HENDERSONINSTITUTE

HISTORICALMUSEUM

629 W. Rockspring St. Henderson, NC 27536 (252) 430-0616Hours of Operation:

Wed & Sat 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. Also open via appointment.

Edna Scott, Curator Edith Carroll, Assistant

During the annual meeting of the Henderson Institute (HI) Alumni meeting in 1980, the restoration of the HI library Science Building was discussed. A request was made of the Vance County Board of Education to lease the building. The request was granted, and on February 7, 1983, a 10 year lease was signed.

The property was deeded to the HI Graduates and Former Students Association in 1986, and the museum was established in the same year.

The museum was approved for listing in the National Register of Historic Places on November 19, 1995 by the United States Department of Interior.

Our History:

An exhibit of some of the earlier principals and first school buildings

Our Purpose: Recent Additions:• Maintain a repository for artifacts, oral and written

records, books, photographs, and printed materials regarding the education of African-Americans at HI.

• Promote research relative to African-American culture and history in North Carolina.

• ProvideameetingandofficefacilityforHIAssociationand other civic organizations wherein cultural and

social programs will be held.

• Inform and educate our present and future citizens about the important part HI represented in the entire Vance County from 1891 – 1970.

Web: hihistoricalmuseum.net

Free Admission -however Contributions are accepted

Meeting/Conference Room.

The library serves as a resource to further support educational outreach programming. There is a computer with “wifi” and numerous books and other resource materials, focusing on African-American cultural-historical contributions.

Clarence Vernon Knight, affectionately called “Boss” was the last HI principal. He was an inspiration to so many of his former students. It was only fitting that a “Boss Memoirs” wall was created in the museum, which consist of numerous awards, plaques, and decorations commemorating “Boss” Knight’s outstanding services to HI and other organizations through out Vance County.

1887 1891 1891-1900

Established as

Henderson Normal & Industrial

Institute by the United

Presbyterian Church of the North

Our Past...

C. L. Cook, the first African-AmericanPrincipal (served from 1900-1903)

An exhibit of the coffee urn from Jubilee Hospital; the only hospital for African-Americans in Vance County during the era of segregation. There are also photos of nurses who studied nursing at HI during various years.

There’s an array of sports trophies, artifacts, and equipment donated by HI graduates and former students.

School opened in

1891 with a principal &5 teachers

(All CaucasianMissionaries)

The restoration of the Library

Science Building was discussed

during the annual HI Alumni meeting. A

committee with Henrietta Clark, chairman, met with the Vance County School

Board and requested to lease

the building. The request was

granted.

Dedication of Tuskegee

Airmen Exhibit

The Library Science Building and the

property on which it lies was deeded over to the

incorporated HI Alumni Association

Establishment of The Kimp Talley Exhibit

.Talley was in the Class of 1956. He was the

1st African-American pilot hired by a

commercial airline.

Is Our Future.

Established in 2011. Military Wall of Fame in honor of HI graduates and former students who served in various branches of the armed forces.

Clarence V. Knight “Boss”, the last Principal (served from 1969 – 1970 when the school closed in 1970 as a result of integration of Vance County schools).

Bust of Clarence V. KnightDonated by: Col. Sandy L. Royster and Agnes Knight Royster - Class of 1959.

To share some of our collections online through digitization. The preservationof our historic images will allow future generations to experience our past via this process. We will be able to share our artifacts, photos, documents, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and more through digitization.

The First 4 Principals(All Caucasian)

J.M. Fulton1891-1893

C.L. McCracken1893-1898

Albert N. Porter1898-1899

D.A.W. Johnson1899-1900

First African-

AmericanPrincipal

C.L. Cook1900-1903

With African-American

Staff

Dr. J.A. Cotton1903-1943

6th Principal. Dr. Cotton dropped

Normal &Industrial

from the name, and thereafter

the school was known as

Henderson Institute.

O.T. Robinson1943-1947

7th Principal.

L.E. Spencer1947-1969

8th Principal.

Clarence V. Knight (Boss)

1969-1970Last Principal.

Henderson Institute

operated as a 9th grade center until the 1973-

1974 school year, and the name HI was discontinued.

During this time, it

became part of Eaton-Johsnon

Junior High School.

Class of 1930 held a reunion and thru the enthusiasm of those in

attendance led to an invitation

being extended to

all graduates, former

students and teachers of HI to attend

the next reunion,

HendersonInstituteAlumni

wasorganized.

Establishment of the

HIMilitary Hall

of Fame.

The Henderson

Institute Library and Laboratory

propertywas approvedfor listing inthe National

Register of Historic

Placeson November

29, 1995

Creation of the

“Boss’s Memoirs”

Wall

1980 20121986 20131900-1903 1903-1943 1943-1970 1973-1974 1975 1976 20111995 2015

On November 10, 2012, an exhibit honoring three HI Alumni, who all were members of the famous Tuskegee airmen, was dedicated during the Annual HI Veterans Day Program. The exhibit honors Francis Peoples, Harold Webb and Wilson Eagleson and also includes a model of a P-51 Mustang, the red-tailed fighter airplane the Tuskegee Airmen made famous.