North Carolina Central University

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Freddie Parker

Professor, History

Dr. Freddie Parker was born and reared in Hillsborough, North Carolina. He received a B.A. in History from North Carolina Central University in 1975, an M.A. in History from NCCU in 1977, and a Ph.D. in American History from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1987.

He is currently Professor Emeritus and former Julius L. Chambers Endowed Professor of History at North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. He taught American, African American, and African History at North Carolina Central University for thirty-nine (39) years.

He is author of the books "Running for Freedom: Slave Runaways in NC, 1775-1840" and "Stealing a Little Freedom: Advertisements for Slave Runaways in NC, 1791-1840."

On November 19, 2008, Dr. Parker was appointed by Governor Mike Easley to the then newly created African American Heritage Commission. In January 2011, Governor Beverly Purdue appointed him chair of the Commission. He was appointed by Governor Mike Easley to the North Carolina Historical Commission in 2001 and reappointed in 2007; he is past chairman of the North Carolina Historical Highway Marker Commission and a member of the Historical Society of North Carolina and the North Caroliniana Society. He appeared on several PBS and BBC television specials, including the following: Why Celebrate Juneteenth, Reparations for Slavery, Blacks in Civil War North Carolina, Blacks in Reconstruction North Carolina, Slavery in North Carolina, The Residual Effects of Slavery, and Slavery in the Making of America for The University of North Carolina Center for Public Television, and The Gospel Truth for the British Broadcasting Company.

In 2013, Dr. Parker received the Christopher Crittenden Award for his career contributions to the historical profession in North Carolina. He is a recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award and a member of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society and the Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in the Social Sciences.

On February 11, 2020, Dr. Parker was honored by Governor Roy Cooper for his exemplary service and invaluable contributions made to North Carolina’s community and education culture.