Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh

Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh
By Carmen Cauthen

The story of Raleigh's African American communities begins before the Civil War. Towns like Oberlin Village were built by free people of color in the antebellum era. During Reconstruction, the creation of thirteen freedmen's villages defined the racial boundaries of Raleigh. These neighborhoods demonstrate the determination and resilience of formerly enslaved North Carolinians. After World War II, new suburbs sprang up, telling tales of the growth and struggles of the Black community under Jim Crow. Many of these communities endure today. Dozens of never before published pictures and maps illustrate this hidden history. Local historian Carmen Wimberly Cauthen tells the story of a people who--despite slavery--wanted to learn, grow, and be treated as any others.

Carmen Wimberley Cauthen learned the value of history and family legacy growing up as a child. A Black native of Raleigh, she has always recognized that only some of the stories have been told. While writing the Journal for the North Carolina House of Representatives , she realized that truth is many-sided and that what is generally shared is only what is comfortable to hear. Her work as a family historian, racial equity advocate and truth teller is helping to raise awareness of the roots of erasure in the Black community's history.

Published January 2023; Paperback, 256 pages