Charles Lee Coon
Wilson, Wilson County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Charles Lee Coon 1868 1927. Educational reformer, historian and author. Secty. of Child Labor Committee, 1904-1916. Home was 1/2 blk. west.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Charles Lee Coon (1868–1927) was an educational reformer, historian, and author who also served as secretary of the state's Child Labor Committee from 1904 to 1916. He combined a career in advancing public schools with advocacy against the exploitation of working children during the Progressive Era. His home stood a half-block west of this Wilson marker.
Why it matters
Coon's twin causes — better schools and an end to child labor — were at the heart of the Progressive movement's effort to protect and educate the nation's children.
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Themes & tags
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