Samuel Duncan Family Home

Born to Samuel E. and Lena B. Duncan on April 27, 1904, Dr. Samuel Edward Duncan became the fifth president of Livingstone College on July 1, 1958. Under his leadership, Livingstone enjoyed a period of progress and growth. Duncan redefined the educational objectives of Livingstone College and Hood Seminary, restored the auditorium chapel after it burned down, and added buildings to the college campus.[1]

Duncan believed in integration and supported efforts to improve race relations in Salisbury. A member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Salisbury Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, Duncan worked to eliminate local racial unrest and discrimination. Duncan and other civil rights leaders developed plans for the integration of Salisbury entitled, “Steps Toward Desegregation, Equality, and Integration in Salisbury, N.C” on February 29, 1960. The document detailed the progress of Salisbury toward greater representation of African-Americans on city committees and council and evidence of good race relations.[2] Duncan helped establish the integration of movie theaters in Salisbury when he and Wiley I. Lash sat in the “Whites-only” section of the Capitol Theatre. As the president of Livingstone College, Duncan supported the demonstrations and protests by Livingstone students against racial discrimination. In 1964, Duncan fostered a cooperative joint sociology program between Livingstone College and Catawba College.[3]

Duncan served his community outside of his role as Livingstone’s president and contributed to numerous boards for the betterment of education in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction selected Duncan as the state supervisor over African-American high schools in 1946. Duncan actively served on the committees for the North Carolina Teachers Association and acted as the president for the organization from 1964 to 1966. Other organizations and boards Duncan served on includes the National Education Association, the North Carolina State Board of Higher Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, the North Carolina Council of Churches, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the North Carolina State Welfare Board, and the Connectional Budget Board of the A.M.E Zion Church.

Duncan acted as the president of Livingstone until his death on July 10, 1968. Livingstone dedicated a scholarship in his honor and on April 16, 1974, the Board of Education of Salisbury Schools dedicated the Samuel E. Duncan school (formerly the Monroe Street School) in his memory.[4]

[1] James W. Eichelberger, “The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church: The Rationale and Policies upon which Maintenance of it Colleges is Based,” The Journal of Negro Education 29, no. 3 (1960), 328.

[2] “Steps Toward Desegregation, Equality, and Integration in Salisbury, N.C,” 29 February 1960, Samuel E. Duncan Files, Livingstone College Archives and Collection.

[3] Rountree, Louise Marie, “A Brief Chronological History of Black Salisbury-Rowan,” (Salisbury, North Carolina: Bicentennial Committee of Salisbury Rowan, 1976), 26.

[4] Lois V. Edinger, “Duncan, Samuel Edward, Jr.,” North Carolina Encyclopedia. 1 January 1986. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/duncan-samuel-edward-jr

[5]1958 Diary of Mayzonetta Lash, Lash Collection, Series 2, Folder 25, Rowan County Public Library, Edith Clark History Room.