Durham architect reimagines historic Mary Potter School
OXFORD, N.C. (WTVD) -- A historic pillar of Black education in Granville County is being revitalized.
A Durham-based architect is leading the effort to rebuild and reimagine one of North Carolina's historically Black school campuses, over a century after the founding of the Mary Potter Academy.
For much of the 20th century, it served as a beacon of academic opportunity, especially during times when educational resources for Black communities were severely limited.
By the early 2000s, only three original buildings remained, and the once-expansive campus had steadily diminished, leaving fragments of its vibrant legacy.
Today, that legacy is being revived as Evoke Studio Architecture spearheads a project to transform the remaining structures into the Mary Potter Cultural Complex-a modern, multi-use community campus that preserves history while serving new generations in Oxford.
The project aims to restore the surviving buildings and celebrate the academy's cultural and educational impact over more than a century.
For residents, the initiative evokes powerful memories of the school's trailblazing role in Southern education.
Bessye McGhee, Mary Potter historian, reflected on its significance: "It was the first school in Granville County certified by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities. I mean, all the schools... Mary Potter was the first one to be certified by the Southern Association, which was tremendous for that little town."
This recognition established Mary Potter as a school of exceptional academic quality-a remarkable achievement for a Black institution in the segregated South.
The new initiative represents a significant commitment to both history and the community.
The renovation and reconstruction project is budgeted at $3.5 million.
Once completed, the Mary Potter Cultural Complex will provide multi-use spaces for education, culture, and community events.
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