Preserving Black History in the Sandhills: Ammie Jenkins' Legacy Lives On

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Ammie McRae Jenkins, the first Black student at High Point University, spent much of her life advocating for the rights of Black landowners in the North Carolina Sandhills region. After losing her family's property, Jenkins founded the Sandhills Family Heritage Association in 2001 to preserve Black history and empower the local community. The nonprofit continues her work, operating a farmers market, restoring historical sites, and collecting stories to counter the whitewashing of the region's past.

Why it matters

Jenkins' story highlights the long history of land loss among Black Americans, often through discriminatory practices and violence. Her efforts to protect Black-owned property and amplify untold narratives are crucial in a region where the contributions of African Americans have been marginalized. The Sandhills Family Heritage Association carries on her mission to preserve the region's rich Black heritage for future generations.

The details

After becoming the first Black student at High Point University in 1962, Jenkins built a successful career as a computer programmer and businesswoman. But she never forgot the injustice her family faced when they lost their family farm, which was taken without compensation. This experience fueled Jenkins' lifelong mission to protect Black-owned land and preserve the stories of the Sandhills region. In 2001, she founded the Sandhills Family Heritage Association, which works to document local history, operate community programs, and maintain historical sites like the Deerfield Cemetery and a brush arbor where enslaved people once gathered to worship.

• Ammie McRae Jenkins became the first Black student at High Point University in 1962.
• President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, which Jenkins said was the first time she felt fear as a Black student on campus.
• Jenkins' family lost their family farm after the Civil War, though they were never compensated for the property.
• Jenkins founded the Sandhills Family Heritage Association in 2001.
• The association acquired the Spring Lake Civic Center, a former Civil Rights meeting place, in a 2009 handshake deal.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Sandhills Family Heritage Association is continuing its work to transform the Spring Lake Civic Center into a community center and museum that will house historical artifacts and stories collected by Jenkins. The organization is also working to clean up and maintain the Deerfield Cemetery in Spring Lake, with the goal of identifying the people buried there.