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News
Orange County Spotlight for Black History Month:
George Moses Horton (1797-1884): Born on a plantation in Northampton County, Horton moved with his family and master to Chatham County at a young age and spent much of his time at UNC-Chapel Hill, reciting and creating poems for the students, who often paid him for his compositions. Known as “The Colored Bard of North Carolina” much of Horton’s poetry contains powerful attacks on slavery. His first collection of poems, published for him when he was still a slave, “The Hope of Liberty” in 1829, was the first book by a black southern author.
 Pauli Murray (1910-1985) : The granddaughter of an early free black educator, Robert Fitzgerald, Murray was a civil rights and women’s rights activist. She graduated from Hunter College, and attended Howard and the University of California’s Law School at Berkley, after being turned down by Columbia because she was a woman and The University of North Carolina because she was African American. Murray graduated first in her class from Howard and passed the Bar Exam in California, later publishing arguments that would be used by the NAACP in Brown vs. Board of Education. At age sixty-seven, Murray was the first African American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. She offered the Eucharist for the first time at the Chapel Hill church where her grandmother had been baptized as a slave.
Museum now accepts Paypal Donations
The Orange County Historical
Museum now accepts online donations through Paypal. The Museum keeps its
doors open through the generosity of our friends. The button is located
at the bottom of this page.
Featured Artifact of the Month: Eliza Estes Evans, From the Turner Family Portaits
Painting of Eliza Estes Evans, (b. 1759) the aunt of Eliza Estes who was the wife of 19th Century Orange County Sheriff Josiah Turner Sr.
This oil on canvas has suffered extensive damage since its creation c. 1817 and is in immediate need of conservation. Soot and dirt coat the canvas where the paint itself is not flaking off. THe heavy orange areas on her face are the result of an inexpert attempt at a touch up by a later artist.
If you would like to help conserve this artifact please contact Director Brandie Fields at (919) 732-2201 or director@orangenchistory.org
The Orange County History Museum remains in operation due to the kindness of our friends and community.
Please feel free to donate to our Museum through Paypal.
This
Month at the Orange County Historical Museum
Beginning in February the Muesum will return to its normal hours, 11-4 Tuesday - Saturday and 1-4 on Sunday
Take a virtual tour! Our online version of the museum is up and running, featuring Native American, Colonial, Regulators, Civil war and Reconstruction tours, with more to come in our Virtual Museum.
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