Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum

Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum

Opened in 2001, the Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum has served to preserve, promote and present African-American history, art and culture to all citizens of Wilson and the region in order to increase the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of cultural traditions and African-American contributions to society.

Born in 1882 as the son of a former slave, Oliver Nestus Freeman like many other African-Americans in Wilson, NC found few opportunities. Educated at the Tuskegee Normal School in Alabama, Freeman returned to Wilson and helped construct a number of houses to help alleviate the shortage of housing for soldiers returning from World War II.

Freeman's contributions to Wilson's architecture and affordable housing efforts were recognized by the naming of Wilson's first housing redevelopment project - Freeman Place.