by Jeroslyn JoVonn
April 1, 2025
Kannapolis, North Carolina, has honored the late community leader in a significant way.
The legacy of late educator and community leader Milton Taylor will live on in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
The council honored Taylor’s impact as an educator and leader in Rowan and Cabarrus counties by renaming East C Street as Milton L. Taylor Street in his memory, WBTV reports.
Taylor served as the first African American principal of George Washington Carver School, later Kannapolis Middle School, and played a key role in the integration of Kannapolis schools.
Taylor prioritized creating inclusive educational environments, believing that “one of the best ways to get to know children is to engage with them.” After earning his master’s degree, he started his career as a teacher and coach. Even after retiring, he continued supporting students in math and science as one of the founding members of the North Carolina Mathematics and Science Education Network at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Taylor boasts an extensive list of awards and recognitions, including Teacher of the Year for Kannapolis City Schools and a Presidential Citation from North Carolina A&T State University. Taylor also dedicated his time to several boards, including serving as president of the Cannon Memorial YMCA and the Kannapolis Rotary Club.
He contributed to the Cabarrus County Red Cross, the Bible Teaching Association, the Cabarrus County Meals on Wheels, Cabarrus Helpline Inc., Kannapolis Crime Stoppers, and the Barber-Scotia College Unit of the United Negro College Fund.
Among Taylor’s accolades were the United Negro College Fund’s Distinguished Service Award, the Association of Citizen Educators’ Educator of the Year Award, the YMCA Southeastern Distinguished Service Award, the Cannon Memorial YMCA Board’s Director of the Year Award, the Distinguished Rotarian Award, and induction into the Kannapolis African American Museum and Cultural Center Legacy Hall of Fame.
Taylor was also a trustee for Sandy Ridge AME Zion Church and a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
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