John Chavis Highway Historical Marker

  • Address: East St. at Worth St., Raleigh, NC 27601
  • Area: Downtown Raleigh

About

John Chavis (ca. 1762-1838) was a prominent free Black preacher and educator who settled in Raleigh around 1810 and taught children of all races from his home, near present-day Chavis Memorial Park. Chavis had fought in the Revolutionary War at the age of 16 then had gone on to study at what are now Washington & Lee and Princeton universities; he had likely the best education of any African American of his day in North Carolina. Many of his students would later become state government leaders.

  • About

    John Chavis (ca. 1762-1838) was a prominent free Black preacher and educator who settled in Raleigh around 1810 and taught children of all races from his home, near present-day Chavis Memorial Park. Chavis had fought in the Revolutionary War at the age of 16 then had gone on to study at what are now Washington & Lee and Princeton universities; he had likely the best education of any African American of his day in North Carolina. Many of his students would later become state government leaders.