About Us
The mission of the Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Association shall be for the preservation and dissemination of information about the history and culture of the Colored People and Schools in Currituck County, North Carolina from 1868-1950’s.
Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Association is the culmination of local efforts to preserve the Jarvisburg Colored School, first established in 1868 near its current location. The HJCS Association was formally organized in 2003 as a nonprofit organization.
Initial efforts focused on saving the old school building in keeping with historic preservation standards, listing it on the National Register of Historic Places, and collecting and disseminating historic information about this school and five other schools for colored children in Currituck County (Gregory, Currituck Union, Moyock, Snowden and Coinjock).
HJCS is a membership organization and we welcome your membership/donation support and your stories, photos, and any artifacts from your experiences in any of Currituck's Colored Schools during this timeframe.
We believe it is important to take time to celebrate our heritage and to remember the path we have followed to be where we are today. The stories we share are about life in a poor, rural area of North Carolina in a segregated society where families were often self- sufficient and lived off the land.
Members of the Board of Directors
President – Vivian M. Simpson
Vice President – William Jarvis, III
Secretary – Lilly W. Lindsey
Treasurer – Rowena Roby
Directors – Dorothy Johnson, Paul O'Neal, Angerona Saunders, W. Leon Saunders
Inactive Directors – Alice Lindsey, Ruth Dillard.
Many school alumni and community volunteers have all worked hard in support of our efforts. The board notes the deaths of several dedicated supporters: Douglas Lindsey, Norma Williams and Edna Bowser, who worked to establish this organization and provided support with their generous spirit and contributions.
Become a Member
Join Online:
Join By Mail:
Download a membership form to print and mail
Send completed forms to: HJCS, Inc.P.O. Box 254, Jarvisburg, NC 27947
Tribute to Milton Etheridge
Milton Etheridge, passed away October 5 2017. Milton was a founding member of two nonprofit boards instrumental in providing services to Currituck County and in honoring the heritage and culture of the African American community of Currituck. Milton helped to establish the Currituck-Dare Community Foundation beginning in 1999. Milton's strength came from making connections with people to advocate for a better quality of life for residents and visitors to Currituck County.
His second commitment came in 2002, helping to organize and lead efforts to establish the Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Association and to establish the HJCS Museum that shares the stories of all the historic colored schools in Currituck from the 1860's through the 1950's.
His dedication, commitment and persuasion benefited everyone in Currituck County and we are grateful for his efforts. He will be missed by many. For information about the Currituck-Dare Community Foundation, www.nccommunityfoundation.org
Donations in his memory may be made to the William A. and Julia Hunt & Douglas P. and Alice H. Lindsey Fund for Historic Jarvisburg Colored School (HJCS), administered by the NC Community Foundation. This fund supports Historic Jarvisburg Colored School.
Links
Currituck Travel and Tourism: www.visitcurrituck.comThe African American Heritage Museum of Wilmington: www.aahfwilmington.org
Currituck County: www.co.currituck.nc.us
Rodriguez Ripley Maddux Motley Architects: www.rrmm.com