Washington County historical marker remembers 1864 massacre

PLYMOUTH, N.C. (WITN) – 160 years after the Battle of Plymouth, another side of history was brought to light after Friday’s unveiling of a new historical marker along Highway 64 and Rankin Lane.

Residents have been working to get a marker to remember the 1864 massacre in which an estimated 50 to 100 African American soldiers and civilians were killed during a Confederate attack to recapture Plymouth from Union forces during the Civil War.

But it hits a little closer for Plymouth resident Gaston Collins.

“My great grandmother Annie Collins was part of this…she was there during that time and died in the late 1950’s at 113 years old,” says Collins.

More than 60 organizers, officials and residents gathered Friday morning to witness the unveiling ceremony.

It included speeches from Plymouth Mayor Brian Roth, The North Carolina Historical Marker Program and Rosie Brown, the woman who spearheaded the movement to get the sign for the town.

“We just need to learn the history of all of Washington County, not just what’s in the Raleigh-Durham area. We need to know what happened here in little towns like Plymouth,” said Brown, who is a curator at the Washington County African American Museum and Cultural Arts Center.

Brown says she first learned about the massacre after conducting research and reaching out to historians.

After witnessing a reenactment that did not include the massacre, she realized that it was time to let the silent voices of the victims be heard.

Mayor Roth believes the marker’s location is ideal for visibility and is excited to have it in Plymouth to educate future generations about the city’s history.

Brown and Roth are working on obtaining additional historical markers for Washington County to highlight the rich history of all its towns including Plymouth.

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