A major piece of Eastern North Carolina history will be set in stone—or rather, cast in metal—this weekend in downtown Washington.
The Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum has announced a formal dedication ceremony for a new historical marker honoring Dr. Booker T. Washington. The event is scheduled for this Saturday, April 4th, at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of Main and Market Streets.
The marker commemorates Washington’s historic visit to the city on November 2nd, 1910. During that tour, the famed educator and founder of the Tuskegee Institute delivered a powerful address at Brown’s Opera House to a crowd of more than 1,000 people.
Museum Director Leesa Jones notes that the dedication is a key part of the state’s “N-C 250” anniversary celebrations. The marker was made possible through a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s “Hometown Heritage” program.
This new installation adds to the city’s growing corridor of African American history, joining a similar marker placed late last year at the nearby Spring Garden Missionary Baptist Church. Organizers say these markers serve as a permanent map of Washington’s efforts to expand educational opportunities for Black North Carolinians during the early twentieth century.
The public is invited to attend the outdoor ceremony and visit the museum’s unique caboose headquarters following the unveiling.
