Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh

by Carmen Wimberley 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.

136 pages, Paperback

Published January 9, 2023

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books like this are critical for the preservation of Black history that is being erased by gentrification. I enjoyed getting to know my city better.

[Cameron Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Super interesting and detailed, but it's more of a survey as opposed to history telling which I was hoping for.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Raleigh-based historian Carmen Wimberley Cauthen published a book entitled Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh in 2023. Cauthen writes, “The city of Raleigh was established in 1792 as the capital of the state of North Carolina before the Civil War and the end of slavery. The city was platted after the purchase of the land from Joel Lane” (Cauthen 15). The book is focused on the historic era of the city of Raleigh that covered the history of Raleigh between the end of the Civil War until the 1970s. Cauthen writes that “this book will look at politics, institutions, people and the roles they all played in growing the city of Raleigh’s neighborhoods through the 1970s” (Cauthen 13). The book has charts, maps, and black and white photographs. The book has a conclusion (Cauthen 227), a bibliography and an index. Cauthen writes “register neighborhoods are losing their character as they are modernized. The history behind their builds is important for all to know’ (Cauthen 227). Throughout the book, Cauthen provides profiles of people who influenced their respective neighborhoods between the end of the Civil War and the 1970s. The book is very detailed. Cauthen’s book, entitled Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh, is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Raleigh.