Donate to Keep Strieby Striving
We the descendants continue to strive to embody and teach to the next generations the values that our ancestors, the founders of Strieby, passed to us. If you would like to help “Keep Strieby Striving” by donating at Cash App by using the tag $STRIEBYCHURCHUCC; Give Butter (Strieby Congregational Church, School, & Cemetery Cultural Heritage Site); Tithe.ly (Strieby Congregational UCC Church); and you can always send a check to Strieby Church, at PO Box 3429, Asheboro, NC 27204. We appreciate any, and all, donations. Thank you!
Strieby Congregational United Church of Christ (EIN: 34-2063368) is a member of the Western Association of the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ. We are a North Carolina nonprofit and participant in the Group Tax Exempt Certificate of the Western Association (Group 1665, EIN: 13-1957221). Strieby 2025 Annual Report and Financials can be found HERE. Previous years available on request.
Giving Tuesday and the End of 2025
Strieby Church is a beautiful and well cared for building, but it is aging. Most notably, our bathrooms are showing their age and they are not ADA compliant. We need to be able to provide comfotable facilities for all our Strieby family and visitors. We still need to raise $3000 to doors widened and associated plumbing needs to make the bathrooms updated. Please consider making a donation this Giving Tuesday season. You can go to Givebutter.com/strieby2025, or text STRIEBY2025 to 53-555; or scan the QR Code.
2025 at Strieby
Our fundraising efforts this year have eptional. We’ve been able to advance several initiatives, including: our museum, Cemetery clean up, and power washing our walkways. Altogether we raised $5,603. After expenses related to those initiatives, the total was $4948.35.
Miles Lassiter Hometown Heritage Marker
On 29 March 2025, 180 years and one day after formally requesting membership in the Uwharrie Meeting (preparative for the Back Creek Monthly Meeting), a Hometown Heritage Marker to honor Miles Lassiter, the only African American Quaker in NC at the time of his death in 1850, was erected and dedicated. The marker is part of the William Pomeroy Foundation’s Hometown Heritage Marker program, available in almost all states (except New York which has its own special Pomeroy marker program). The marker was erected on land along Lassiter Mill Road, Asheboro, that was part of the 400 acres that Miles and his wife Healy owned, much of which is still owned by descendants. Among the speakers at the dedication service held at Strieby Church were the Rev. Alvin Battle, then interim pastor at Science Hill Friends Meeting; Clyde “Chip” Foust Jr., Chair of the Randolph County/Asheboro NAACP; and keynote speaker, Gwen Gosney Erickson, Archivist at the Quaker Archives at Guildford College. The Rev. Winston G. Lassiter, a descendant, gave the benediction. A panel exhibit of documents helped tell the story of Miles’ life. Although arriving after the ceremony, a much appreciated letter of commendation was received from Governor Josh Stein. The festivities were followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall.
University of North Carolina-Greensboro (UNCG) Partnership
In January 2025, UNCG signed a memorandum of agreement with a start date of February 1, 2025, to survey and map our cemetery, with the hopes of identifying the locations of unmarked graves; to seek the footprint of the original school building; and to interview members of the Strieby community, creating an oral history archive. Dr. Charles Egeland, chair of the Archeology Program in the Department of Anthropology, led the team. Other team members included Dr. Cassandra Workman (Anthropology), Dr. Geoffrey Hughes (Archeology), Dr. Dan Royall (Geography), and Emily Janke (Graduate Student-Public History).
The project has proceeded throughout the year and Dr. Egeland, accompanied by Dr. Workman and Emily Janke, provided updates at the Homecoming service in August. The project is listed on the Collaboratory, which is a public, searchable, community engagement database.
In the Fall, Dr. Egeland submitted the project to 2026 Community Engaged Pathways and Partnerships (P2): A Collective Scholarship Fellows Program at UNCG. Our “compelling application” was accepted, thereby providing funding for the next three years. The P2 program is funded through the UNCG Division of Research and Engagement.
Homecoming 2025
Homecoming 2025 was held Sunday, 24 August. The celebration began with dinner catered by Asheboro’s well known restaurant Magnolia 23, with desserts furnished by family and attendees. The fellowship time is always a special opportunity to see those who come from across the country to share this celebration of faith and family.
The service was led by the Rev. Edward L Holloway, known to many as the former pastor at New Emmanuel Congregational UCC Church in Charlotte and currently the pastor at First Congregational Church, Concord. He was accompanied by choir members who led the lively musical offerings.
As mentoned aboe, Dr. Charles Egeland provided updates on the UNCG project. In addition to the updates, Randy NEwman who assisted with the building of the current church building and fellowship hall, provided wonderful reminiscences of that time, including several very humerous stories.
National Register of Historic Places
In October, an application was submited for the Register to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. They have acknowledged receipt of the application. We are now waiting to hear about any necessary revisions and our potential acceptance for final approval.
2024 at Strieby
Our Front doors were the originals and they were victims of time, weather, and termites. Funds raised though our Black History Month Fundraiser helped us replace this summer.
New Front Doors
Information Kiosk
In August 2023, with the help of our neighbor, Strieby Wood owner, David Craft, we were able to work with Asheboro Boy Scout and Eagle Scout candidate, Curtis Evavold, who created and installed an Information Kiosk at Strieby that holds three panels of information about the history of the site. It was dedicated on 26 August 2023, the day before Homecoming Sunday.
Reconstruction-Era National Historic Network
The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act was signed into law on March 12, 2019, and outlined the creation of the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. This network, managed by Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, includes sites and programs that are affiliated with the Reconstruction Era, but not necessarily managed by the National Park Service. The network facilitates and reviews Reconstruction Era related research and collaboration with affiliated sites and programs through agreements and partnerships. This network is nationwide and works to provide opportunities for visitors to connect to the stories of Reconstruction.
In January 2023, Strieby was notified that it would be added to the Reconstruction-Era National Historic Network. The certificate was issued in July.
North Carolina Study List for the National Register of Historic Places
In October 2022, Strieby Church, School, and Cemetery Cultural Heritage Site was notified that it had been placed on the North Carolina Study List. This meant that we would be eligible to be nominated to the National Register and for the Reconstruction-Era National Historic Network.
United for Libraries Literary Landmark
In August 2021, Strieby was notified that it was accepted as a Literary Site in honor of Islay Walden, “Blind Poet of North Carolina,” who is buried in Strieby Cemetery. In April 2022, after a delay due to Covid, the marker was installed and dedicated.
Marion Stedman Covington Foundation Grant
In October 2022, Strieby Church was awarded a $5000 grant by the Marion Stedman Covington Foundation (Greensboro, North Carolina), to assist in the replacement of our aging roof. Work was completed in December 2022, by Seabolt Roofing (Asheboro, NC).
Randolph County Cultural Heritage Site
In September 2014, the church property was recognized by the Randolph County Historic Landmark and Preservation Commission as
the Strieby Church, School, and Cemetery Cultural Heritage Site
