According to many, Orange Mound was the first residential area in the south open to African-Americans after the civil war. It stands on the site of the former John George Deadrick Plantation.

In 1890, a developer named Izey Eugene Meacham purchased land from the Deadrick family and began developing a subdivision for African-Americans, selling the land in 25 foot lots for less than $100. The subdivision was named Orange Mound for the mock orang shrubs that were planted in the side yard of the Deadrick home.

In its early days, Orange Mound was billed as the second largest concentration of African-Americans in the United States, only Harlem in new York City was the largest. It was a relatively self-contained community and a huge source of pride for its residents who were a rich blend of professionals, businessmen, and lawyers.

Some of the earliest churches in the community such as Mount Moriah (1879), Mt. Pisgah (1879), and Beulah Baptist Church (1917), helped to provide social services. The community also had a number of social organizations, fraternities, clubs, and neighborhood schools.

The original boundaries of the Orange Mound community were Cable Avenue to the north, Trezevant Avenue to the west (present-day Airways Blvd.), Park Avenue to the south and Marechalneil Avenue to the east. Because of segregation, African Americans were restricted from almost every facet of the white society that surrounded their community. thus, residents relied heavily on the services that they could provide to each other.

As time progressed, the community experienced a shift in its populaton as integration opened doors that had once been closed. African-Americans now had access to more housing, employment, and educational opportunities. Younger generations began moving away to other communities and cities. But even with the transitions, the residents of Orange Mound have never waivered in their belief that our community is a great place to live.

Click here for more history of Orange Mound.

Article Contributor: Rube Carter