Musette Steck
Musette Steck | |
|---|---|
| Town Councillor for St. James, North Carolina | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Musette Kitchin Dunn North Carolina, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Parent(s) | Sam Arrington Dunn Jr. Musette Satterfield Kitchin |
| Relatives | William Walton Kitchin (grandfather) Musette Satterfield Kitchin (grandmother) William H. Kitchin (great-grandfather) |
| Education | Duke University UNC Greensboro |
| Occupation | historian, professor, politician, activist |
Musette Kitchin Steck (née Dunn) is an American activist, politician, and historian. She served on the faculty at Brunswick Community College as a history professor and served one term on the town council for St. James, North Carolina.
Early life, family, and education
Steck grew up in Enfield, North Carolina, in a prominent political family.[1] Her mother, Musette Satterfield Kitchin Dunn, served as chair of the Halifax County Public School Board during the time when Brown v. Board of Education was being heard in the Supreme Court.[1] Her maternal grandparents were William Walton Kitchin, who served as the 52nd governor of North Carolina, and First Lady Musette Satterfield Kitchin.[1] She is a grandniece of Congressman Claude Kitchin, North Carolina senator A. Paul Kitchin Sr., and university president Thurman D. Kitchin.[1] Her great-grandfather was Congressman William H. Kitchin.
Steck graduated from Duke University, where she was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, in 1959.[2][1] She later earned a master's degree in public administration in 1984 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.[3]
Career
Activism and politics
Steck is an activist and advocate for social justice, civil rights, and education.[1] She twice ran for a seat Guilford County Board of Commissioners but lost both races.[1] She was later elected to the town council of St. James, North Carolina.[1]
In 2013, Steck was arrested and charged with civil disobedience at the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh during a Moral Monday protest.[1] Her arrest was featured on the front page of The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer and was featured in the Associated Press, including a photograph of her hands being zip-tied behind her back by a Raleigh Police officer.[1]
Steck served as Grand Marshal of Southport's Juneteenth parade and festivities.[1] In 2014, she received the Walter Welsh Award for promoting racial harmony, tolerance, and understanding.[4]
In 2015, she attended the funeral of Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, the pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church who died during the Charleston church shooting.[1]
Historian
Steck taught North Carolinian history at Brunswick Community College.[1] She served as Chairwoman of the Southport Historical Society's Steering Committee.[2] She was appointed by the Southport Board of Aldermen to serve on the city’s cemetery committee.[1] Steck leads tours at the Old Smithville Burying Ground in Southport, North Carolina.[5][6]
In 2014, she partnered with Donnie Joyner to organize an event to celebrate the joint history of Mt. Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church and Trinity United Methodist Church.[1] She was honored by the Southport Historical Society for assisting in the society's African-American History and Culture exhibit.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Spencer, Renee (December 18, 2023). "Steck's stand: How a Southport woman was inspired to champion civil rights". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
- ^ a b c "PHOTOS: Southport community leader Musette Steck". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. December 18, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
- ^ "Grad Tidings" (PDF). UNCG Magazine. Greensboro, North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ "Southport Woman Wins 2014 Walter Welsh Award on MLK Day". WHQR. Wilmington, North Carolina. January 21, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ Spencer, Renee (December 18, 2023). "A Minute with Musette: Southport's champion for equal rights". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
- ^ Crawford, Kristin (July 26, 2018). "Historians believe this Southport cemetery is the oldest in Brunswick County". WECT. Wilmington, North Carolina. Retrieved February 9, 2026.