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As we come to the close of February, called historically ‘Black History Month,’ it has been my pleasure to share some of Washington’s amazing Black history throughout the month.

Milt and I have celebrated and shared this history through Washington’s African American Walking History tours, and presentations at local high schools and churches.

The Green Book play at the Historic Turnage Theatre was the highlight of the Black History Month celebrations. The Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum and the P. S. Jones African American Museum of Education hosted visitors from other counties and hosted educational outreaches as well. Milt and I were blessed to travel throughout North Carolina to share Washington’s history with other cities.

I have had many requests to share information for those who are not able to attend the walking tours, so I will share a few highlights in this column.

This is a picture of the Zechariah Price Educational Building at the Spring Garden Missionary Baptist Church. It was named after Mr. Price, a member of the Church and a community leader and educator.

In the building’s historic past, it holds the honor and legacy of being the first school in Washington to include the name Washington High School. Its founding name was the Washington Industrial Colored High School established around 1910.

It is listed in the 1916 Washington NC City Directory as ‘Washington High School.’ No other school is listed at that time as a ‘High School.’ It is from this school, Mr. David A. Keys, the father of Civil Rights icon Sarah Louise Keys graduated in 1914.

The school was private, and the teachers were Mrs. Alice Bailey and the Pastor of the church, Rev. C. E. Askew. Pastor Askew, a well-known and highly respected educator himself throughout eastern NC, helped establish the school. The building, then a white wooden structure, is now covered by brick. The original wooden desks are still located in a classroom.

The first Kindergarten for Black Children was established in 1913 at the Jerusalem Baptist Church at 415 Van Norden Street. That church no longer exists. The Evergreen Holiness Church is in that location today.

The first teacherage in Beaufort County was located at 326 Van Norden Street in Washington. It housed the first teachers to graduate from high school. It was at the home located here, those graduated teachers taught others to become educators. One of P. S. Jones High School Principals, Mr. Ollen A. Dupree studied as well. These efforts, also with the establishment of the Kindergarten earned and ‘renamed’ Van Norden Street Teacher’s Row.’

The first Black lawyer in Washington was William Augustus Moore, born 1868 in Keysville, (a very prosperous Black community long before the Civil War.) Attorney Moore lived at Gladden and Eighth Streets where he tutored adults learning to read. He was a renowned educator and teacher as well.

I will share more first Washington Black history facts and legends next week.

Thank you for reading my column.