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Pottersfield (also spelled "Potter’s Field") was a large historically Black neighborhood located in downtown
Chapel Hill Chapel Hill or Chapelhill may refer to: Places Antarctica * Chapel Hill (Antarctica) Australia *Chapel Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane *Chapel Hill, South Australia, in the Mount Barker council area Canada * Chapel Hill, Ottawa, a neighbo ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. It was originally built over a hundred years ago to be a home for those working at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
. These workers included the stonemasons that constructed the famous stone walls encircling the University’s campus and those that carried water from the
Old Well The Old Well is a small, neoclassical rotunda located on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus at the southern end of McCorkle Place. The current decorative form of the Old Well was modeled after the Temple of Love in the Gard ...
to students in dorms. By the mid 1950s, Pottersfield and its adjacent neighborhood, Sunset, had together come to be known as the Northside neighborhood.


History


Early 20th century and connection to Chapel Hill

Pottersfield began as a labor settlement for the slaves that worked on loan as
stonemasons Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...
and in other service and maintenance roles for the then-new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It consisted of small homes and farms within walking distance of the University, maintained by their descendants on the emerging west end of the city and distinguished by a tight community consisting of homes, schools, churches, and businesses. Transitioning into the 20th century, the time of
Jim Crow laws The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the Sout ...
, the University became the largest employer of Black people in the area and switched from borrowing enslaved Black people to paying Black people to maintain and build its structures. This allowed for some Black landowners to retain their land and others to build homes in the community with the wages from the University. In the 1930s, Pottersfield residents became labor leaders, and civil rights leaders in the 1960s. They established a "Janitorial Association" in 1939, and a mechanic shop for the University in the 1940s.


Late 20th century and Civil Rights era

Teenagers joined the struggle for
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
and, in 1969, civil rights activists helped
Howard Nathaniel Lee Howard Nathaniel Lee (born July 28, 1934) is an American politician who served as Mayor of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, from 1969 to 1975. He was the first African-American mayor elected in Chapel Hill, and the first African American to be elect ...
become elected mayor in a majority-white city. In doing so, he became the first African-American since the
Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...
to be elected to a notable political position. Additionally in the 1960s,
urban renewal Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of blighte ...
planners attempted to buy the land in Pottersfield, but residents came together to seek federal funding to improve old homes and build new homes. Chapel Hill’s first
sit-in A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to mo ...
was led by students from Lincoln High School. Later in the 1970s, the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the Secretary of Housing and Urb ...
attempted urban renewal once again, but residents fought back to keep many of the homes that were meant to be demolished and negotiate improvement and construction for others in the neighborhood.


Early 21st century and continued university relationship

In 2004, after creating a neighborhood watch system, Pottersfield residents worked with the town to make Pottersfield a Neighborhood Conservation District. In the modern age, the University continues to work with the residents of Pottersfield, with student and non-profit organizations dedicated to building homes and acquiring properties for current and retired employees of the University. In addition, the Northside Neighborhood Initiative was launched on May 9, 2015 to further strengthen ties between the community and the University. A notable partnership, it connected residents of the neighborhood, UNC-Chapel Hill, other organizations including Self-Help, the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, the Town of
Carrboro Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 21,295 at the 2020 census. To promote development of the neighborhood, the University additionally offered an interest-free three million dollar loan to create the Northside Land Bank. In 2017, to commemorate the civil rights protests that happened in Pottersfield, the Freedom Fighters Gateway monument was established in the community.


Geography

Pottersfield was located north of West Rosemary Street and west of Columbia Street. Nearby neighborhoods included Sunset, Tin Top, Pine Knolls, and Windy Hill, all of which were historically Black neighborhoods. East of Columbia Street was the all-white neighborhood, Pritchard’s Field.


Education

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) is a school district which educates over 12,000 students (pre-K through 12th grade) in the southeastern part of Orange County, North Carolina. Being near three major universities as well as the Research T ...
were segregated until 1966. Hackney’s Educational and Industrial Institute, which opened in 1912, served
Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...
’s Black students. Financial difficulties led to the school being combined with a Quaker school to form Orange County Training School. Many residents of Pottersfield attended Orange County Training School, and other schools that came to occupy the space. Orange County Training School was established in 1916 on Caldwell Street and stood there until 1922, when the school burned down. Residents were then taught in other locations until a new
Rosenwald school The Rosenwald School project built more than 5,000 schools, shops, and teacher homes in the United States primarily for the education of African-American children in the South during the early 20th century. The project was the product of the part ...
was built in the same location in 1924. The school was renamed "Lincoln High School" in 1948 when the name "Orange County Training School" was opposed by Black students and families. A new Lincoln High School was built on Merritt Mill Road in 1951. Many Pottersfield residents continued to attend Lincoln High School until 1962, when it was closed and Chapel Hill High School was integrated. From 1951-1966, the location on Caldwell Street became Northside Elementary. The building was used as office space until 2013, when it reopened as Northside Elementary. Until the desegregation of schools in 1966, most Black students in the area attended these schools, and many walked to school. Frank Porter Graham Elementary School opened in 1962 to serve the community’s Black children. When students aged out, they went to Lincoln High School. As the integration process went on, students also attended Glenwood Elementary School, Estes Hills Elementary School, or Carrboro Elementary School, and Chapel Hill High School.


Culture

Originally, Pottersfield started out as a tight-knit community of workers where most residents were related. Some of the families in the neighborhood have lived there for several generations. Due to its connection to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, its culture has shifted to include more University students and other outside residents. This shift also brought a change in demographics, as the originally all-Black neighborhood gained a growing population of young, white student residents. Neighbors work to preserve the traditions and culture of the original neighborhood alongside residing students and faculty of the University. There have been debates regarding the use of the original name of the neighborhood, “Potter’s Field”, and the use of the name "Northside." The name "Northside" is believed to encompass a greater area including other neighborhoods around West Franklin Street and Carrboro. The name "Northside" is said to be a reclamation of power and a symbol of community by some residents, and a replacement of the area’s history by others.


Notable figures

* Marian Cheek Jackson was born on February 12, 1925 to Pearl Cotton and Kennon Cheek (founder of the Janitors’ Association). She attended Orange County Training School, and later went on to graduate from St. Augustine’s College in 1946. After graduation, she began working at
North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company NC Mutual (originally the North Carolina Mutual and Provident Association and later North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company) was an American life insurance company located in downtown Durham, North Carolina and one of the most influential Afr ...
in
Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county *Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in No ...
. Later in life, she worked at N.C. Memorial Hospital’s Blood Bank, Bynum Weaver Funeral Home, Granville Towers Dining Services, and Knott’s Funeral Home. Mrs. Jackson also served as the historian at St. Joseph C.M.E. for many years. Due to her passion for preserving local history and building community, she is the namesake of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center. * James T. Foushee, born in 1941, was a prominent Northside Civil Rights activist. While attending Lincoln High School, he played a major role in organizing students’ sit-ins, demonstrations, and marches. He also went on an eight day
hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke a feeling of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most ...
in protest. James T. Foushee was awarded the Rebecca Clark Staff Award for Moral Courage for his achievements and efforts. * Senator Valerie P. Foushee, the oldest of six children, is from the Northside neighborhood. She is the daughter of James T. Foushee (above). Valerie Foushee received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, after which she went on to work for the Chapel Hill Police Department as an adminstrator. She previously served on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board and was the first African-American female elected to the Orange County Board of Commissioners. She also served in both the
North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
and the
North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...
. Valerie Foushee currently represents North Carolina's Fourth District in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
. * The Chapel Hill Nine, a group of nine male students from Lincoln High School, are best known for their protest that kicked off ten years of civil rights demonstrations in Chapel Hill. On February 28, 1960, Harold Foster, William Cureton, John Farrington, Earl Geer, David Mason Jr., Clarence Merritt Jr., James Merritt, Douglas Perry, and Albert Williams staged a sit-in at the local Colonial Drug Company on West Franklin Street. Inspired by the Greensboro sit-in four weeks earlier, the Chapel Hill Nine refused to get up from the counter at Colonial Drug until they were served. The Chapel Hill Nine were charged with trespassing and Colonial Drug would not be desegregated until 1964, with the passing of The Civil Rights Act of 1964, despite numerous protests over the years. Today, a historic marker dedicated to the Chapel Hill Nine has been erected at what was once the site of the Colonial Drug Company. 


Transportation

Currently, transportation in Northside is a mix of private automobiles,
public transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...
, walking, and biking. The community has an extensive network of roads and sidewalks, and public transportation options, such as buses, that connect Northside with other parts of Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas. Biking has also gained popularity, with the development of bike lanes and trails to promote active transportation and reduce dependence on cars. These efforts have been made to promote alternative modes of transportation, such as walking, biking, and public transit, with the aim of reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and promoting healthier lifestyles.


Current situation

In 1980, Pottersfield, which was now known as Northside, was flooded with college students. As there was a large shift to rental properties, many longtime residents of Pottersfield could not afford to live in their homes. By 2010, more than 450 Black residents had left Pottersfield. This was a 40% decrease since 1980. On May 9, 2015, The Northside Neighborhood Initiative was started in order to honor the history of the neighborhood and to keep the diversity and unity strong. The initiative was worked upon and had the support of the neighborhood residents, UNC-Chapel Hill, Self-Help, the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, the Town of Carrboro, and the Town of Chapel Hill. Along with the initiative, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill helped to preserve the neighborhood by giving an interest free three million dollar loan to create the Northside Land Bank. Since 2020, the Northside Neighborhood Initiative (NNI) has been successful in various endeavors, such as promoting market equilibrium, educating student tenants, retaining multi-generational families, and attracting new homeowners who wish to live in close-knit, connected communities with pride. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of Black residents, the creation of 40
affordable housing Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affo ...
units, children playing in the streets and yards, the return of displaced neighbors, and the revitalization of important traditions that are vital to preserving the future of these communities.


See also

*
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
*
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Chapel Hill is a town in Orange, Durham and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 census, making Chapel Hill the 17th-largest municipality in the state. Chapel Hill, Durham, and the state ca ...
Neighborhoods in North Carolina


References

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