Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Last Saturday, Wilson Community College hosted a dedication ceremony to officially rename the Wilson Post Office in honor of the late Milton F. Fitch Sr.—a World War II veteran, civil rights advocate, and pioneering postal worker whose life and legacy have left a lasting mark on eastern North Carolina.
The event, led by Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) in partnership with the United States Postal Service, celebrated the formal designation of the federal facility at 501 Mercer Street Southwest as the “Milton F. Fitch Sr. Post Office Building.” The renaming was made possible through legislation sponsored by Congressman Davis and signed into law by former President Joe Biden earlier this year.
"Milton F. Fitch, Sr. is a remarkable and key figure in eastern North Carolina’s history. He devoted his life to serving our country and community,"said Congressman Davis. "Renaming this post office honors a letter carrier who broke barriers, inspired others, and left a lasting impact on Wilson and North Carolina."
Fitch’s distinguished legacy includes service with the Red Ball Express during World War II—a critical lifeline that delivered supplies to Allied troops—and decades as a postal worker in Wilson. He also led efforts to improve infrastructure and civil rights in his community, notably winning a lawsuit that compelled the City of Wilson to pave miles of roads in historically neglected African-American neighborhoods.
Former Congressman G.K. Butterfield, who attended the ceremony, spoke of Fitch’s influence on the community: "Mr. Fitch was the letter carrier in the Wilson community during my childhood. We all loved and respected him.”
Milton F. “Toby” Fitch Jr., retired NC Superior Court Judge and son of the honoree, shared heartfelt reflections: “My family and I are very pleased and happy for my father to be recognized in this fashion. To us, recognizing him and having an institution such as the main Post Office in Wilson, where my father worked, means so much.”
