Papers (1944-1998, undated) of Matthew T. Lewis, teacher in Pitt County, N.C., schools and principal of Stokes Elementary School, a segregated, predominantly African American public school in Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina, including correspondence with the Pitt County Superintendent Arthur S. Alford, announcements of retirement, newspaper clippings, programs from the dedication of Matthew Lewis Field and Picnic Shelter, reports, photographic prints and photograph albums.
Matthew T. Lewis was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina, on November 2, 1910, to James and Ann Lewis. He graduated from Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Indiana University.
Lewis served as a teacher and principal at Nichols School, Clemons School, and Post Oaks School in Pitt County before serving as the principal of Stokes Elementary School from 1952 to 1977. Altogether he served 44 1/2 years in Pitt County schools.
He was very involved with Sycamore Hill Baptist Church where he attended for 62 years during which time he was chairman of the Deacon Board and was a longtime Sunday School teacher. Lewis's community activity also included serving as a Chief Judge for precinct 1501 for the Pitt County Board of Elections for over 25 years. In 1998, the Parks Department for the City of Greenville renamed the park in Lewis' neighborhood, Meadowbrook, the Matthew Lewis Field and Picnic Shelter in his honor.
Matthew T. Lewis was married to Christine Keys Lewis of Martin County who also taught in the Pitt County schools. They had four children: Matthew Jr., James, Edward Earl, and Elizabeth Ann.
Sources: February 18, 2009, obituary in the Daily Reflector newspaper of Greenville, N.C. Biographical Profile of Deacon Matthew T. Lewis compiled by Beatrice Maye on April 30, 1994.
The Matthew T. Lewis Papers (1944-1998, undated) are arranged in original order. The papers document the life and career of teacher and school administrator, Matthew T. Lewis, who taught in several Pitt County schools before serving as principal from 1952 to 1977 at Stokes Elementary School, in the town of Stokes, Pitt County, North Carolina. Stokes Elementary School was a segregated African-American school. The papers include correspondence with the Pitt County Schools superintendent, Arthur S. Alford, minutes from meetings of the Pitt County Board of Education, evaluations, and the announcements of his retirement.
The Matthew T. Lewis Papers also documents his post-retirement years, 1977-1998. These papers include newsletters from Sycamore Hill Baptist Church, a blank petition to the Recreation Department of the City of Greenville to name the park in West Meadowbrook in honor of Matthew Lewis, a program for a 1994 appreciation banquet in Lewis' honor, programs for the 1998 dedication ceremony for the Matthew Lewis Field and Picnic Shelter.
In addition to the various documents, there are numerous photographic prints of Stokes Elementary School students, faculty, staff, and parents, 1944-1977. These photographs are in primarily in black and white but also include a few color photographs. Some photographs are mounted on scrapbook pages.
The collection includes printed materials relating to Stokes Elementary School and to the Pitt County public schools, 1956-1976.
The collection also includes an oversized folder containing a photocopy of the first issue of the school newspaper, The Stokes Pilot, from April 1965.
Gift of Mr. Matthew T. Lewis
Encoded by Apex Data Services, March 2002. Processed, Inventory, and Finding Aid by: Stephanie Hardy, May 2011. Finding Aid revised by Jonathan Dembo, June 26, 2012. Encoded by Jonathan Dembo, June 20, 2012; revised July 20, 2012. Finding aid revised by Martha Elmore, February 22, 2022.
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.