NC Civil Rights Trail Marker Unveiling Ceremony For Oscar Dove

In 2023, the African American Heritage and Culture Center of New Bern applied for two NC Civil Rights Trail Markers for New Bern. Both markers commemorate events that occurred on January 24,1965 almost 60 years ago. After both applications were accepted by the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, and the markers arrived in New Bern, plans were finalized for the unveiling ceremonies.

About an hour after cars were dynamited outside of St. Peter’s AME Zion Church, three Ku Klux Klan members placed dynamite at Oscar’s Mortuary ripping up the driveway, garage door, and breaking the windows in an ambulance garage.

Oscar’s Mortuary founder, Oscar R. Dove, was a local activist involved in the Civil Rights movement here in New Bern. His involvement in the Civil Rights movement resulted in the mortuary being targeted by the Ku Klux Klan on more than one occasion.

Please join us as we honor Oscar Dove, at Oscars Mortuary at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 25th