Barbara Roseboro Featherson

Current office and 2026 campaign

Barbara Roseboro Featherson is the incumbent Democratic commissioner for District 1 on the Columbus County Board of Commissioners, representing Fair Bluff, Boardman, Evergreen, Chadbourn and western Whiteville. She is running for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.

Background and education

Featherson grew up in a large Black farming family on her mother's 16-acre property in the Mt. Olive community of Columbus County; her family was among the largest Black farm owners in the county, growing wheat, corn and other crops ¹. She graduated from West Columbus High School, then earned a general business certificate from Southeastern Business College in Durham ¹.

Career

After returning to Columbus County and passing a civil service exam, Featherson worked as a federal employee in addition to her family's farming work ¹.

Office history

Featherson was first elected to the District 1 seat, defeating then-incumbent Jerome McMillian by 46 votes in the May 2022 Democratic primary, then winning 82% of the vote in the November 8, 2022 general election against a Republican write-in candidate — becoming the first Black woman to serve on the Columbus County Board of Commissioners ¹.

Documented disputes and controversies

Featherson has said she decided to run for the seat after McMillian, who is also Black, supported then-Sheriff Jody Greene's request for riot gear in June 2020; the board voted 5-2 to deny the request. She told the Border Belt Independent she was “disappointed in him for voting yes.” McMillian later switched his party registration to Republican and became a chief deputy at the Columbus County Sheriff's Office ¹.

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