CARRBORO, NC – The Town of Carrboro will be hosting a virtual program to commemorate the 120th anniversary of George Henry White’s historic farewell address to Congress. The online event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1.
After serving in the North Carolina State Legislature, George Henry White represented the State of North Carolina in the United States House of Representatives for two consecutive terms from 1897 to 1901. Congressman White was a leader in the introduction and the fight for anti-lynching legislation.
At the time of his farewell address, White was the only African American Congressman, and he would be the last until 1929. It would not be until 1992 that another African American was elected to represent the State of North Carolina in Congress. Following his last term, White went on to practice law and eventually moved to Philadelphia where he ran a land development firm and founded the city’s first African American owned bank.
The event, which is part of the Town of Carrboro’s annual Black History Month celebration, will be emceed by retired chief public defender for Orange and Chatham Counties, James E. Williams Jr. Opening remarks for the event will be provided by special guest and current U.S. Congressman G. K. Butterfield.
The featured presenter will be noted George Henry White biographer, Benjamin R. Justesen. Dr. Justesen will lead a discussion of his new book, Forgotten Legacy: William McKinley, George Henry White, and the Struggle for Black Equality.
Following the discussion, local oral historian and documentarian Danita Mason-Hogans will introduce three student guest speakers, who will read from George Henry White’s farewell address to Congress. Malkam Hawkins is a junior majoring in electrical engineering, and Milosh McAdoo is a sophomore majoring in animal science. Both students attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Joining Hawkins and McAdoo will be Ania Hairston, a junior political science major from North Carolina Central University. All three students are members of the Cheatham-White Scholars program, which honors Henry P. Cheatham and George H. White.
The event will be held via Zoom and will be simulcast to the Town of Carrboro’s YouTube account at www.youtube.com/CarrboroNC To register for the Zoom webinar, please visit:
https://townofcarrboro.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-lorm6uDSauaS23HIFNzvQ
Please note that the Zoom call is limited to the first 100 registrants. Those who do not register can view the program via YouTube.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department at 919.918.7364 or via email at recparks@townofcarrboro.org
