Carrboro Town Council recently took some time to reflect on what Black History Month means to them and how they can continue to honor those who have served their community locally and nationally.

In 2018, Carrboro had a population over 21,000 people, of which almost 12 percent were African American. With Black History Month now in full swing, Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle began the last town council meeting with a proclamation to recognize those who have served the community over the years.

“Throughout history, African Americans have played significant roles in Carrboro’s economic, cultural, spiritual and political development while continuing to work tirelessly to maintain and promote their culture and history,” Lavelle said.

Lavelle said many African Americans have been influential in their employment with the town of Carrboro – including current council member Barbara Foushee.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP President, Anna Richards also spoke at the town council meeting. Richards said every year Black History Month has a theme. This year, with the 150th anniversary of the Fifteenth Amendment, the theme is “African Americans and the vote.”

The Fifteenth Amendment, passed in 1870, gave black men the right to vote after the Civil War. In addition to that milestone, 2020 also marks the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment and the culmination of the women’s suffrage movement. Richards said although there is legislation protecting this basic right to the ballot, there is an ongoing battle for democracy.

“So it recognizes the struggle for voting rights among both black men and women throughout American history,” Richards said. “It is an ongoing struggle for people of color that continues even today, especially here in North Carolina as we continue to fight the battle for free and fair and open elections without poll taxes and other things like voter ID.”

One of the ways Carrboro is continuing to acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month is by adding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes on plaques throughout the park newly established in his name. Dr. Martin Luther King Park officially opened on January 20th off of Hillsborough Road.

Anita Jones-McNair, the towns recreation and parks director, updated the council on the progress and showed pictures of the initial quotes selected to be placed along the walking trail.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that,” McNair said. “And you can see the Braille and then we have the QR code that has all of the other information.”

The town council approved the first three quotes this past November before reaching out to different groups, including the local NAACP and Carrboro Youth Advisory Board, to get input on the quote selection for the remaining five plaques.

The final selection was made by the council unanimously.

“And then the last one that you approved: ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’” McNair said.

The plaques will be added to the walking trail as soon as they are engraved. If you’d like to find out more about Black History Month events in Carrboro, visit the town website.

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