A Warning Then and Now: George H. White’s 1901 Farewell Address to Congress.

Please join us on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 PM at the Chapel Hill Public Library for a timely and thought-provoking program, “A Warning Then and Now: George H. White’s 1901 Farewell Address to Congress.”

George Henry White was a North Carolina attorney, educator, and statesman who rose from Reconstruction-era politics to become the only African American serving in the U.S. Congress at the turn of the 20th century and the last Black member of Congress from the South for nearly three decades. Born in Bladen County, White served in the North Carolina General Assembly before his election to Congress in 1896, where he fought forcefully against racial violence, voter suppression, and segregation, including introducing early federal anti-lynching legislation.

In 1901, amid the rise of Jim Crow and the systematic dismantling of Black political power, White delivered his historic farewell address on the floor of the U.S. House—warning the nation about the consequences of abandoning justice while predicting that African Americans would one day return to Congress.  That prophecy was fulfilled in 1992, when Eva Clayton was elected to represent North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, becoming the first African American to serve in Congress from North Carolina since George H. White.

At this program, renowned storyteller and performer Dr. Sonny Kelly will reenact White’s speech, and local scholars and civic leaders will lead a conversation about its historical significance and contemporary relevance.

Location: Chapel Hill Public Library

Date & Time: Thursday, February 19 | 6:00–8:00 PM 

Register here: https://www.chapelhillpubliclibrary.org/event/copy-warning-then-and-now-george-h-whites-1901-farewell-address-congress-28756
(Registration required; closes February 16)

We hope you will join us for this powerful evening honoring a legacy that spans generations and continues to shape our understanding of justice and civic responsibility.

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