Letter from
Marvin T. Jones,
Executive Director and Board Member
of the Chowan Discovery Group

The purpose of the Chowan Discovery Group is to research, document, preserve and present the history of the Winton Triangle. The center of this landowning community flows from the town of Winton and encompasses the towns of Cofield, Ahoskie and Union in a triangular shape; thus we call this 260-year-old community the Winton Triangle.

A few years ago, several genealogists – all having roots in the area - began sharing information about the tri-racial and landowning people of color in the northeastern North Carolina counties of Bertie, Gates, Hertford and Northampton. In the photograph on the right, I am holding the external backup drive that stores the 4000+ digital files of photographs, documents, recorded interviews and maps that these genealogical researchers who formed the Chowan Discovery Group have collected from families, archives, public records and libraries.

The Triangle has an unusual Southern story and its roots pre-date the arrival of the English in 1586. We focus on the positive growth of the Triangle and all people who lived in and around it.

As America becomes more diverse, we hear more discussions about the cultural, ethnic, social and religious differences among us. The Winton Triangle story presents the historical context of a diverse community in northeastern North Carolina. What we will do is to present our research in books, articles, exhibits, electronic media, lectures and on-stage.

Our first major end-product is a stage production about the Winton Triangle at Ahoskie’s Gallery Theater in February, 2009, during Hertford County’s 250th anniversary celebration. This is a great way to introduce our organization to the public. You can be a valuable part of our efforts. Many people have helped us advance this project by sharing their family collections and stories. We look forward to your participation as well.

-Marvin T. Jones
October, 2008