by . Among the musicians from Kinston, North Carolina who have created legacies in the world of music, one of the earliest to be recognized was the jazz composer and band leader J. Tim Brymn. Born in [...] (from North Carolina Arts Council.)

by Peek, Matthew M. James William Alston 18 Jan. 1876-14 Dec. 1940 by Matthew M. Peek, State Archives of North Carolina, 2015 James William Alston served in the U.S. Army during both the Spanish-American War [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Eckard, Max. Patrick Denard Douthit, better known by his stage name, 9th Wonder (or, since 2010, 9thmatic), is a record producer and record executive from Winston Salem, NC. He is also a Grammy award-winning [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Franck, Julie. Galloway, Abraham 8 Feb.1837 - 1 Sept.1870 by Julie Franck, North Carolina State University, 2013; Revised September 2022 Abraham Galloway was a formerly enslaved person, Union spy and [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Pollitt, Phoebe Ann. Originally published in "North Carolina Nursing History." Republished with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses [...] (from Appalachian State University.)

by Horton, Emily S. Maya Angelou was best known as a poet and the best-selling author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1970). Angelou was also a singer, dancer, Grammy-winning composer, director, and actress. She was [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Gainor, Samuel M. Atkins received his early schooling in Haywood. He was an astute student and progressed to teaching in the town school before he enrolled in St. Augustine's Normal Collegiate Institute, now St. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carrier, Sarah. Ann George Atwater was a lifelong grassroots civil rights activist in Durham, North Carolina. She was born in Hallsboro, Columbus County on July 1, 1935. As a child, she attended the Farmers’ Union [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Stewart, James. Neil Alexander Bailey* was the first African-American agricultural extension agent in the state of North Carolina. He was born in Harnett County, North Carolina, the son of Edward and Phillis McLean [...] (from NCSU Libraries.)

by Townes, Mitzi. Ella Baker was born on December 13, 1903 in Norfolk , Va. When Ella was eight years old her family moved to Littleton, North Carolina. In 1918, Ella Baker entered Shaw University, a Baptist boarding [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Agan, Kelly, Davis, Sarajanee. Baker, Ella Josephine Giving light so people can find the way By Sarajanee Davis, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2019; Kelly Agan, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2020. From [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Horton, Emily S. Fantasia Barrino June 30, 1984- by Emily Horton NC Government & Heritage Library, 2016. Related Entries: Clay Aiken; Kellie Pickler; Chris Daughtry; Bucky Covington; Scotty McCreery; [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Wegner, Ansley Herring. Bearden, Romare by Ansley Wegner, Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, 2013   September 2, 1911 - March 12, 1988 Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte in 1911. [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Hill, Steven. Best, Andrew Arthur (November 26, 1916-December 7, 2005) by Steven A. Hill, 2019 Published with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution.  Andrew [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Cecelski, David S. On the day she passed her bar exam in 1974, Karen Galloway, now Karen Bethea-Shields, was named co-counsel in the first-degree murder trial of Joan Little. It became one of the most controversial [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Kassa, Kemisa. Martin Black was a Black soldier, prisoner of war, and landowner during the American Revolution. He was born free around the year 1751 in Craven County, North Carolina. He was the son of Elizabeth [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Pollitt, Phoebe Ann. Originally published in "North Carolina Nursing History." Republished with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses [...] (from Appalachian State University.)

by Stephenson, E. Frank, Jr. Calvin Scott Brown, educator, editor, minister, and advisor, was born in Salisbury of black and Scot-Irish ancestry. His father was Henry Brown, a farmer, and his mother was Flora Brown. Brought up [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Burns, Augustus M., III. Brown, Charlotte Hawkins by A. M. Burns III, 1979; Revised November 2022. See also: Brown, Charlotte Hawkins, Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, Palmer Memorial Institute, Charlotte Hawkins Brown [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Anonymous. CHARLOTTE HAWKINS BROWN See also: Brown, Charlotte Hawkins from the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography; Charlotte Hawkins Brown for K-8 Students This essay is adapted from information at [...] (from Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum.)

by Hill, Michael. The name of Rose Butler Browne is venerated on the campus of North Carolina Central University (NCCU). Born in Boston in 1897, Browne was an influential educator, civil rights activist, and community [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Agan, Kelly. Burke, Selma Hortense By Adapted by Kelly Agan, Government & Heritage Library, 2019, from the Blog, "This Day in North Carolina History" (December 31, 2016) 31 Dec. 1900 - 29 Aug. [...] (from North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.)

by Cecelski, David S. Mary Cannady was 50 years old in 1965 when three civil rights activists were killed in Alabama. The deaths of Jimmie Lee Jackson, the Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo shocked the nation, including [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Cecelski, David S. The great fire of 1922 burned 40 city blocks in New Bern and left thousands of people homeless. It was the most destructive fire in the state's history. Dorcas E. Carter, one of the few people who [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Kassa, Kemisa. Isaac Carter was a free person of color and Patriot soldier during the American Revolution. Carter was born in Cumberland County, North Carolina around 1764. Carter estimated 1764 as his birth year [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Cross, Jerry L. Andrew J. Cartwright, minister and agent of the American Colonization Society, was born in Elizabeth City. Some contend that he was the son of enslaved parents and other believe that he was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Caldwell, John T. William Claudius Chance, Sr., 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 [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Agan, Kelly, Ashley, Stephen. Brown, Charlotte Hawkins Charlotte Hawkins Brown: Singing Her Own Song By Stephen Ashley and Kelly Agan, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2020 From the NCpedia K-8 [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Parramore, Barbara M. Chavis, John by Barbara M. Parramore, 1979; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, November 2023   See also: John Chavis on ANCHOR and John Chavis for K-8 Students ca. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Gatewood, Willard B., Jr. Henry Plummer Cheatham, politician, educator, and racial spokesman, was born to a house slave on a plantation near Henderson. Treated with favor by his white father, a prominent planter, Cheatham [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stewart, James. Captain D. K. Cherry was a noted African American college professor at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, a distinguished World War I veteran, and the president of the [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Andrews, William L. Chesnutt, Charles Waddell by William L. Andrews, 1979; Revised November 2022; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, June 2023 20 June 1858–15 Nov. 1932 Charles Waddell Chesnutt, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Franke, Matthew. George Clinton (nicknamed "the Prime Minister of Funk" and "Dr. Funkenstein") is a singer, songwriter, and producer best known as the leader of the popular funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Krieger, Marvin, Putt, Alyssa. Warren Clay Coleman, merchant, businessman, and manufacturer, was born into slavery as the son of Roxanna "Roxie" Coleman, a woman enslaved by Daniel Coleman, Sr., of Concord, and Rufus Clay [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Davis, Sarajanee. Cooper, Anna Julia The World Needs to Hear Her Voice  By Sarajanee Davis, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2020 From the NCpedia K-8 Collection August 10, 1858-February 27, [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Wegner, Ansley Herring. Cooper, Anna Julia 10 Aug. 1858-27 Feb. 1964 by Ansley Wegner, Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, 2010; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, May [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Howard, Joshua. Tar Heels at Harper's Ferry, October 16-18, 1859: John Anthony Copeland By Joshua Howard, Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, 2011; Revised March 2022, Government and Heritage [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Krieger, Marvin. 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 [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Steven. Willis Haynie Davenport, an African American educational leader, was born on August 18, 1900 in Burgess, Virginia to parents Addie Haynie and Warner Davenport. He worked for the Greenville, North [...] (from North Carolina's First Ladies: 1891-2001, North Carolina Historical Publications.)

by Bastin, Bruce. Gary Davis, a blind black street singer and minister, was born in Laurens, S.C., to a farming family and was raised by his grandmother. As a young man he joined the steady stream of rural blacks who [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. I met Kenny Davis during the recent commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Wilmington race riot of 1898. A century ago, on Nov. 10, 1898, a white mob massacred many blacks and seized the city [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Wrenn, Tony P. Day, Thomas by Tony P. Wrenn, 1986; Revised by Jared Dease, Government and Heritage Library, December 2022.   See also: Thomas Day, Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Umfleet, LeRae. Thomas Day by LeRae Umfleet Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Reid, Elizabeth Davis. Henry Beard Delany was the first black man to become an Episcopal bishop in North Carolina and only the second in the United States; he was also an educator. He was born in St. Mary's, Ga., the son [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Warlick, Kenneth. Dudley, James Benson by Kenneth Warlick, 1986; Revised by NC Government & Heritage Library, January 2023.  November 2, 1859 – April 4, 1925 See also: Susan Wright Sampson [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Edinger, Lois V. Duncan, Samuel Edward, Jr., educator and college president, was born in Madisonville, Ky., the oldest of seven children of Samuel E. and Lena B. Duncan. At a time when Black Americans did not find it [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bates, Doris McLean. Wilson Vash Eagleson II A Tuskegee Airman 1920 - 2006 by Doris McLean Bates Reprinted with permission from the Tar Heel Junior Historian, Fall 2003. Tar Heel Junior Historian Association, NC [...] (from Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History.)

by Agan, Kelly, Davis, Sarajanee. Helen Edmonds was an American historian, university professor and civic leader. She is especially noted for her 1947 Ph.D. dissertation as well as her thirty-six-year career at North Carolina Central [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Reid, G. W. Alfonso Elder, college president, was the son of Lucy Lillian Phinizy and Thomas J. Elder, of Sandersville, Ga., who were also the parents of Blanche and Charles Elder. Alfonso received his early [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Reid, Elizabeth Davis. Ellison, Stewart by Elizabeth Davis Reid, 1986; Updated by NC Government & Heritage Library, August 2022. March 8, 1832 - October 24, 1899 Stewart Ellison, building contractor [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Steven. Eppes, Henry By Steven A. Hill. Copyright 2017. Published with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. 16 Sept 1830 - 29 Jan 1903 See also: Eppes, Charles [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Allen, Christy E. Era of Progress and Promise: Browse biographies by Christy E. Allen, 2009. Book compiled by W. N. Hartshorn of Clifton, Massachusetts in 1910, concerning the Clifton Conference of [...] (from NC Digital Collections.)

by Rives, Ralph Hardee. Henry Evans, popular Black preacher, was credited with being "the father of the Methodist Church, white and Black, in Fayetteville, and the best preacher of his time in that quarter," according to [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Deveneaux, Gustav H. K. Faduma, Orishatukeh by Gustav H. K. Deveneaux (1855–25 Jan. 1946) Orishatukeh Faduma, teacher and minister, was born in Guyana, South America (formerly British Guiana), to John and Omolofi [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited Alfred Fisher in Pamlico County, three hours east of Raleigh. Now retired from his job as a chemist at a Weyerhaeuser pulp mill, he is active in the county historical society and has been [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Krieger, Marvin. Robert George Fitzgerald, soldier, farmer, educator, and businessman, was born to Thomas Charles Fitzgerald (ca. 1808–1879) and Sarah Ann Burton Fitzgerald (ca. 1818–ca. 1889) in New Castle County, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Franke, Matthew. Roberta Flack is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist renowned for her smooth, "velvety" voice. Born in Black Mountain in Buncombe County on February 10, 1937, she was one of four [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Cecelski, David S. Two months earlier, on Feb. 1, 1960, four black students at North Carolina A&T sat down at a "whites only" lunch counter at a Woolworth's Department Store in Greensboro. They politely requested [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by . In the early 1970s, a one-of-a-kind artist lived near Elm City—the blues guitarist, singer, and musical storyteller John Henry Fortescue. Known as Guitar Shorty, Fortescue—who was originally from [...] (from North Carolina Arts Council.)

by Hollingsworth, Biff, West, Tim. Foster, Allen by Biff Hollingsworth and Tim West, Special Collections at Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008 ? - January 24, 1936 In the summer of 1935, a [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Woodard, John R., Jr. Ralf Freeman, Baptist minister, was born enslaved in Anson County; his parents are not known. He belonged to John Culpeper, a Baptist minister and pastor of the Rocky River Baptist Church, Anson [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Spicer, Shirl. With fists raised, members of the audience paid homage to “The Great Agitator” on July 24, 2004, as North Carolina laid to rest one of its greatest unsung heroes of the Civil Rights movement—Golden [...] (from Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History.)

by Bastin, Bruce. Allen, Fulton by Bruce Bastin 10 July 1907-13 Feb. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Andrews, William L. David Bryant Fulton, Black polemicist and author, was born in Fayetteville to Benjamin and Lavinia Robinson Fulton. His early childhood was spent in the Fayetteville area, but he grew up in [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Steven. Garrett, Denison Dover By Steven A. Hill. Copyright 2017. Published with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. 6 May 1915 - 28 May 2011 Denison Dover [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Krieger, Marvin. Goler, William Harvey by Marvin Krieger, 1986 1 Jan. 1846–22 Feb. 1939 William Harvey Goler, educator, church leader, and president of Livingstone College, Salisbury, was born in Halifax, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Born in 1916, Capt. Eugene W. Gore worked his way up from kitchen boy to become one of the first African-American captains in the great menhaden fishing fleet of North Carolina. I talked with him at [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Mitchell, Samantha. Grandy, Moses by Samantha Mitchell, North Carolina State University, 2013; Revised April 2022 b.1786? Moses Grandy was a skilled seaman and black antislavery activist born into slavery [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Pollitt, Phoebe Ann. Originally published in "North Carolina Nursing History." Republished with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses [...] (from Appalachian State University.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited with Gary Grant in Tillery, a rural, African-American community in Halifax County, 100 miles northeast of Raleigh. Raised in an experimental resettlement community in Tillery in which FDR's [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Andrews, William L. John Patterson Green was a black American attorney, legislator, and author who was born in New Bern. He was the only son of John Rice Green, a tailor, and Temperance Durden Green, a [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Kassa, Kemisa. Edward “Ned” Griffin (Griffis, Griffes, Griffen) was a multiracial landowner and soldier during the American Revolution. Griffin was likely born in the mid-18th century. Edward’s true age, as well as [...] (from NCpedia.)

by London, Lawrence F. Bravid Washington Harris, Episcopal priest and bishop, was born in Warrenton, the son of Bravid Washington and Margaret Burgess Harris. After receiving his preparatory education in Warrenton, he [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Alexander, Roberta Sue. James Henry Harris, North Carolina politician, was born in Granville County. Described as "a base born boy of color," he was apprenticed on 3 Aug. 1840 to Charles Allen to learn the carpenter trade; [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Macfie, John. William B. Henderson, African-American state senator, farmer, and resident of Middleburg, was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 1892 as a Republican representative from the Eleventh [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wells, Mike "Lightnin'". For more than sixty years, George Higgs, of Tarboro in Edgecombe County, has been playing and singing the blues in his community and in places as far away as Australia and Switzerland—carrying on a [...] (from Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited with master plasterer William M. Hill at his home in Clinton, an hour southeast of Raleigh. At age 77, he is renowned for his painstaking restorations of some of the state's most historic [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Shaber, Sarah R. Annie Wealthy Holland, educator, was born in Isle of Wight County, Va., on a plot of land contiguous to the Wealthy plantation, where her grandmother was enslaved. She was the daughter of John [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bell, John L., Jr. James Walker Hood, clergyman, educator, and bishop, the son of Levi and Harriet Walker Hood, was born on the farm of Ephraim Jackson in Chester County, Pa., nine miles from Wilmington, Del. His [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wegner, Ansley Herring. Hopkins, Moses Aaron by Ansley Wegner Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, 2006. http://www.ncmarkers.com December 25, 1846 - August 7, 1886 Moses Aaron Hopkins, educator [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Walser, Richard. George Moses Horton, poet, was born enslaved by William Horton in Northampton County. George Moses Horton's mother, his five older half sisters, his younger brother and three sisters were also [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bennington, Catherine Myers. Aaron Burtis Hunter, Episcopal clergyman, educator, book collector, and philanthropist, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., the son of John C. and Sarah A. Clark Hunter. After graduation from public [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Byrd, Robert L. Charles Norfleet Hunter, educator, was born in Raleigh at the home of his father, Osborne Hunter, a black artisan. His mother, Mary Hunter, was an enslaved woman who was enslaved by William [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Elmore, Joseph E. John Adams Hyman, politician, state senator, and congressman, was born enslaved near Warrenton, Warren County. Sold and sent to Alabama, he returned to Warren County in 1865 a free man. With the rise [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Rives, Ralph Hardee. Inborden, Thomas Sewell by Ralph Hardee Rives, 1988 6 Jan. 1865–10 Mar. 1951 See also: Brick School; Era of Progress and Promise Thomas Sewell Inborden, a Black educator, was born near [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Eckard, Max. Jermain Lamar Cole, better known by his stage name, J. Cole, is a Grammy-nominated rapper, singer and producer from Fayetteville, NC. In 2009, he became the first artist to be signed to Jay-Z's Roc [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Pollitt, Phoebe Ann. Originally published in "North Carolina Nursing History." Republished with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other uses [...] (from Appalachian State University.)

by Yellin, Jean Fagan. Harriet Jacobs by Jean Fagan Yellin, Revised March 2022 by NC Government and Heritage Library  See also: Harriet Ann Jacobs for K-8 students February 11, 1813 [or 1815] - March 7, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Davis, Sarajanee. Jacobs, Harriet Ann Writing for Women By Sarajanee Davis, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2019 From the NCpedia K-8 Collection February 11, 1813-March 7, 1897 Do you think you [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited Ammie Jenkins in Spring Lake, in Cumberland County, 50 miles south of Raleigh. She is one of the state's most dynamic advocates for black farming and landownership. As the founder and [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Jones, H. G. Lawrence Joel, the first black man to receive the Medal of Honor for battlefield heroism, was born in the slums of Winston-Salem to Trenton and Mary Ellen Joel, but at age eight he was unofficially [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Agan, Kelly, Davis, Sarajanee. Chavis, John Pioneering Teacher & Preacher   By Sarajanee Davis and Kelly Agan, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2020 From the NCpedia K-8 Collection c. [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Cecelski, David S. Recently, Dr. Henry Vanderbilt Johnson Jr. shared a story with me about an unsung little moment in our state's civil rights history: a cafe brawl in Engelhard, a fishing village in Hyde County. The [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Johnson, Charles. Johnson, Clifton Earl By Charles D. Johnson, North Carolina Central University, 2020 Clifton Earl “Cliff” Johnson was a pioneer African American jurist. He was born in 1941 in Williamston, [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Gatewood, Willard B., Jr. Johnson, Edward Austin Willard B. Gatewood, Jr., 1988; Revised March 2022, Government & Heritage Library  Related Entries: Civil Rights; African Americans; Slavery 23 Nov. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Parrish, Thomas, IV. Janie Settles was the the first African-American female rescue chief in North Carolina. She was born and grew up in Littleton in Halifax County, the youngest of the fourteen children of John Wesley [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Cecelski, David S. 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 [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Powell, William S. John Jones, businessman and leader for black peoples' rights, was born in Greene County, the son of a German man named Bromfield and his free multiracial mother. Afraid that his father would [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. I recently joined Marvin Tupper Jones at his family's annual reunion and fish fry. We were in Pleasant Plains, part of an extraordinary, 9-mile-long swath of land in the state's rural, northeast [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Cecelski, David S. Marvin Jones started working for the Export Leaf Tobacco Company in Wilson in 1946. At that time, Wilson was the largest bright-leaf tobacco market in the world. The buying, processing and selling of [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Leder, Eric. Thomas H. Jones was a self-educated abolitionist, minister, and author who spent much of his early life in Wilmington, North Carolina. Most information about Jones is from his popular autobiography [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Case, Steven. Michael Jordan may have been born in Brooklyn, but North Carolina claims him as one of our own. The Jordan family moved to North Carolina when Michael Jordan was very small and he grew up in [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Thompson, Taylor. Think about the shoes you’ve seen others wear. Have you ever seen someone wearing Air Jordans? If so, you might know that they get their name from Michael Jordan. He is a legendary basketball player. [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Bell-Kite, Diana, Agan, Kelly. KAY, WILLIE VIRGINIA OTEY 17 Mar. 1894 – 25 Sept. 1992 By Diana Bell-Kite, NC Museum of History and Kelly Agan, NC Government & Heritage Library, 2016 “You have to like what you do, [...] (from North Carolina Museum of History.)

by Wegner, Ansley Herring. Keckly (Keckley), Elizabeth Hobbs by Ansley Wegner, Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, 2013; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, January [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Cecelski, David S. Rudolph Knight is the caretaker of Tarboro's African-American past. Even as a child, he treasured his elders' stories about the Eastern North Carolina town, especially the stories from the 1880s and [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Cotten, Alice R. Lunsford Lane was an enslaved then free black businessman, and lecturer. He was the only child of Edward and Clarissa Lane, who were enslaved people who were from Raleigh. His parents [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Howard, Joshua. Tar Heels at Harper's Ferry, October 16-18, 1859: Lewis S. Leary By Joshua Howard, Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, 2011; Revised March 2020 by NC Government and Heritage [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Graham, Nicholas. Whenever Chapel Hill, North Carolina elected a new mayor, few people outside of the small college town paid much attention. But when the 1969 mayoral race came to a close, newspapers and magazines [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Case, Steven. Ray Charles Leonard, known as the boxing champion "Sugar Ray" Leonard (after the champion boxer Sugar Ray Robinson), was born on May 17, 1956 in Wilmington, North Carolina to Getha Leonard and [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Cecelski, David S. I met Joe Lewis in Louisburg, the county seat of Franklin County, 25 miles northeast of Raleigh. A vigorous 81-year-old who still breaks and trains horses, Lewis has never considered himself a civil [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Cecelski, David S. On April 9, 1968, 16-year-old Fred Lockamy and four of his longtime friends decided to strike back at the Ku Klux Klan by burning down its local meeting hall. They lived in a black neighborhood in [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Smith, Donald B. Long Lance, Buffalo Child [Clark Long, Sylvester]  by Donald B. Smith, 1991; Revised by Jared Dease, Government and Heritage Library, December 2022 1 Dec. 1890–20 Mar. 1932 Buffalo [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Pronovost, Emily, von der Heide, Mary. Lowe, Dazelle Foster By Mary von der Heide and Emily Pronovost, NCSU Libraries, 2007 Originally published in Green 'N' Growing, The History of Home Demonstration and 4-H Youth Development in [...] (from NCSU Libraries.)

by Davis, Sarajanee. On April 27, 2015, Loretta Lynch was sworn in as Attorney General of the United States. President Barack Obama nominated Lynch to succeed Eric Holder. Lynch became the first African American woman to [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Gillespie, James D. Mabley, Jackie (Moms) by James D. Gillespie 1898–23 May 1975 (1898–23 May 1975), comedienne and actress, was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, the daughter of "Uncle" Jim and Mary Aiken. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Miller, Daniel R. Manly, Alex by Daniel R. Miller, 1991; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, January 2023 fl. 1895–98 See also: Manly, Alex (from NC Office of Archives and History); The [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Michael, Umfleet, LeRae. Alex Manly was born near Raleigh in 1866. Family tradition maintains that his father was Charles Manly, who served as governor of North Carolina from 1849 to 1851. There is some confusion about [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Cecelski, David S. Eddie McCoy stands at the heart of historian Tim Tyson's stirring new memoir, "Blood Done Sign My Name." The book tells the heart-rending story of the 1970 racial murder of a black man named Henry [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Andrews, William L. James Ephraim McGirt, Black poet, editor, and publisher, was born in Robeson County near the town of Lumberton. The son of Madison and Ellen Townsend McGirt, he grew up on the family farm and was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Umfleet, LeRae. Millie-Christine McKoy by LeRae Umfleet, 2010 Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Kenzer, Robert C. George Allen Mebane was a Black educator, legislator, editor, businessman, and writer. He was born at the Hermitage in Bertie County to enslaved parents. His father was Allen Mebane. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Murray, Elizabeth D. R. Julius Melbourn, said to have been born on 4 July 1790 in Wake County, was apparently a fictitious character invented to perpetrate a literary hoax. In 1847, the firm of Hall and Dickson in Syracuse, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Weare, Walter B. John Merrick, black businessman, community leader, and founder of the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, was born in Sampson County, the son of an enslaved mother; his father is unknown. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stewart, James. Mitchell, John William By James Stewart, NCSU Libraries, 2015 Originally published as "Life of An Extension Agent: John W. Mitchell," Special Collections News, NCSU Libraries, December 11, [...] (from NCSU Libraries.)

by Weare, Walter B. Aaron McDuffie Moore, black physician, businessman, and humanitarian, was born in Columbus County. His parents belonged to the third generation of Negro-Indian-Caucasian families who had owned land [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Ingram, Charles M. Peter Weddick Moore, educator, was born near Faison in Duplin County, the son of Weddick and Alecy Thompson Moore, both enslaved people. His father allegedly was killed by the Ku Klux Klan during [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Moore, William John by William S. Powell, 1991 4 Apr. 1837–post-1901 See also:  African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina); African Methodist [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Athenia Moses will soon be honored by the Goldsboro-Wayne County branch of the NAACP for something that she did more than half a century ago. At a banquet on Feb. 11, the NAACP will recognize her and [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Davis, Sarajanee. Is Nina Simone one of them? The singer was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina. She learned to play the piano at only three years old. Although her family had limited financial [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Elmore, Joseph E. James Edward O'Hara, congressman, Halifax county commissioner, black politician, educator, and lawyer, was born in New York City, the son of an Irish seaman and a West Indian woman. At age six, he [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Murray, Elizabeth D. R. O'Kelly, Berry by Elizabeth Davis Reid Murray, 1991; Revised by Jared Dease, Government and Heritage Library, December 2022 ca. 1861–14 Mar. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bell, John L., Jr. Lawrence Augustus Oxley, social worker and civil servant, was born in Boston, Mass., the son of William Junius Brutus and Alice Agatha Martin Oxley. His parents sent him to Prospect Union Preparatory [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carrier, Sarah. Lenoir County native Kellis Earl Parker, an accomplished lawyer, activist, scholar, and musician, was born January 13, 1942 in Kinston, North Carolina. In addition to his distinguished career, Parker [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Cecelski, David S. Maceo Parker: These Kids are Fantastic by David Cecelski. "Listening to History," News & Observer. Published 6/13/2004. Copyrighted. Reprinted with permission. See also Maceo and [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Agan, Kelly, Davis, Sarajanee. Murray, Pauli Individual perseverance and community power By Sarajanee Davis and Kelly Agan, N.C.Government & Heritage Library, 2020; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Cecelski, David S. I met Mayor Delia Perkins at the town hall of Princeville, a historic little town next to the Tar River, 70 miles east of Raleigh. Founded by former slaves in 1865, Princeville was the first town in [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Uzzell, Odell. Perry, Samuel L. by Odell Uzzell, 1994; Revised October 2022. Related Entries: African American; Civil Rights; Transportation; Exodusters b. 1849 Samuel L. Perry, teacher and civil rights [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Eckard, Max. Phonte by Max Eckard, 2012. Years active: 1998-present "I do this all for hip-hop!/ I'm lying...I do this...for my...mortgage...for my [...] (from NCpedia.)

by London, Lawrence F. John Henry Mingo Pollard, Episcopal clergyman, was born in Lunenburg County, Va. He read for orders in Petersburg, Va., under the direction of the Reverend Giles B. Cooke, John D. Keiley, and the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited Sallie Powell in Elizabethtown, in Bladen County, in the state's southeast corner. In the era of segregated schooling, she was one of a remarkable generation of African-American teachers [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited Sallie Powell in Elizabethtown to learn about an all-but-forgotten landmark of African-American history: the swimming beaches and campground at Jones Lake. Created in 1939, Jones Lake State [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Inscoe, John C. Price, Joseph Charles by John Inscoe, 1994; Revised October 2022. Related Entries: Civil Rights; Civil War; African American; Historically Black Colleges and Universities 10 Feb. 1854–25 [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Case, Steven. Hiram Revels was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in approximately 1827 (the 1850 Census lists “about 1825”), but an exact birthplace has not been identified. He was born to free parents of [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by McIntyre, Pattie B. Willis Richardson, playwright, was born in Wilmington, the son of Willis Wilder and Agnes Ann Harper Richardson. After the riot of 1898, he moved with his parents from Wilmington to Washington, D.C. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Franke, Matthew. Maxwell Lemuel Roach was easily one of the most influential jazz drummers of the twentieth century. He was an innovative bandleader who participated in ensembles which pioneered both bebop and cool [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Powell, William S. Parker David Robbins, soldier, legislator, and inventor, was born in Bertie County, the son of John A. Robbins; his mother's name is unknown. A mulatto with Chowan Indian ancestors, Robbins was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carroll, Grady L. E., Sr. Christopher Rush, second superintendent (a title later changed to bishop) of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and a full-blooded African, was born a slave in Craven County. Whether he was [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Parramore, Thomas C. Omar Ibn Said, an Islamic scholar, was born in Futa Toro (now a part of Senegal) to a wealthy Muslim family before being enslaved in the United States and eventually North Carolina. Said [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Elmer Vanray "E.V." Wilkins was a legendary educator and black political leader in Roper, in Washington County. I recently visited with his daughter, Bunny Sanders, to learn more about his life and [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Massey, R. A., Jr. Daniel Jackson Sanders, Presbyterian clergyman, editor, and educator, one of five children of William and Laura Sanders. Sanders was born enslaved near Winnsboro, S.C. His mother was enslaved by the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Smythe, Andrea. Armond Wendell Scott, lawyer, municipal judge, and public speaker, was a native of Wilmington and the second of six sons born to Benjamin and Athalia Harris Scott. Benjamin Scott ran a livery stable [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Murray, Elizabeth D. R. Scruggs, Lawson Andrew by Elizabeth Reid Murray, 1994; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, February 2023 Related Entries: African American; Civil Rights; Historically Black [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Burns, Augustus M., III. Seabrook, James Ward by A. M. Burns III, 1994Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, February 2023 Related Entries: Historically Black Colleges; Civil Rights 6 Nov. 1886–26 Mar. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Sebastian, Martha Josephine Oxford (May 6, 1896 - April 24, 1948)  By Anthony Arcangeli, 2018 F.D. Bluford Library, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Martha [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Stewart, James, Love, Edward Lee. Dr. S. P. Sebastian was a renowned physician, surgeon, and the co-founder of two historic African-American hospitals in Greensboro, North Carolina. For 20 years he served as the college physician at [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Carroll, Grady L. E., Sr. Herbert Bell Shaw, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, was born in Wilmington, the son of John Henry and Lummie Virginia Hodges Shaw. He was named for the Reverend Herbert Bell, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. Judith Shaw was born and raised in New York City, but every summer of her childhood she visited her father's hometown of La Grange, 75 miles east of Raleigh. She loved the little town that calls [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Eagles, Charles W. James Edward Shepard, college president, was the oldest of twelve children born in Raleigh to the Reverend Augustus and Hattie Whitted Shepard. He attended the public schools of Raleigh before [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Louis Sheridan, farmer, free black merchant, and Liberian official, was probably the Louis Sheridan mentioned in the 1800 will of Joseph R. Gautier (d. 15 May 1807), Elizabethtown merchant, as the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Franke, Matthew. The artist who would come to be known across the world as Nina Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina in Polk County. She was the sixth of eight [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Cecelski, David S. Dr. James Slade is the sort of impossibly old-fashioned doctor who still makes house calls and has never thought about joining an HMO. For 35 years he has been practicing pediatrics and general [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Reidinger, Martin. Smith, Ezekiel Ezra by Martin Reidinger, 1994 23 May 1852–6 Dec. 1933 Ezekiel Ezra Smith, educator and diplomat, the son of free Black Americans Alexander and Caroline Smith, was born [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Massengill, Stephen E. Isaac Hughes Smith, black legislator, realtor, and philanthropist, was born in the Craven County area, the son of Thomas and Harriet Smith, both natives of North Carolina. Little is known about his [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnston, Hugh B., Jr., Eagles, Brenda M. Owen Lun West Smith, U.S. minister to Liberia and Methodist leader, was born in Giddensville, Sampson County, the son of Ollen and Maria Hicks Smith, both of African descent. As a youth he served as [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Asa Timothy Spaulding, insurance company executive, was born in Columbus County, the son of Armstead and Annie Belle Lowery Spaulding. He attended the National Training School of Howard University, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Weare, Walter B. Charles Clinton Spaulding, black businessman and community leader, was born in Columbus County to parents descended from a long-standing community of free Blacklandholders in the area. A family oral [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Stocker, Emmanuel. Spaulding, Charles Clinton By Emmanuel Stocker, North Carolina State University, 2013 August 1, 1874- August 1, [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Kassa, Kemisa. Steele, Murphy By Kemisa Kassa, August 2024  b. 1749-? See also: Thomas Peters, Black Loyalist and African Nationalist, The Black Pioneers Loyalist Company on ANCHOR Murphy [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Cecelski, David S. I interviewed Don Stith at the old firehouse in Warrenton, about 60 miles northeast of Raleigh. He is straight talking, brash, always moving. Above all, he is dedicated to volunteer firefighting -- [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Sanford, Mary Pettis. William Thomas Strayhorn, African American jazz musician, came from families (Strayhorns, Youngs, and Craigs) established in Hillsborough for generations; there seems to be some evidence of West [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Steven. H.B. Sugg’s parents, Bryant Sugg and Penny Briggs Sugg, were both born enslaved. Bryant Sugg told of his life as a slave and how he had fled his master’s plantation in Greene County to connect with [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Powell, William S. Robert Robinson Taylor, architect, was born in Wilmington, the son of Henry, a wealthy mulatto house carpenter, and Emilie Taylor, also mulatto. His father later was described as an able black [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Bastin, Bruce. Terrell, Saunders (Sonny Terry) by Bruce Bastin, 1994 Related Entries: African American; Music; Allen Fulton; Gary Davis 24 Oct. 1911–11 Mar. 1986 Saunders (Sonny Terry) Terrell, [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Davis, Sarajanee. Day, Thomas  Fine-Crafted Freedom By Sarajanee Davis, N.C. Government & Heritage Library, 2019; Revised December 2022. From the NCpedia K-8 Collection Ca. 1801-1861 Do you [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Powell, William S. Thorpe, Earlie Endris by William S. Powell, 1994 Related Entries: Historically Black Universities and Colleges; Civil Rights; African American 9 Nov. 1924–30 Jan. 1989 Earlie [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Dease, Jared, Smythe, Andrea. Ishmael Titus was a Black Patriot soldier during the American Revolution. Titus was born around 1743 in Amelia County (now Lunenburg County), Virginia. Titus was born under the ownership of his first [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Cecelski, David S. Mel A. Tomlinson was one of America's most brilliant dancers in the 1970s and '80s. Raised in Raleigh's Chavis Heights public housing project, he became a star in Agnes de Mille's Heritage Theater, [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Stewart, Alva W. Turner, Benjamin Sterling by Alva W. Stewart, 1994; Revised by Alyssa Putt, NC Government and Heritage Library, August 2022.  Related Entries: African American; Reconstruction; [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Eagles, Charles W. Robert Lee Vann, newspaper editor, was born in Ahoskie to Lucy Peoples, who named him for his great-grandfather, Robert Lee, and for her first employer, Albert Vann. His father is unknown. At age six [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Jackson, Blyden. Islay Walden, black poet and Congregational minister, was born in Randolph County, the son of a woman named Ruth who was enslaved by James Gardner and William D. Walden, a free black man. At [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Inscoe, John C. David Walker, black author of an incendiary antislavery pamphlet, was born in Wilmington to a free mother and a slave father who died before his birth. Despite his free status inherited from his [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carroll, Grady L. E., Sr. Walls, William Jacob by Grady L. E. Carroll, 1994 Related Entries: African American 8 May 1885–23 Apr. 1975 William Jacob Walls, Methodist clergyman, editor, and author, was born at [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Webb, Alfreda Wilhelmena Johnson by Aniya Laney, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, SLNC Government and Heritage Library, January 2023 February 21, 1923 - October 14, [...] (from ANCHOR: A North Carolina History Online Resource.)

by Weare, Walter B. Wheeler, John Hervey by Walter B. Weare, 1994; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, May 2023 Related Entries: African Americans; Civil Rights 1 Jan. 1908–6 Jul. 1978 John [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Schenck, William Z. White, George Henry by William Z. Schenck, 1994 Related Entries: Legislative Branch; African Americans See also: George Henry White for K-8 students 18 Dec. 1852–28 Dec. [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Thompson, Taylor. Have you ever been in a situation where people around you were being treated unfairly?  Did you want to do something about it? George Henry White found himself in the same situation. He wanted [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Cecelski, David S. I visited Rene Whitney at her home in Delta City, 20 miles northeast of little Washington. At 85 years old, she remembers when the community was not much more than a dusty, windswept field workers' [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Frederickson, Mary E. Ella May Wiggins, textile worker, balladier, and union organizer, was born in the mountains of Cherokee County, near Bryson City, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Maples May. Her father, a [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wegner, Ansley Herring. William McBrayer by Ansley Wegner Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History, [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Powell, William S. John Taylor Williams, educator, physician, and businessman, was born in the northern part of Cumberland County, the son of free black parents, Peter Williams, a successful lumberman, and Flora Ann [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cecelski, David S. I interviewed Mabel Williams two years after her legendary husband's death. They both grew up in Monroe at a time when lynchings were common and many things that we take for granted were marked [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Agan, Kelly, Scott, Jordan. Williams, Robert Franklin by Jordan Scott and Kelly Agan, Government & Heritage Library, 2019; Revised September 2022 26 Feb. 1925-15 Oct. 1996 Robert F. Williams was an American [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Cecelski, David S. In September of 1957, a Martin County teenager named Willis Williams had the courage to tell the truth about the death of an African-American college student named Joe Cross. His story shocked North [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Cecelski, David S. When Alethea Williams-King moved to Blounts Creek, she was impressed how deeply her neighbors cared for an old plank building that used to be the community school. It was the Ware Creek Rosenwald [...] (from Listening to History, News and Observer.)

by Macfie, John. Dred Wimberly, member of the General Assembly, was born at Walnut Plantation near Tarboro, where he was raised and worked in the fields of James S. Battle prior to the Civil War. In 1865 Kemp Plummer [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Steven. Witherspoon, August McIver By Steven A. Hill. Copyright 2019. Published with permission. For personal educational use and not for further distribution. 11 Sept. 1930-6 June 1994 Augustus [...] (from NCpedia K-8 Collection.)

by Powell, William S. Woodward, Sara Griffith Stanley by William S. Powell, 1994 Related Entries: African American 1836–1918 Sara Griffith Stanley Woodward, anti-slavery activist and teacher and one of the [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Johnson, Elmer D. Monroe Nathan Work, bibliographer and historian, was born in Iredell County, the son of Alexander and Eliza Hobbs Work, both of whom were enslaved until the end of the Civil War. He was the youngest [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cox, Netta S. John Dudley Wray was an educator, agriculturalist, and North Carolina's first African-American Farm Makers’ Club (now 4-H club) Agent. He was born in Roxboro, North Carolina on December 10, 1885 [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Copeland, J. Isaac. Wright, Marion Allen by J. Isaac Copeland, 1996; Additional research provided by Kelly Agan; Revised December 2021 18 Jan. 1894–14 Feb. 1983 Marion Allen Wright, attorney, citizen of the two [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Boykin, James H. Max Yergan, world religious leader, educator, reformer, and consultant on African affairs, was born in Raleigh, the son of Lizzie Yergan and the grandson of Fred Yergan, a enslaved person and [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Murray, Elizabeth D. R. Allen Lawrence Young, community leader, educator, and founder of the Wake Forest Normal and Industrial School for Negroes (1905–57), was born in northern Wake County, the eldest of ten children of [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Gatewood, Willard B., Jr. James Hunter Young, politician, editor, businessman, and racial spokesman, was born near Henderson. His mother was enslaved by Captain Demetrius Ellis Young, and his father was "a prominent white man [...] (from Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, University of North Carolina Press.)