Last month, the New Hanover County school board got a presentation from historian Rebecca Taylor about a potential addition to the history curriculum — the story of the Freeman family and their land in the southern part of the county, including Seabreeze — which has long been a safe haven for people of color.
Descendants of the Freeman family were happy to hear their story would be taught — but they hope it’s done the right way.
The story mainly starts in the mid-19th century with Alexander and Charity Freeman, who were free people of color. They left their son Robert Bruce 108 acres of land. Bruce then amassed nearly 3,000 acres, which he passed on to his 11 children. But what happened to the Freemans' land after Bruce’s death is complicated.
Some of it was lost in the heir process, significant portions were taken by eminent domain, and recently, the Town of Carolina Beach bought some of the remaining portions of land at Freeman Park and has officially designated it a public space.
A historical marker was also put up to commemorate the Freemans and their accomplishments in May — and descendants Christopher Eaton and Dorian Cromartie are proud of getting that done.
Christopher Eaton is a Freeman descendant, and his grandfather is civil rights icon Dr. Hubert Eaton. Dorian Cromartie, who ran for the New Hanover County School Board in 2022, is the grandson of Rachel Freeman. She was a member of the school board and an advocate for education. One of the elementary schools is named after her.
Freeman Land
This first map is the Eric Norden Map of Federal Point. It was produced in the 1880s, but Eaton said, “It does not show all of the Freeman land holdings.”
This second map shows the Freeman Land dating from 1855 to 1876, except for 320 acres on Lords Creek. Eaton said, “Please note the Blue area is the land Alexander purchased in 1855. The Green area is the four tracts Robert Bruce Freeman Sr. purchased in 1876. Note: Ignore the yellow area, which is a marker for locating the Homestead tract.”
Resources
- View Rebecca Taylor’s July 2024 presentation to the school board here. (Starts at 3:47)
- Board member pushes for adoption of Seabreeze, Freeman Beach into NHCS, PCD
- NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources on Seabreeze and Freeman Beaches
- Marker Ceremony in May 2024
- The Newsroom — 1898 Echoes of a Coup: Michael Betts and John Biewen tackle the 1898 massacre in a new Scene on Radio series
- WHQR’s resources on the coup
- NHC students win state history prize for project on Wilmington’s 1898 coup and massacre
- The Newsroom - Call it ‘removal’ or ‘banning,’ the battle over ‘Stamped’ is a proxy for the culture war
- Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church
- Carolina Beach finalizes purchase of Freeman Park, PCD, 2022
- No resolution between Freeman Park and Carolina Beach. Private owners desire to develop land, PCD, 2020
- County court brokers land deal cuts $150,000 check to Assata Shakur, one of FBI’s most wanted, PCD, 2018
- Dr. Hubert Eaton, NC African American Heritage Commission
- Rachel Freeman, NHC Library
