Memorial Structure

Sculptural Memorial

Sculptural Memorial

Reparative

Mary Lewis Archie

Headstone for Mary Lewis Archie

Mary Lewis Archie was a respected member of the Black Davidson community. From doing laundry for the students of Davidson College for 47 years to spending the last years of her life working at the Ada Jenkins Center. She passed away on November 6, 2013. Her funeral was funded by her family and friends. In attendance were members of her church, members, staff, and volunteers of the Ada Jenkins Center, the mayor, board members, her family, and children. Archie was a religious woman and her funeral service followed such structures. Members of her church sang her favorite hymns to display their love for her. The mayor even proclaimed the day Mary Archie Day. She was laid to rest in the Christian Aid Society Cemetery, located on Ridge Road in Davidson. The Christian Aid Society is a small but treasured cemetery that is the resting place for many other former Davidson College workers alongside town members. She shares her headstone with her youngest daughter who she outlived. This mother-and-daughter headstone has been kept up through the years. The headstone is surrounded by flowers from loved ones and small figurines. Considering Archie was a loved woman by her friends and family, one can assume her headstone is constantly interacted with yearly and her legacy lives on.

Mary Lewis Archie's headstone is made up of a granite material. Mary's headstone showcases her religious affiliation as a cross is present on the headstone in the left-hand corner. Surrounding the headstone are three figures. One of the figurines is a little boy wearing a casual outfit and a baseball hat both made out of concrete. The second figurine is also on the right-hand side of the headstone and appears to be either a penguin or a pelican. The final figurine is an angel resting right above Archie’s name. There is no clear relationship between the boy and the animal but the angel can symbolize Mary’s new embodiment in the afterlife. The headstone is surrounded by flowers from loved ones and is in great condition. The headstone dimensions are 21 inches in length and 3 feet 10 inches in width. Mary shares her headstone with her youngest daughter who she outlived, Edna Archie Anthony. Engraved on the headstone is “Anthony-Archie, Edna Archie Anthony Nov 12, 1955, Jan 29, 2006, Mary Brawley Archie Jan 15, 1926, Nov 6, 2013.” Mary's maiden name Brawley is present on the headstone, not Lewis.

“Anthony- Archie, Mary Brawley Archie Jan 16, 1926 - Nov 6, 2013”

Family and friends of Mary L. Archie

Archie, Mary Lewis (Edits needed)

2013

2000-Present: Confederate Memorialization in the Era of Universities Studying Slavery and the Black Lives Matter Movement

Family and friends

Christian Aid Society Cemetery

Davidson College; Davidson, North Carolina

Lara Moody, Interview with Mary Lewis Archie—Subject: Ada Jenkins, February 27, 2007

Diane Means, Personal Communication, 2014

“Mary Lewis” in North Carolina, U.S., Birth Indexes, 1800-2000, (Database online), Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

Cupani C, Mary Lewis Archie, Audio interview (2003)

Mary Brawley Archie, Find a Grave

Mary lewis Archie older