Barbara Mae Ingram Raleigh, the youngest of fourteen children was born August 26, 1937, in Greensboro, NC to the late John Champion Ingram, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Neal Ingram. She transitioned this life peacefully surrounded by her family on May 4, 2023.
It was in her parent’s Christian home that she was taught obedience, love for God, love for fellow mankind, high moral and ethical character, and the value of education.
At the age of 13, she accepted Christ and was baptized and became a member of Turners Chapel AME Church, High Point, NC. A few years later,
she was offered a Methodist Scholarship to attend Bennett College.

Consequently, she joined Raleigh's Crossroads United Methodist Church, where she served as organist for fifteen years before becoming a member at Persimmon Grove AME Church. In 1958, Barbara was married to James Wesley Raleigh, Sr. and together they had three
had three children - Barry, James, Jr., and Traci. They were blessed to be married 63 years. Barbara obtained her education from Florence Elementary and William Penn High School, High Point, NC and Dudley High School, Greensboro, NC. Her higher education was completed at Bennett College in Business Education and Library Science, with further study at UNCG and NC A&T
State University, Greensboro, NC.

Barbara's employment consisted of assistant to the registrar at Bennett College; librarian, drama, English, music and business teacher in Rockingham and Guilford Guilford Counties. Her last employment was at Northeast Senior High School, where she taught for 27 years.
Many principals, faculty, parents, and students told how Barbara touched the lives of so many young people. She was known for her kindness, yet firmness, sense of
of humor, and firm discipline. Her success in the classroom was evidenced by her creative, unusual,
unorthodox method of teaching.
Barbara has served in numerous capacities at church, at school, and the community:
 Minister of Music
 Director and organist for the Senior, Men's, and Gospel Choirs
 Steward, Stewardess, Missionary
 Public Relations Director
 Editor of the Persimmon Gazette Newsletter
 Member, Health/Wellness Committee of Guilford
 Composed lyrics and music to the Persimmon Grove Welcome Song
 1st black secretary in the Randolph County Courthouse, 1955
 1st nominee for the Outstanding Black Educators' Award, Guilford County, 1978
 1st secretary for the Guilford County Business Association, 1978
 1st full-time, black teacher to teach in an integrated situation in the Greensboro, High Point, and Guilford County School,
1966. The merger took place with these three systems in 1993, and they became one - Guilford County Schools.
 1st to be married in Persimmon Grove Church on Dolley Madison Road, 1958
 Member of 1st black bowling League, All-Star Lanes, 1963
 Sang with the Guilford County Black Caucus Choir, the Glen Burleigh Concert Choir, and the Christmas Messiah Choir
 A judge for the Oratorical Speaking Contest for High School Students
 A judge for the FBLA State Competitive Events
 Prepared spaghetti dinners for the Greensboro Post Office during the Christmas season, from 1995 to 2010
 Committee member, Farlow Drive Annual Picnic
 Member, North Carolina Local Retired Teachers' Association
 She sponsored The Men's Annual Christmas Cantata for many years
 January 13, 2018, she was presented a plaque for her courageous acts during the Greensboro Sit-ins and Civil Rights
Movement--MLK, JR. Celebration - Bennett College.
We will always remember her for her beautiful singing voice and her expertise at playing the organ for over 50 years.
Barbara leaves behind to cherish her memories: two sons, Barry (Felicia) Raleigh and James (Tonya) Raleigh; a daughter Traci
(Calvin) Miller; five grandchildren, Calasia, Triniti, Celeste, Taj, and Calvin III; one great-grandchild, Alora Mae; one sister, Alice
(Ernie) Griffin; one brother-in-law, John Harris; sister-in-laws, Anna Raleigh, Dorothy Jessup, Judy Frances, and Jane Rhodes; many
nephews and nieces and a host of other relatives and friends.

A viewing will be on Wednesday, May 10, 2022, 5:00pm -7:00pm in the Cassie Coote-Brown Memorial Chapel.
A service honoring her life will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 3:30pm at Persimmon Grove AME Church located at 408
Dolley Madison Rd., Greensboro, NC 27410. Visitation will begin at 3:00 pm.
Interment will follow at Persimmon Grove Cemetery.
Professional services are entrusted to Perry J. Brown Funeral Home.