Friends of Oberlin Village

Join us for our next General Meeting on Monday, October 27th with Carmen Cauthen, guest speaker. Sign up here!

Our Mission

The Friends of Oberlin Village, through preservation and education, honors Oberlin, one of the last known surviving free and freedmen's villages in the state of North Carolina that grew out of an antebellum Free Black settlement.

Our Organization

The Friends of Oberlin Village is a grassroots organization that formed in 2011 and was designated a non-profit 501 (C)(3) organization in 2016.

Our Vision

Oberlin Village is a thriving diverse community that preserves and honors its rich heritage, founded by Free Blacks whose strengths and struggles continue to inform history and influence racial reconciliation.

Our Passion Our Purpose

Preserve

We are honoring Oberlin Village by advocating the preservation of the original homes, restoring the Historic Oberlin Cemetery headstones and grounds; and conducting oral histories of the founding descendants and residents.

The rich history of Oberlin’s community is still being discovered within the personal vaults of the historic homes and cemetery; family Bibles, between walls, stashed news clippings, and carved headstones share the true stories of the struggles and strengths of the Free Black founders and generations of long-term residents. Preserving these places accurately informs history and positively influences racial reconciliation.

Honor

We are honoring our Oberlin founders, descendants, and beloved community with commemorative public art, celebratory events, narrative trails, and the naming of schools, streets, and businesses.

Over 100 men and women from Oberlin served in the military including the Poole family who had six sons that served during the same period. Cpl. Hubert Andrew Poole posthumously received the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor for distinguished achievement as a Montford Point Marine. The ceremony was held at Wilson Temple United Methodist Church, Raleigh N.C. on August 19, 2012.

Educate

We are educating the public with documentaries, brochures, guided walking tours, and presentations to community groups, churches, civic organizations, and schools. Additionally, we are cultivating research partnerships with area universities.

After reconstruction Oberlin Village had one of the highest concentrations of educated Blacks in North Carolina. Education was paramount to self-sufficiency; therefore the Oberlin School (1873) and Latta University (1892) was established within the village. The family of Joe Holt continued the fight for education excellence by leading the first effort to integrate the City of Raleigh public school system in North Carolina.

Oberlin: A Village Rooted in Freedom

Reveals how a historic preservation project has helped recover the story of the thriving community of Oberlin Village the only known surviving Antebellum enclave in the state of North Carolina founded by Free Blacks. At the height of its prosperity, the highly respected Village of Oberlin had more than 1200 inhabitants before being compromised by racial injustices disguised as urban renewal progress. The renovation of two 1880s houses by Preservation North Carolina has exposed remarkable stories about the families who lived there and their beloved community. (Documentary Runtime 56:32)

Our Community

Upcoming Events

Historic Oberlin Cemetery 2026 Clean-up Dates

2026 Historic Oberlin Cemetery Clean Up Dates:

April 18 – Raleigh Service Day

July 18

October 17

Service groups and individuals are invited to join us for our Historic Oberlin Cemetery Clean-ups. For additional information, contact us here.

Friends of Oberlin Village 2026 General Meetings

Virtual
6 – 7 p.m.

Meeting date is announced in advanced.

Guided Walking Tour of Oberlin

Join us for our next tour on Saturday, October 17 at 10:00 a.m. Please register here.

Tours usually occur on the third Saturday of each month. Tours begin at 10:00 a.m. May-October and 1:30 October-April. This is a 60 to 90 minute walking tour! Sign up by completing our Contact Us form.

In the News

Latta University Park Honors Free Black Educator

RALEIGH – The 10th annual Celebrate Oberlin will honor the

New Plaque Onsite: Oberlin Regional Library

On August 4, 2023 Oberlin Regional Library unveiled the new

Celebrating the Faces and Voices of Oberlin

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The nation is preparing to mark

OUR PURSUIT TO PRESERVE

Fields-Graves House Restored

Before restoration and after restoration

Oberlin's Historic Cemetery

Before restoration and after restoration

Plummer T. Hall Restoration

Before restoration and after restoration

Join Us for a Tour!

Walking Tours of Oberlin Village lead by an FOV volunteer are available the third Saturday of each month. Tours start at 1:30 p.m. October through April, and at 10:00 a.m. May through September. Custom dates can be scheduled for groups of 10 or more. Tours are free but you must sign up by completing our contact us form.

Help Build a Village

Oberlin Historic Overlay District [Oberlin HOD]

To further preserve and enhance the core of Oberlin Village, including its seven Historic properties, in 2018 City Council adopted Historic Overlay zoning within the outline shown on the next page. Links to the zoning ordinance and the Historic Research Report are available. Regulations provide specific guidance on building materials, landscaping and architectural features. If you wish to make changes to the exterior of your home and it is within the HOD, staff members at the Raleigh Historic Development Commission will be happy to help you. Please call (919) 832-7238 or visit the RHDC website.

Our Sponsors

Shake Shack, Goodberry’s, Q uality Oil, Regency Centers, Simply Crepes, Smedes and Rosemary York, Wake Med, and White Memorial Presbyterian Church