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Award that is given out by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce to celebrate outstanding women innovators in Parker’s home state. However, the details regarding her later years are as unknown as the details available for her early life. The specific date for her death, along with the cause, is largely unknown with the information currently available. Most shockingly, the photo that has long been associated with Parker was proven to be a photo of a completely unrelated British woman born five years after the filing of Parker’s patent. Source: Wikipedia Previous Next

< Back Lloyd Noel Ferguson was an African American chemist, inventor, author and educator. Ferguson is the author of seven chemistry textbooks and more than 50 research papers. His research included work on organic chemistry, the relation between structure and function in biochemistry, chemotherapy treatments for cancer, and the chemical basis for the human sense of taste. ​ Lloyd Noel Ferguson, Chemist , Inventor, And Educator. Lloyd Noel Ferguson was born on Feb. 9, 1918. He was an African American chemist, iventor, author and educator. From Oakland, CA., he was the son of Noel Ferguson, a businessman, and Gwendolyn Ferguson, a housemaid. Ferguson’s interest in chemistry began when he was a child. He built a shed in his backyard so that he could conduct experiments away from his house where he developed a moth repellent, silverware cleanser, and a lemonade powder. Ferguson skipped two grades, and although an illness kept him out of school for a year, he was able to graduate from Oakland Tech High School in 1934, when he was sixteen. After high school, Ferguson worked with the Works Progress Administration and soon thereafter, the Southern Pacific Railway Company as a porter to save money to attend college. In 1936, Ferguson became the first in his family to attend college, and he earned his B.S. degree with honors in chemistry from University of California, Berkeley in 1940. Ferguson then earned his Ph.D. degree in chemistry from University of California, Berkeley in 1943, making him the first African American to do so. After receiving his Ph.D., he took a faculty position at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College and then approximately two years later moved to Howard University, where he became the chair of his department and founded a doctoral program there, the first in chemistry at any black college. While affiliated with Howard University, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1953 and an NSF grant in 1960 that allowed him to travel to the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen, Denmark, and to ETH Zurich in Switzerland. He moved to the California State University, Los Angeles in 1965. He again became chair, and played an advisory role to the Food and Drug Administration, he retired in 1986. Ferguson is the author of seven chemistry textbooks and more than 50 research papers. His research included work on organic chemistry, the relation between structure and function in biochemistry, chemotherapy treatments for cancer, and the chemical basis for the human sense of taste. In 1972, Ferguson was one of the founders of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. In his honor, the organization gives its Lloyd N. Ferguson Young Scientist Award to young scientists with "technical excellence and documented contributions to their field". He received the Outstanding Professor Award from the California State University system in 1979–1980. In 1995, the chemistry department at Cal. State L.A. established the annual Lloyd Ferguson Distinguished Lecture series, in Ferguson's honor. Lloyd Noel Ferguson died November 30, 2011. Wikimedia Foundation 204 37th Avenue North Suite330 St. Petersburg, FL. 33704 Previous Next

< Back Anna M. Mangin was an African-American inventor and women's rights campaigner. She invented a kitchen tool she called a pastry fork in 1891. ​ An American Woman is the Inventor of The Pastry Fork in 1891 and she gained a patent in 1892. Anna M. Mangin was an African-American inventor and women's rights campaigner. She invented a kitchen tool she called a pastry fork in 1891. This was different from the eating utensil also known as a pastry fork It is believed that Anna M. Mangin was born in October of 1854 in the state of Louisiana. A 1900 census noted that she was married to A.F. Mangin, a coal dealer, and that the couple had two sons, only one of which was still living. All of the family members were noted as being literate Anna M. Mangin made major contributions to everyday domesticated household needs early on in the 19th century. Her invention was the pastry fork. Mangin got the patent for the pastry fork on March 1, 1892, in Queens, New York. The pastry fork is an attachment that electrically mixes without the need for arm work. This tool had many uses, including beating eggs, thickening foods, making drawn butter, mashing potatoes, making salad dressings, and most importantly, kneading pastry dough. This improved the lives of many women, and eventually lead to more electric mixing inventions that are used to this day. Kneading pastry dough by hand is a gruelling process that can cause arm cramping and other pains. Also, the dough often does not get fully incorporated when mixed by hand. If the dough does not fully incorporate during the kneading process, then it will not rise, resulting in a dense, and in most cases, underbaked consistency. Mangin's pastry fork was displayed at the New York Afro-American Exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1983.The exhibit was located in the women's exhibit building on the second floor, where Mangin had a corner area to showcase the invention. Source: Sluby, Patricia Carter (2004). The Inventive Spirit of African Americans: Patented Ingenuity. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 129. ISBN 9780275966744. Zierdt-Warshaw, Linda; Winkler, Alan; Bernstein, Leonard (2000-01-01). American Women in Technology: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 72, 151, 194–195. ISBN 9781576070727. US470005A - Pastry-fork. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://patents.google.com/patent/US470005 Anna M. Mangin Archives. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://blackthen.com/tag/anna-m-mangin/ Previous Next

< Back 371st Infantry Band, c.1917, likely at Camp Jackson, SC,. ​ 371st Infantry Band 1917 371st Infantry Band, c.1917, likely at Camp Jackson, SC,. Copied from postcard. N.2009.4.162a is the back of the postcard. Alonzo J. Reaves, originally from Pittsboro, NC, is in front row, with trumpet, 2nd from the left. Postcard copies courtesy Barbara Perry of Pittsboro, a descendant of Reaves. Source: N_2009_4_162 General Negative Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC. Previous Next

< Back Frederick Jones invented the air conditioner in 1949. Patent No. 2475841. ​ On this day in 1949 Frederick Jones invented the air conditioner. Patent No. 2475841. Frederick McKinley Jones (May 17, 1893 – February 21, 1961), was an African-American inventor, entrepreneur, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. His innovations in refrigeration brought great improvement to the long-haul transportation of perishable goods. He cofounded Thermo King. Over his lifetime, he patented more than sixty inventions in divergent fields with forty of those patents in refrigeration. He is best known for inventing the first automatic refrigeration system for trucks. Jones was born on May 17, 1893 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Source:http://www.blackpast.org/.../jones-frederick-mckinley... Previous Next