Echoes of The Sandhills

Series 4: Echoes in Action: Lives That Shaped the Sandhills and the World

Echo 2: Adam Martin “A.M.” Barrett

Some lives echo not because they were loud, but because they were faithful, steadfast in purpose, enduring in impact. Adam Martin “A.M.” Barrett is one such life. Born into slavery in Moore County, North Carolina, on February 7, 1844, Barrett emerged from bondage into a calling that would shape churches, schools, and communities across the Sandhills and beyond.

Barrett’s life spanned one of the most consequential periods in American history. Enslaved at birth, he witnessed the collapse of slavery and the uncertain promise of freedom. Like many African Americans of his generation, his response to freedom was not retreat, but responsibility, helping to build the institutions that freedom required.

By January 1870, just five years after the end of the Civil War, Barrett appears in the Monthly Report of Freedmen’s Schools, State of North Carolina as Rev. Adam Barrett, listed as the teacher of Mt. Olive School in Carthage, Moore County. The school was commissioned by the African Methodist Episcopal Society. The use of the title Reverend at this early date reflects that Barrett was already serving in ministry while also teaching, embodying the close relationship between education and the church during Reconstruction. Teaching in a Freedmen’s School was more than instruction; it was an act of resistance against the illiteracy imposed by slavery and a declaration of hope for future generations.[Freedmen’s School report]

Barrett’s influence soon extended beyond the classroom into the pulpit and the broader leadership of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. A December 4, 1873 article in the Wilmington Morning Star lists his appointment for the 1873–1874 conference year as Presiding Elder of the Manchester District and as pastor of the Manchester church. That congregation would later become known as Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church, a name that continues to carry deep significance within the community.

Articles from The Educator newspaper in Fayetteville frequently reference Barrett’s leadership as Presiding Elder of the Manchester District and his close affiliation with Bethel. He was instrumental in the construction of the church’s first edifice, transforming faith into something visible and enduring. In a time when African American congregations often worshiped in borrowed or temporary spaces, the establishment of a permanent house of worship was both a spiritual and social milestone.

Barrett’s leadership extended across districts and conferences. He presided over multiple A.M.E. Zion conferences, guiding clergy and congregations during a period of growth and transition for the denomination. One such gathering—the Quarterly Conference held on February 13, 1875, at Jonesboro Chapel in Jonesboro (present-day Sanford), North Carolina, was reported in The Educator, underscoring his role as a trusted and respected leader.

By 1877, Barrett was serving as Presiding Elder of the Fayetteville District, further expanding his influence across central North Carolina. His work reflected a rare combination of pastoral care, administrative leadership, and institutional vision, qualities essential for sustaining Black churches and communities in the post-Reconstruction South.

Education remained a cornerstone of Barrett’s legacy. Later in life, he founded Barrett College in Anson County, extending his commitment to learning beyond elementary instruction. At a time when opportunities for African American students were limited by law and custom, the establishment of a school represented both courage and foresight, a belief in the power of education to shape future leaders.

Throughout his ministry and educational work, Barrett was supported by his wife, Catharine. While historical records often focus on ministers and public leaders, Catharine’s life was intertwined with the demanding travel, leadership responsibilities, and community commitments that defined Barrett’s calling. Her presence reminds us that these legacies were often sustained through partnership and shared sacrifice.

Barrett’s long and faithful service did not go unnoticed. In a December 10, 1886 article in the Star of Zion, the paper observed:

“Rev. A.M. Barrett, we believe has traveled as Presiding Elder longer than any man in the conference. He is still popular and makes his influence known wherever he goes.”

Adam Martin Barrett died on May 25, 1926, in Lilesville, Anson County, North Carolina. His life bridged slavery and freedom, hardship and hope. Through education, church leadership, and institution-building, Barrett left echoes that continue to shape communities today.

His story reminds us that freedom is not only claimed, it is constructed, lesson by lesson, sermon by sermon, log by log.