Old Fort in McDowell County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural and Timeline

Old Fort Education Civil Rights Movement Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, August 29, 2025

1. Old Fort Education Civil Rights Movement Marker

Inscription.

Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural and Timeline. . The 1950 children's demonstration foreshadowed later Civil Rights struggles, happening only two years after Martin Luther King, Jr. was ordained as a minister, and seven years before he formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to fight segregation. This local effort for educational equity pre-dated the Brown v. Board of Education decision by four years., This art was commissioned in September of 2020 by People on the Move for Old Fort, the Old Fort Community Forum, and the West Marion Community Forum, Inc., with funds provided by over 120 individual and organizational donors. A special thank you to Kim Effler for her research on this project and championing the installation of this mural. Also, with appreciation for the Joyner family for allowing us to tell this story., Historical Timeline , 1950 - Black school children marched on Main Street in Old Fort, NC to protest the closure of the Catawba View Grammar School, known locally as the Step School. , 1952 - The school was demolished, despite attempts by attorney George Sandlin to re-open it. , 1954 - In the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools is unconstitutional. , 1955 - Albert Joyner, Sr. accompanied Black school children to request to integrate the all-white school in Old Fort. He protected the students from an angry crowd of 300 protesters. The superintendent denied their request. , 1965 - The all-white school in Old Fort was finally integrated. , 2020 - Mural is installed on the former Sandlin Theatre, which was later the law office of George Sandlin., (caption) Jennifer Greenlee, granddaughter of Mr. Joyner and Richard Sandlin Fullerton, grandson of Mr. Sandlin, It Takes A Village , In appreciation for those who helped make it a reality: , Angie Forney . Down Ledbetter . Jerome Effler . Bethany Self . Denise Tipton . John Kennedy . Don Allison . Don Rimx . Kim Chambers . David Billstrom . Ginger Webb . Perry Houlditch . David LaMotte . Janet Lytle-Green . David Saich . Jen Billstrom, Project Partners Include: , City of Marion . Community Engagement Project . Equitable Community Strategies . Kitsbow . Old Fort Community Forum . People on the Move for Old Fort . Town of Old Fort . West Marion Community Forum, A special thank you to Lavita Logan, Tonia Plummer, Paula Swepson, Mary Snow, and Kim Effler for dreaming of this mural.

The 1950 children's demonstration foreshadowed later Civil Rights struggles, happening only two years after Martin Luther King, Jr. was ordained as a minister, and seven years before he formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to fight segregation. This local effort for educational equity pre-dated the Brown v. Board of Education decision by four years.

This art was commissioned in September of 2020 by People on the Move for Old Fort, the Old Fort Community Forum, and the West Marion Community Forum, Inc., with funds provided by over 120 individual and organizational donors. A special thank you to Kim Effler for her research on this project and championing the installation of this mural. Also, with appreciation for the Joyner family for allowing us to tell this story.

Historical Timeline
1950 - Black school children marched on Main Street in Old Fort, NC to protest the closure of the Catawba View Grammar School, known locally as the Step School.
1952 - The school was demolished, despite attempts by attorney George Sandlin to re-open it.
1954 - In the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the United

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States Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools is unconstitutional.
1955 - Albert Joyner, Sr. accompanied Black school children to request to integrate the all-white school in Old Fort. He protected the students from an angry crowd of 300 protesters. The superintendent denied their request.
1965 - The all-white school in Old Fort was finally integrated.
2020 - Mural is installed on the former Sandlin Theatre, which was later the law office of George Sandlin.

(caption) Jennifer Greenlee, granddaughter of Mr. Joyner and Richard Sandlin Fullerton, grandson of Mr. Sandlin

It Takes A Village
In appreciation for those who helped make it a reality:
Angie Forney • Down Ledbetter • Jerome Effler • Bethany Self • Denise Tipton • John Kennedy • Don Allison • Don Rimx • Kim Chambers • David Billstrom • Ginger Webb • Perry Houlditch • David LaMotte • Janet Lytle-Green • David Saich • Jen Billstrom

Project Partners Include:
City of Marion • Community Engagement Project • Equitable Community Strategies • Kitsbow • Old Fort Community Forum • People on the Move for Old Fort • Town of Old Fort • West Marion Community Forum

A special thank you to Lavita Logan, Tonia Plummer, Paula Swepson, Mary Snow, and Kim Effler for dreaming of this mural.

Topics.

Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural and Timeline Marker on the E. Main St side of the building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, August 29, 2025

2. Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural and Timeline Marker on the E. Main St side of the building

Marker attached to corner of the commercial front building, currently housing the Catawba Vale Business HUB coffee shop. Mural is on the right

This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Civil Rights • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.

Location. 35° 37.77′ N, 82° 10.852′ W. Marker is in Old Fort, North Carolina, in McDowell County. It is on East Main Street (U.S. 70) east of Catawba Avenue, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 37 E Main St, Old Fort NC 28762, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. 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 the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: "What Happened To Our School?"

Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural "What Happened to Our Schools?" image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, August 29, 2025

3. Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural "What Happened to Our Schools?"

(here, next to this marker); Frontier Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); The Old Indian Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); Morgan Cabin (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center (about 700 feet away); Stepp Cabin (about 800 feet away); Welcome to Davidson's Fort Historic Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Andrews Geyser (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Old Fort.

Regarding Old Fort Education Civil Rights Mural and Timeline. The mural is on the building's east-facing side.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 84 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 11, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.