Roanoke Rapids in Halifax County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Keys v. Carolina Coach Company

Photographed by Michael Buckner, May 3, 2023

1. Keys v. Carolina Coach Company Marker

Inscription. Landmark Interstate Commerce Commission case, 1955, helped end racial segregation in interstate transportation. Original arrest was here, 1952.

Erected 2021 by North Carolina Office of Archives and History. (Marker Number E-127.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1955.

Location. 36° 27.23′ N, 77° 39.492′ W. Marker is in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, in Halifax County. It is on Roanoke Avenue south of East 11th Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1114 Roanoke Ave, Roanoke Rapids NC 27870, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and

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the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Roanoke Rapids High School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Andrew Joyner (approx. half a mile away); Afghanistan & Iraq Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Lest We Forget (approx. half a mile away); Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Korea/Vietnam (approx. half a mile away); Akers (Central) School (approx. 0.8 miles away); Closing The Circle (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roanoke Rapids.

Also see . . . Keys v. Carolina Coach Company.

Keys v. Carolina Coach Company arose out of an incident that occurred in August 1952. Sarah Keys, an African American woman and member of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) stationed in New Jersey, was traveling by bus to her hometown of Washington, North Carolina. At the Roanoke Rapids Trailways terminal, a new driver ordered her to move from her seat to the back of the bus in deference to a white Marine. Keys refused, and in the resulting dispute was arrested on disorderly conduct charges. The North Carolina court system supported the arrest.

Photographed by Michael Buckner, May 3, 2023

2. Keys v. Carolina Coach Company Marker

(Submitted on May 4, 2023, by Michael Buckner of Durham, North Carolina.)

Sarah Louise Keys image. Click for full size.

Photographed by US Army Photo of PFC Sarah Louise Keys

3. Sarah Louise Keys

Credits. This page was last revised on May 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 4, 2023, by Michael Buckner of Durham, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 317 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 4, 2023, by Michael Buckner of Durham, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.