Black Wall Street of Sanford History

 In Chapel Hill, NC at St. Paul African American Episcopal Church, I received a brochure from Earl Bynum on “Because We’re Still Here (and Moving)”: Mapping A World Of Black History In Our Own Back Yard, A Hidden Voices Project: Chapel Hill Historic Society. www.hiddenvoices.org

Earl’s wife, Linda was connected with the project and Earl was soliciting a donation.  I thought, hummm, I can make a brochure highlighting Black Entrepreneurs of  Sanford. I don’t know if I had thought of the idea before as I often thought of most of my people who had impressed my life in some fashion, but this was my impetus!

 I solicited a small group of citizens and started developing a list of the historically black entrepreneurs of Sanford, in December 2018. The goal was to produce a brochure on February 1, 2019 in time for Black History Month. These citizens were Joan C. Quick, Joy Newby Cartera, and Cora McIver. I spoke with my Aunt Betty Kelly Lee, and Mrs. Edna Foushee asking about their memories and suggestions.

So I visited The Sanford Historical Society to get some direction. Liz Whitmore viewed the pamphlet I brought to her and told me that the Chapel Hill Historical Society that endorsed the publication had a different mission than the Sanford Historical Society but she was willing to listen and give input. She offered me books on Sanford’s History.

She also gave me a brochure she had done on the City of Sanford Mural Art Trail which included W.B. Wicker, renowned principal of the first Black High School in Sanford, and Link Boykin an architect and builder of many historic homes and buildings in the 1900’s in Sanford. 

Ms. Liz Whitmore is very passionate about her job and stated she could help me with plotting the black establishments on a map which would later become a brochure. She endorsed me meeting with the City Council as a walk in citizen. Liz’s schedule did not allow her to be directly involved. So Jose Cuellar drafted our first sample brochure and power point presentation.

On March 19, 2019 we debuted at City Council meeting with our proposal.  The project was featured in the Sanford Herald a few days afterwards on Sunday, March 10, 2019:  Staff writer, Jasmine Gallup. We received and welcomed several responses from the community via citizens and city officials alike sharing Black historical information; Mark Coggins, and Attorney Susan Patterson.

City Manager Hal Hegwar suggested a power point presentation be presented at a later date. On June 19, 2019, a power point presentation was presented to the City of Sanford and the Citizens of Sanford. This presentation can be seen on sanfordnc.net., link City Council Meetings.

A prototype of a brochure was also presented entitled, Sanford’s Black History, Our Remnant Voices crying out to be heard! Or From Those of Us Who Remember!; Our Kids Deserve to Know: Sanford’s Black Rich History and All it Has to Offer.

The Sanford Planning Department was summoned, and Don Kovasckitz assisted with mapping some on the historical Black locations on a map that I could assess via online which supported the development of the brochure.

Even though the publications Ms. Whitmore gave me were interesting I still did not see enough of my black mentors, entrepreneurs, educators, Drs., barbers, etc. in those publications, perhaps two per book or pamphlet?  So here lies the launching of a World Wide Web devoted to those Black men and women of color that passed our way and left their impact and footprints on our beloved city of Sanford, NC.

Today, (Include date) Here is born a World Wide Web to capture what I remember and what I am now learning with you readers and visitors as co authors!

I remember Wall Street, Sanford, NC, as a lucrative street in the 1950’s and perhaps before that time dotted with Black businesses and some still thrive there today!!!

Men, women, and children of color have been a part of building Sanford, NC and here lies our memory of them! We appreciate every thought, every dream, every business, every contribution made.  For we are fearfully and wondrously made in the likeness of our creator and we create, establish, and leave our marks on creation, this town, this state, and the WORLD!

Carol Chalmers Deese

1955-