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Who was Margaret B. Pollard?

Margaret B Pollard

In celebration of Margaret Bryant Pollard's birthday please feel free to share some information about our school's namesake with our students. Many of our students are unaware of certain aspects of Mrs. Pollard's life or even name.  I have been asked countless times, "what does the B. stand for in the school name?" Margaret Bryant Pollard was born May 3rd 1932.


She died in 2009 before getting to see this beautiful building completed. 

A publication entitled Remembering Margaret Pollard - Chatham County Human Relations Commission and Office of Human Relations includes a list of Mrs. Pollard's community service to Chatham County.  The following is an excerpt from the document.

County Commissioner: Nov. 1994 to Nov. 2004 

Chair of the Board from Dec. 1996 to Dec. 1998 

Major Accomplishments or Initiatives: While chair, developed Land Use Plan and Strategic Plan in partnership with local municipalities – The plan was endorsed by all localities at a special summit in Pittsboro in 1999. 

Appointed to State Environmental Management Commission by then-House Speaker Dan Blue Championed the Compact Communities Ordinance Water & sewer feasibility studies, resulting in plan to bring water to rural areas of the county. 

Appointed to NC Pollution Prevention Committee by former Governor Mike Easley 

Advocated for stronger economic development efforts 

Appointed by former Governor Hunt to serve on NC Geographic Information Coordinating Council 

Represented the county on the Triangle J Council of Governments 


Served as representative to County Council on Aging 

Served as delegate to Durham, Orange, Chapel Hill, Carrboro Transportation Advisory Board Served on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation Board County-Related Volunteer Boards: Chatham County Planning Board, 1977 to 1982 Chatham County Board of Social Services, 1981 to 1987 Chatham County Board of Elections, 1987 to 1991 (served as chair & secretary) Orange-Person-Chatham Area Mental Health Board Chair, Joint Orange-Chatham Community Action Agency Other Service: Chatham Trades Board of Directors Vice-Chair, Family Resource Center Board County Democratic Party Galloway Ridge Retirement Community Board Chatham Hospital Board Chatham County Agricultural & Industrial Fair Board 

Service to Other Organizations: Piedmont Health Services Board Hospice of Wake County Maryland Community Health Council Towsend State University Community-Based Public Health Initiative, UNC School of Public Health Durham District Laymen’s Council Chatham County Chapter of NAACP 

 Health Services Awards: National Council of Negro Women – Mary McLeod Bethune Award Mayer Schaeffer of Baltimore’s Outstanding Citizen Citation Community Health Council of MD – Distinguished Health and Community Service Award UNC School of Public Health – Eunice Tyler Service Award NC Society of Public Health Education – President’s Award The Independent Newspaper, Fuquay-Varina – Citizen Award North Carolina Society of Public Health Educators – Award of Excellence Award Chatham County’s 2009 Robert B. Siler Lifetime Achievement Awards in Human Relations UNC Health of the Public Program – Exemplar Health Care Community Action Award Durham District Laymen Council AME Zion Church – Layman of the Year Chatham County Social Services – Distinguished Service Award The Chatham NAACP Humanitarian Award