Hillsborough, NC – The Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition (OCCRC) will host a Historical Marker Unveiling Ceremony on Saturday, February 15, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Orange County Historic Courthouse in Hillsborough, NC. This event will honor the memory of Washington Morrow, Thomas Jefferson Morrow, and Daniel Morrow, three Black men who were victims of racial terror lynching in 1869.
The program will feature a keynote address by Dr. Sonny Kelly, a scholar and storyteller known for his work on racial justice and historical memory. The ceremony also will include performances by Brown Sugar Strings of Bull City Music, and the Jones Grove Baptist Church Choir, as well as a land acknowledgment by Danté Bowman, Jr. of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation. Local officials, historians, and community leaders will also take part in this moment of reflection and remembrance.
The unveiling of this historical marker is a significant step in acknowledging Orange County’s past and honoring the lives lost to racial violence. The OCCRC, in partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative, is committed to educating the community about the history of racial terror lynching and fostering reconciliation through truth-telling and remembrance.
Event Details:
📅 Date: Saturday, February 15, 2025
🕐 Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Orange County Historic Courthouse, 104 East King Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Remembering the Morrows
In 1869, a mob of white residents in Orange County lynched Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Daniel Morrow, falsely accusing them of arson after a series of barn fires. Washington Morrow was shot and killed by the mob, while his father and uncle were hanged and left on display as a warning to others. Though some perpetrators were publicly identified, no one was ever held accountable for their murders.
The OCCRC invites the community to join in this solemn yet powerful event as we remember the Morrows, acknowledge this painful history, and work toward a more just and inclusive future.
For more information, please visit https://occrcoalition.org/those-we-honor/.
About the Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition
The Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition is dedicated to raising awareness about racial injustices in Orange County’s history and fostering dialogue on racial reconciliation. Through community education, historical markers, and memorialization efforts, the OCCRC works to honor the legacy of those whose lives were unjustly taken.