New proposal aims to elevate legacy of Warren C. Coleman, builder of nation’s first Black-owned textile mill

Concord historian Norman McCullough is calling for a 501(c)(3) to educate the community and pursue projects tied to Coleman, a Concord native.

Warren C. Coleman. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

A Concord resident is proposing the creation of a nonprofit foundation to preserve and expand public recognition of Concord native Warren Clay Coleman, a former slave and industrialist whose contributions to the city’s history remain largely overlooked.