Yearbooks can be a valuable source of photographs of community members whose images were infrequently captured or retained. The 1952 edition of Charles H. Darden High School’s yearbook, The Trojan, included this photograph of Dr. Malcolm D. Williams, Supervisor of Wilson Negro Schools.
Yearbooks can be a valuable source of photographs of community members whose images were infrequently captured or retained. The 1952 edition of Charles H. Darden High School’s yearbook, The Trojan, included this photograph of Oswald W. Harris, who briefly taught math at the school. A native of Warrenton, North Carolina, Harris went on to become a professor of mathematics at Union College-New Jersey and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He died in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 2001.
——
In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 210 Powell Street, Oswald W. Harris, 40, math teacher at city high school; wife Johnnie, 37, home economics teacher at city high school; sons John M., 5, and Anthony W., 2; and cousin Lucy J. Oneill, 25, “caretaking of home.”
Wilmington Morning Star, 4 November 1944.
Journal and Sentinel (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 29 December 1946.
——
The Miami News, 14 March 1939.
Darden High School’s Class of 1949 celebrated its 50th anniversary with a jam-packed program staged at Tom Woodard‘s Center east of Wilson. I found this program among my late father’s papers and, to my astonishment, I am listed on the program under “Discussions.” I can assure you, had I actually been invited, I’d have been there, and it pains me that I was an apparent no-show for what sounds like an epic event. It’s nice to know, though, that as far back as 1999 I was considered to have something to say worth hearing about Wilson’s African-American history.
Tucked into the night’s agenda was this priceless copy of the 1949 commencement program.
Father Robert J. Johnson gave the invocation; Charles E. Howell delivered the class address; Saint Augustine’s College president Dr. Harold L. Trigg was the featured speaker; and Gloria Haskins performed “Morning” (a poem?)
We’ve met some members of this class before, including Jacobia L. Bullock, Ray J. Dancy, Earl L. Zachary, Lorena Davis, Minnie Doris Ellis, Marie Everett, Levolyre Farmer (who’s still representing!), Elroy Jones, and Margaret Reid,
And look at these prizes and awards — all (except the first three) sponsored by African-American organizations and individuals. (Beauticians Local No. 12? I need to look into that.)
Wilson Daily Times, 23 April 1949.
1949 Trojan, the yearbook of Charles H. Darden High School.
——
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 412 Daniel Street, Harvey Rogers, 26; wife Martha, 25; and children Amos, 10, and Lena Mae, 7.
In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Harvey Rogers, 36, janitor at laundry and dry-cleaning business; wife Martha T., 36, domestic; and son Amos, 19, packer at tobacco retrying factory.
Wilson Daily Times, 10 January 1948.
Wilson Daily Times, __ December 1949.
“‘The East Nash street block between the railroad and Stantonsburg Street will be decorated for the first time in the last decade,’ Hartford Bess said.”
“The Darden High school band will parade in the main parade and play a few selections in front of the Wilson court house. After this it will march on down to Stantonsburg and East Nash streets where it will provide the music at [a lighting] ceremony.”
