Wilmington in New Hanover County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Morris-Bailey House

c. 1881

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 23, 2024

1. Morris-Bailey House Marker

Inscription. Originally Folk Victorian style cottage with Craftsman-style front addition constructed circa 1920 built for Margaret A. Morris (1854-1932). Purchased in 1904 by Anna Jane Austin (1876-1957), teacher at Williston Primary School. Inherited by daughter, Dorothy Bailey (1914-1984), civil rights activist and teacher at Williston Junior High School. Elected to New Hanover County School Board of Education in 1976, first Black elected official in New Hanover County since 1898. Posthumously inducted into the North Carolina Education Hall of Fame. Dorothy B. Johnson Elementary, now a pre-K center, was named in her honor.

Erected by Historic Wilmington Foundation, Inc.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Women. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and the North Carolina, Historic Wilmington Foundation series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.

Location. 34° 14.539′ N, 77° 56.493′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, North Carolina, in New Hanover County. It is on North 7th Street south of Campbell Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 513 N 7th St, Wilmington NC 28401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Cape Fear Coast.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

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 the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Kennedy-Forehand House (here, next to this marker); Wehrhahn House (within shouting distance of this marker); Bowdoin-Moore House (within shouting distance of this marker); Central Baptist Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Foster F. Burnett House (about 500 feet away); McGhee House (about 600 feet away); Schnibben-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority House (about 600 feet away); John Kay House (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.

Regarding Morris-Bailey House. From the New Hanover County Public Library:

Dorothy B. Johnson (1914-1984) became the first African American to win public county office in Wilmington, NC since the 1890s when she was elected to the Board of Education in 1976. She was a biology teacher at Williston Senior High School (as well as a graduate of Williston), teaching in the county schools for many years. She was also a member of the NAACP chapter that supported Dr. Hubert Eaton's efforts towards desegregation. Johnson was instrumental in helping to improve education in New Hanover County during the turbulent 1970s, working for parents, students, and teachers. She fought to establish a north side elementary school to replace the formerly all-African American Peabody School, which had been closed. The new
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 24, 2024

2. Morris-Bailey House Marker
school became the Dorothy B. Johnson Elementary School, which is currently operating as a Pre-K Center. She was named to the North Carolina Education Hall of Fame in Raleigh, NC after her death in 1984. Ms. Johnson is buried in Pine Forest Cemetery.

Also see . . .
1. Wilmington Historic District (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination for the district, which includes this property and was listed in 1974. (Prepared by Survey and Planning Unit, North Carolina Division of Archives and History; via North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office) (Submitted on January 24, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Wilmington Historic District Boundary Expansion and Additional Documentation (PDF). National Register nomination that expanded the district in 2003. (Prepared by Sherry Joines Wyatt and L. Robbie King; via North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office) (Submitted on January 24, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

3. Dorothy Bailey Jackson Johnson. Author, community strategist, and educator Bertha Boykin Todd discusses the impact of North Carolina Education Hall of Famer Dorothy B. Johnson. (Lost in Transition project, Michael S. Williams and the North Carolina Museum of Art) (Submitted on January 24, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Dorothy Bailey Johnson image. Click for full size.

New Hanover County Public Library via Facebook (Public Domain)

3. Dorothy Bailey Johnson

Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 24, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 121 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 24, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.