James Walker Hood
New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
James Walker Hood. Asst. Superintendent Public Instruction, 1868-70; a founder Livingstone College, 1885; Bishop A.M.E. Zion Church; founded St. Peters, 1864. One blk. N.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
James Walker Hood was a towering figure in North Carolina's Reconstruction era. He served as Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1868 to 1870, helped found Livingstone College in 1885, and rose to bishop in the A.M.E. Zion Church, having founded St. Peter's congregation in 1864. His work joined faith, education, and civil equality for newly freed African Americans.
Why it matters
Hood helped build the churches and schools that anchored Black community life and advancement across the South after emancipation.
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