Explore the rich African American heritage of Rowan County, where history, culture and community intersect. From significant landmarks to vibrant events, Rowan County offers visitors and locals meaningful opportunities to honor and celebrate African American history. Whether you're visiting historic sites, attending cultural festivals or supporting Black-owned businesses, there's no shortage of ways to engage with and learn about the African American stories in our community. Start planning your journey and experience this essential piece of Rowan County's identity.
Must-See African American Heritage Sites in Rowan County
Photo of the Rowan Museum in Salisbury, N.C.
Soldiers Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church
306 N. Church St., Salisbury, N.C.
The Soldiers Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church was founded in 1865 as the Salisbury Station and Mount Zion Society. The name was later changed to honor the Union soldiers who fought for the freedom of slaves. The church purchased the property In 1873, and the building housed the office of Joseph C. Price while he was president of Livingstone College.
Oak Grove-Freedman's Cemetery & Memorial
Southwest Corner of Church St. & Liberty St.
The Oak Grove-Freedman's Cemetery & Memorial is an early burial site of African Americans. The memorial was dedicated in 2006 as a compassionate symbol to acknowledge the past, challenge visitors to think about the present, and offer hope for the future. Seattle artist, Maggie Smith designed the memorial. The sidewalk and intersection surrounding the memorial are paved with bricks laid as African textile patterns which symbolize ancestry and protection.
Rowan Museum's African American Exhibit
202 N. Main St., Salisbury, N.C.
The Rowan Museum is housed in the 19th century courthouse that was built in 1855. African American history makes up a portion of their permanent display, including belongings of J.C. Price. The museum hosts a special African American exhibit each February in celebration of Black History Month.
William Valentine House & Marker
224 East Bank St., Salisbury, N.C.
The William Valentine House was purchased in 1858 at the estate sale of Horace Beard. Bill Valentine lived here until he moved in 1886 to Sableton near Union Hill on the west side of town. When he died on January 22, 1893, the local newspaper said that "he was the only barber here before the war - free then; but conducted himself so as to secure the confidence and patronage of whites." The entrance gate to the Confederate States Military Prison was located across the tracks from this dwelling. The marker for the home is located on the sidewalk near the entrance of the barber shop he operated. The building, erected in 1858, is Salisbury's oldest extant commercial structure.
Site of Friends School & Dixonville Baptist Church
Southeast Corner of Horah & Railroad, Salisbury, N.C.
In 1866, the Friends of Philadelphia and Vicinity for the Relief of Colored Freedmen purchased this property from Joseph Horah and opened a school. The Baptist Freedmen's Church, which became Dixonville Baptist and renamed First Calvary in 1926, was established the same year by the Reverend Harry Cowan and shared facilities with the Quaker school. In 1881, the State Colored Normal School of Salisbury was located here. The 1910 church building (right), was razed during urban renewal.
Dixonville Cemetery
210 Old Concord Rd., Salisbury, N.C.
The Dixonville Cemetery was officially established in 1874 by the city fathers as a cemetery "to be used by the colored people perpetually." The earliest extant tombstone is dated 1851. There are no recorded death certificates for those who died before 1912; since that time, 449 burials were documented. Bishop John Jamison Moore, the founder of the Western North Carolina Conference, A.M.E. Zion Church, was buried here next to his wife in 1893. In 2009, with funds from an HUD grant, major restoration work was done in the cemetery and an historical marker installed.
Historic Neely School
225 Neelytown Rd., China Grove, N.C.
Around 1910, Julius Erastus Neely founded the Neely School in China Grove, N.C. Julius was the son of an enslaved person. As a carpenter and Minister, he recognized the importance of educating his family and community. He worked with family and friends to build the single-room Neely School, which educated approximately 1,300 students before the local school system started providing schools for African Americans in 1948.
Lincoln School
642 South Shaver St., Salisbury, N.C.
The school was established by 1885 and was the only public school in Salisbury for African Americans until 1922. Replacing an earlier two-story wooden structure, this building was erected in 1920 and spared during urban redevelopment in the 1960's and '70s. When the school closed in 1970, the students transferred to integrated, A. T. Allen Elementary.
Livingstone College
701 W. Monroe St., Salisbury, N.C.
The .Livingstone College and Union Hill district includes the college campus and surrounding residential area, all of which were a part of the Frohock plantation established in 1761. In April 1865, when General Stoneman's Union troops invaded Salisbury, a detachment entered the town through what is now the college campus. It is said that the soldiers encamped nearby, and that is why the area is named Union Hill. The remnants of the old Salisbury-Taylorsville Plank Road are also on the campus.
Annual & Upcoming Events to Put on Your Calendar
Downtown Salisbury's Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration - 3rd weekend in January
City of Kannapolis' Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration - 3rd weekend in January
Juneteenth Celebration - June 21, 2025 in Downtown Salisbury, N.C.
Southern Soul Music Festival - 2nd Saturday in October in East Spencer, N.C.
For the full list and self-guided tour, check out the African American Heritage Tour brochure and discover all the African-American history you can find during your visit to Rowan County.
Header photo by Livingstone College.
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