Advocate of the Civil Rights Movement

Lowery, Annie M.

Annie M. Lowery is an active member of her community in Davidson, North Carolina who served as the former cook for the Delta chapter of Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity House in Davidson College, president of the Community Development Club (1968), and coordinator for the Davidson Parks and Recreation Board.

Annie Mildred Mayhew Lowery is a Davidson native who worked as a cook in several fraternities at Davidson College for 33 years. Born on January 6th, 1928 to Minnie T. Torrence-Mayhew and Johnny Mayhew in Davidson, North Carolina. Lowery devoted her time to her family, community, and faith. Before working at Davidson College, Lowery helped sustain her family by working at the Carolina Asbestos Mill in downtown Davidson and babysitting. Lowery is a very family-oriented person. Lowery married Louis Lowery at seventeen years old and had seven children together throughout their marriage.

At Davidson College, Lowery cooked for different fraternities and eating houses. Lowery also focused her efforts on ensuring that Black children had access to recreational activities as well as rights to any location in the area. Lowery acknowledges the exclusionary behaviors of many town of Davidson businesses as well as the lack of resources and opportunities for Black individuals. Lowery recognizes the shift in the town of Davidson in being receptive to creating resources for the Black community. Lowery led the Davidson Parks and Recreation Board in making recreational activities more accessible and helped in establishing Lakeside Park. Furthermore, her commitment to the Black community pushed Lowery to convince the town to lease and transform the closed Ada Jenkins School, a segregated Davidson school, into the present-day Ada Jenkins Center.

6 January 1928

1890-1945: Era of the Lost Cause, Jim Crow legal segregation and discrimination, and organized anti-Black racism

1945-1976: Era of Civil Rights Movement and resistance to Civil Rights Movement

1976-2000: The Conservative Ascendancy and Retrenchment from Civil Rights Movement

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

Davidson College; Davidson, North Carolina

Annie Mildred Lowery Day; a one time town celebration of a former Davidson College employee and community activist.

Silvia [Unknown]

Davidson College; Davidson, North Carolina

Interview with Annie Mildred Lowery, 2003 September 16, OHI-0093, Audiocassette Box: 11, Cassette case: Audio 258.1; Audiocassette Box: 11, Cassette case: Audio 258.2; Box: 1 (OHI Transcripts). Davidson Stories: Community-Based oral history and interview collection, RG19-02. Oral Histories & Interviews (RG19), Archives and Special Collections, Davidson College, Davidson, NC.

Multhaup, Kristi S. Annie Mildred Lowery: A Lifetime of Memories, 2009.

“The G. Jackson Burney Community Service Award: Annie Mildred Mahew Lowery,” Town of Davidson, NC, November 22, 2006.

Causey, Carrie C. “Davidson Native Reflects on Her Home - Lake Norman Publications.” Lake Norman Media Group, August 28, 2019.

“Continuing Conversation.” Continuing Conversation, Town of Davidson, 2021.