Macon County AlArchives Biographies.....McDuffie, Emanuel Montee 1883 - 1953 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mary Modlin n/a November 2, 2011, 10:14 pm Source: Google Author: History of the American Negro Emanuel Montee McDuffie, 1883-1953 Transcribed by Mary Modlin. This book is available for online reading or PDF download from Google. It is a far cry from the little cabin in the black belt of Alabama to the head of a great industrial educational institution. Yet President Emanuel Montee McDuffie, Principal of the Laurinburg Normal and Industrial Institute has covered the distance while still on the sunny side of forty and has filled the years between with helpful service to his race. He has done more, for in working out his own success he has pointed the way by which any boy of vision and energy can make a place for himself. Such men are the greatest asset of the race. While laying the foundations and building their own successes, they have become the examples and the benefactors of other struggling youth whom they help up from places of poverty and obscurity to positions of large service and usefulness. Prof. McDuffie's story cannot better be told than in his own modest language. He says, "I was born in Snow Hill, Wilcox Co., Alabama, Dec. 24, 1883. My parents were Emanual and Emma McDuffie. I was brought up under the most adverse conditions. My father died about six months before my birth, thus leaving my mother with the care of seven children. As I had never seen my father I was often referred to as the son of 'none'. In July, 1893, my mother died and the burden of caring for the children then fell on my old grandmother, who was known throughout the community as 'Aunt Polly'. In order to help secure food and clothing for myself and the rest of the family I was compelled to plow an oxen on a farm, and as we usually made four or five bales of cotton and forty to fifty bushels of corn each year, she was looked upon as a great farmer. "When I was fifteen years of age my grandmother was called to her heavenly rest, then leaving a house full of children to shift for themselves. After her death I became interested in education and immediately applied for admittance to Snow Hill Normal and Industrial Institute, which had recently been established. I was admitted as a student, working all day, attending school about two and a half hours at night. Until I entered Snow Hill I had very vague ideas about life as it pertained to the Negro. In fact, until that time I was of the opinion that the Negro had no business being anything; but after entering the school and being surrounded by a different atmosphere, and seeing what had already been accomplished by Mr. Edwards, I soon realized that the Negro has as much right to life and Liberty as any other man." Unprepared though he was, he found great joy at being in school. His clothes were insufficient and even what he had were soon beyond mending. Frequently he would wash his undergarments at the spring at night and patiently dry them at the heater. Yet in the face of such privation he refused to be discouraged but continued to aspire and to hope. Early in life the idea of serving his people got firm hold on him. The example and teachings of Prof. Edwards and others held him firm. He completed the course in 1904 and on Sept. 15th of that year reached Laurinburg, N. C., which was to witness his success in building an industrial school in the midst. He opened school surrounded with indifference and with only seven students and fifteen cents in money. The growth from that small beginning has been remarkable. He now (1919) has a faculty of fourteen teachers and an enrollment of more than four hundred. Five large buildings and three smaller ones have been built and now a commodious modern brick building at a cost of thirty thousand dollars is under way. The life of the school has not only permeated the town but the adjacent country through the industries taught and the conferences organized. On May 12, 1904, Prof. McDuffie was married to Tiny Ethridge of Camden, Ala., a daughter of a Ned and Henrietta Ethridge. They have six children: Verdelle T., Musa S., Iva C., Emanuel Montee, Jr., Reginald S., and Frank H. McDuffie. While in school he was an enthusiastic base ball and tennis player. His favorite reading consists of such inspirational works as the books of Dr. Washington and the Harvard Classics. He is a member of the Baptist church in which he is a Deacon and Secretary. He has not identified himself with the secret orders. His work at Laurinburg has been of such character as to commend it not only to the colored people but also to the best white people, including bankers and State and County officers, from whom he bears words of hearty commendation. Additional Notes: Emanuel Montee McDuffie died November 24, 1953 in Scotland County, NC. Tinny Etheridge McDuffie was born November 5, 1881 in Alabama and died October 18, 1982 in Scotland County, NC. Musa Slater McDuffie Butler was born December 15, 1907 in Scotland County, NC and died September 15, 1997 in Scotland County, NC. Iva Close McDuffie was born January 22, 1910 in Scotland County, NC. Frank Howie McDuffie was born August 17, 1916 in Scotland County, NC. Reginald Sylvester McDuffie was born March 9, 1914 in Scotland County, NC and died December 9, 2000 in Scotland County, NC. Gwendolyn McDuffie was born July 3, 1921 in Scotland County. Additional Comments: Source: Caldwell, A. B., History of the American Negro, North Carolina Edition, Volume IV, 1921, A. B. Caldwell Publishing Co., Atlanta, Georgia, 1921, pp. 179-182 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/macon/photos/bios/mcduffie972gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/macon/bios/mcduffie972gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb