Sedalia in Guilford County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, 1883 - 1961
Charlotte Hawkins Brown was born in Vance County, North Carolina, the granddaughter of a slave. She grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While in college there, training to be a teacher, she accepted a position with the American Missionary Association to teach school at Bethany Church here in Sedalia.
Over her career, Dr. Brown became a noted public speaker, traveling throughout the United States and abroad. In 1945, she spoke at the International Congress of Women in Paris. Additional achievements include: Founder and long-serving president of the N.C. Federation of Negro Women's Clubs; Vice-president of the National Council of Negro Women; First African American elected to the board of the National YWCA; Author, The Correct Thing to Do, to Say, to Wear.
After the Bethany School closed in 1902, this dynamic woman opened Palmer Memorial Institute on this site, setting high standards of conduct and achievement for students. Through her determination, vision, and tireless fundraising, Palmer grew to become a nationally known, secondary academy for African American youth.
After years of declining health, Dr. Brown died on January 11, 1961. Hundreds of mourners attended her funeral, held in the Alice Freeman Palmer Building. In 1976, the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life & History honored Dr. Brown with the adjacent marker.
(Marker Number 7.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Women. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1857.
Location. 36° 4.062′ N, 79° 37.392′ W. Marker is in Sedalia, North Carolina, in Guilford County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Burlington Road (U.S. 70) and Palmer Farm Road, on the left when traveling west. The marker is on the grounds of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6136 Burlington Road, Sedalia NC 27342, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. In Memory of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown (a few steps from this marker); Meditation Altar (within shouting distance of this marker); Canary Cottage (within shouting distance of this marker); Palmer Memorial Institute (within shouting distance of this marker); Carrie M. Stone Cottage 1948 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Kimball Hall (about 400 feet away); Charles W. Eliot Hall (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sedalia.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2011, by Patrick G. Jordan of Graham, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 833 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 10, 2011, by Patrick G. Jordan of Graham, North Carolina. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.