Sarah was born in 1879. Her parents was Sallie Davis and Robert McKenzie. Between 1900 and 1910, her mother married John Evans. Sarah’s brother was Southport business owner Willie McKenzie In the late 1890s, she completed four years of high school.

In 1911, Sarah married James Moore. Moore’s occupation was recorded as marine engineer. Beginning in 1925 or soon after she began teaching at the Brunswick County Training School, which was the Brunswick County high school for black children. In the 1930s and 40s, she resided on Atlantic Street with her husband and mother, Sallie Evans. Near the end of her teaching career, she earned $800 per year.

Sarah was one of the first African American women in Southport to receive a high school diploma, breaking barriers during a time of segregation and limited opportunities. With the support of her brother, Willie McKenzie who worked on a U.S. steamer, Sarah attended school in Elizabeth City, as Brunswick County had no schools for African Americans that went higher than seventh grade.

By the late 1890s, she had completed four years of high school, setting a precedent for future generations.
In 1911, Sarah married James Moore, a marine engineer, and they made their home on Atlantic Street in Southport. Throughout her 45-year teaching career, she played a vital role in shaping the education of Black children in Brunswick County.

Sarah retired in 1942, becoming the first person in Brunswick County to retire under the State Retirement System. Her dedication to learning and community upliftment made her a role model, laying the foundation for future Black graduates in the region.

Sarah Mckenzie Moore’s legacy is a testament to the power of education, perseverance, an dedication.
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Narrative source: Southport Historical Society