Black History Month in Pamlico County

Welcome! Down in the County is a publication that focuses on the folks and history of Pamlico County, N.C.

Today we are featuring a story written and photographed by Quamori Miller, a 15 year-old journalist who is a freshman at Pamlico County High School. He currently lives in Aurora and is a YNTO Snapshot.

Last month, a Black History month celebration took place at Holt’s Chapel Community Center. The old two-room school house was once a Rosenwald School, created for Black children in rural areas before desegregation. 

The main room was full of people of all backgrounds, Black and White. It felt warm in there as speakers stood to tell their stories of Black history. Pews lined the sides of the room and long tables ran down the middle. Clippings of all sorts of different African American leaders, or people who have broken racial barriers, covered the walls and showed me how far the African American community has come. 

The program started off with a prayer by Mrs. Alief Louise Green-Morris, inviting people to come tour the building anytime. Then, there was a call for support for the building from Dr. Elizabeth Cordes. 

After a couple of speakers, Mr. Joseph Daggs took to the podium. “For most of our Black history, we talk about people that died.  I'm going to speak on somebody that's living,” he began. 

He talked about a pilot and flight teacher, Brenda E. Robinson, and shared her story. When she was young, her kindergarten teacher sent home a note one day about Brenda saying that Brenda had told her she wanted to become Secretary of the Moon.

Brenda eventually entered a study program in high school, broadening her views of aviation careers. She became one of ten women selected nationwide to go to the Navy Aviation Officers Academy School in Pensacola, Florida. Mr. Daggs said that it was his job as a drill instructor to “weed out the weak.” After two weeks he said Brenda brought him a note saying she didn't want special treatment but that she was a weak swimmer.

“I would sneak her out the barracks, take her to the YMCA, and work with her on her swimming,” he said.  Brenda went on to graduate in 1980 at Corpus Christi, Texas, achieved her pilot goal and went on to do great things like carrier landings, landing planes on naval aircraft carriers and transporting cargo and mail. As he spoke, people's eyes widened with pride. 

Brenda Robinson also flew for American Airlines, one of the first African American women to do this, Mr. Daggs said. 

A little later, Mr. Darrell Gibbs, Vice President of Pamlico County's NAACP chapter came to the podium to talk about the Pamlico schools, and then told his own story. Mr. Gibbs attended Pamlico County High School in 1967. In 1966 there were only five African American students attending the high school. When Mr.Gibbs arrived in 1967, he took a leap of faith and went out for football. 

“I went out for the football team and a couple of other Black guys had too. They quit but I stayed on the team,” he said.

At that point, Mr. Gibbs went on to say, he was the only Black player on the team. After one game, the team had stopped to eat. The guy who ran the restaurant told Mr. Gibbs he couldn’t eat there.

“I got up and got back on the bus,” said Mr. Gibbs. Tears ran down his face as he stopped speaking for a moment. He said that a teammate followed behind him and asked why he had left. He told the teammate what had happened.

With a quivering voice he softly hit the podium as he said what happened next. “The whole team left.”  The room filled with applause and Mr. Gibbs took his seat. 

These are just two of many stories that were shared on that Saturday at the Holt’s Chapel Community Center. The speakers also included Ms. Sylia Smith, Rev. Dr. Marlena Daggs and Ms. Lorraine Badger as well as other supporters of the center. 

They also took time to remember Mrs. Teresa Badger and Brother Vernon Cooper who both passed away.  

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Down in the County has its own Instagram page! Check us out @downinthecounty or on Facebook here. You can see more of Quamori’s work on Instagram at @quamori_.m.