Rocky Mount in Edgecombe County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Anna Easter Brown
1879-1957
Photographed By Mike Stroud, October 14, 2011
1. Anna Easter Brown Marker
Erected 2011 by North Carolina Office of Archives and History. (Marker Number E-117.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Women. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the North Carolina Division of Archives and History series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1908.
Location. 35° 56.76′ N, 77° 46.713′ W. Marker is in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in Edgecombe County. Marker is on East Grand Avenue (State Highway 43) near Holly Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rocky Mount NC 27801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dred Wimberly (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Dr. Junius Daniel Douglas 1874-1973 (approx. 0.6 miles away); Lincoln Park Historic District (approx. 0.6 miles away); 1978 Rocky Mount Sanitation Workers Strike (approx. 0.7 miles away); Martin Luther King Jr.
this page online
Regarding Anna Easter Brown. Miss Anna Easter Brown left her native West Orange,
New Jersey, to pursue her education at Howard University and Columbia University. Trained for the classroom, she took up her first teaching job at Brick School, near the Virginia border in Edgecombe County. While there she wrote for Opportunity, magazine of the National Urban League. In 1926 she left to teach in nearby Rocky Mount, first at Linco ln High School, and soon thereafter, and until 1952, at Booker T. Washington High School. She taught social sciences and Latin, but took the greatest interest in teaching her students Negro history, planning an annual exhibit on the topic.
In the community she was among the founders of the YWCA and a stalwart in the Episcopal church.
While at Howard, Miss Brown was among eight seniors in 1908 who joined graduate Ethel Hedgeman Lyle to found Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), the first Greek-letter sorority for African American women. Brown was the first treasurer. Known for their
Photographed By N.C. Dept . of Cultural Resources
2. Anna Easter Brown Marker
and is buried in Unity Cemetery. A wall exhibit at the YWCA honors her as does a graveside bench placed in 2008 by AKA.
Summing up her life, Miss Brown wrote, “I am not a career woman, but what greater career could one wish there to be as inspiration to her pupils? I have accomplished no great thing but I am steadily working toward a high moral standard and refined womanhood.” A former student, R. Kelly Bryant Jr. of Durham, recalls her dedication to teaching black history and how she inspired him toward the same endeavor. (North Carolina Office of Archives and History)
Also see . . . Anna Easter Brown Marker Unveiling - YouTube. Oct 4, 2011 - 18 sec - Uploaded by AKAMARegion A historical marker honoring AKA founder, Anna Easter Brown was unveiled in Rocky Mount, NC on Oct. 1, 2011. (Submitted on October 29, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Photographed By Mike Stroud, October 14, 2011
3. Anna Easter Brown Marker. looking southward on East Grand Avenue
Photographed By Mike Stroud, October 14, 2011
4. Anna Easter Brown Marker looking northwest along East Grand Avenue
Credits. This page was last revised on May 7, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 24, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,205 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 24, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.
