North Carolina Catholic (Nazareth, N.C.), 8 April 1949.
Chicago Defender, 7 May 1949.
I have not found more details about Sister Antonia’s time at Saint Alphonsus Catholic School.
Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church
Saint Alphonsus’ May Procession.
Fitts-Funderburg wedding at Saint Alphonsus.
The Afro-American (Baltimore, Md.), 24 June 1950.
Pittsburgh Courier, 1 July 1950.
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Saint Alphonsus plans a Christmas festival.
Wilson Daily Times, 24 December 1943.
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- Elouise Peacock
- Maggie Crawford
- Marie Bullard — in the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: boarding at 118 Pender Street, school teacher Marie Bullard, 28, widow, born in New Jersey, and Mable Brown, 33, cook.
- Argie Evans Allen
- Devera Jackson
- Pauline Farmer
- Rev. Francis J. Walsh
B.W.A. Historical Marker Series, no. 6: Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church.
In this series, which will post on occasional Wednesdays, I populate the landscape of Wilson County with imaginary “historic markers” commemorating people, places, and events significant to African-American history or culture.
We been here.
Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church
Dedicated in 1942 by Redemptorist Fathers. Rectory next door. An affiliated elementary school operated nearby until 1968. Merged with St. Therese Church in 1986.
Wilson Daily Times, 28 March 1942.
Saint Alphonsus Church and rectory have stood empty for years. Recently, however, non-profit Dee’s House purchased the property for its educational programs and support services.
Midnight Mass at Saint Alphonsus.
Wilson Daily Times, 24 December 1945.
The arrival of the Catholic trailer chapel.
Wilson Daily Times, 10 July 1941.
Wilson Daily Times, 12 July 1941.
The first Catholic services for African-Americans in Wilson were held at Reid Street Community Center in 1941, with construction of a new church — to be known as Saint Alphonsus — soon to get underway.
Saint Alphonsus is dedicated.
Wilson Daily Times, 30 March 1942.
While building Saint Alphonsus.
“St. Alphonsus Catholic Church met at Reid Street Center in 1938 while the church was being built. The photograph was submitted by James “Casey” Ellis.” Wilson Daily Times, 20 April 1999.
If you can identify any of the parishioners, please let me know.
Breaking ground for Saint Alphonsus.
Wilson Daily Times, 1 August 1941.
The background is remarkable in this photo of the ground-breaking for Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church. In the early 1940s, the northeastern end of Reid Street was at the edge of town. Thus, the buildings seen in the background here are tobacco barns.