Arnold Lincoln “Link” Boykin, born in 1872, is considered one of Sanford’s most prolific builders and its leading African-American businessman of the early twentieth century.
Boykin’s parents Arnold and Elyza moved from Sampson County to Cameron when Link was young. When he was old enough, Boykin went to work for the Augusta Air Line Railroad. Historical accounts attribute his skills as a builder to the training ground of the railroad.
Boykin moved from Cameron to Sanford in 1895 to work for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. He married Lula T. McIver of Jonesboro the same year. The two made their home on a lot along the railroad south of downtown.
The Boykins were settling in Sanford just as industry and transportation were exploding, with active railroads moving goods and visitors, and the construction of Hwy U.S. 1.
By 1910, Boykin was listed on the Census as a mulatto (mixed ancestry) who lived on Blue Field Street in West Sanford with Lula and their children Hattie and Edward.
Boykin was not only skilled in trades, he was also a very smart businessman. He formed an association with John D. McIver, a white developer, to hone his craft. Together they built many homes in Sanford’s African-American neighborhoods.
Surprisingly, Link Boykin wasn’t content just to grow his contracting business. He became a co-founder of the Phillips-Boykin Drug Company, located at Pearl and S. Moore streets – known as Black Wall Street – to diversify his earnings and ensure a good life for his family.
But Boykin’s main occupation was being a contractor and builder. He joined with John Toomer to form the Boykin and Toomer firm, which employed more than 50 carpenters and brick masons in the construction of many of Sanford’s well-known buildings, including the Planters Tobacco Warehouse and the Sanford Post Office.
While Boykin is known for building Fair Promise Church and W.B. Wicker School for the black community, he is responsible for many homes for the white community – most of which are still standing today.
During this time, Boykin was also working outside of Sanford. He is credited with building a school in Pinehurst, and many commercial buildings in Chatham, Cumberland, Durham, and Harnett counties, including the Regal Theater in Durham – all using exclusively black labor.
In addition to building for others, Boykin built homes for his family, first on Pearl Street and then on Wall Street, which was the social and economic center of the black community during the early and mid-1900s. The Boykin family home still stands at 705 Wall Street.
By the 1930s, Boykin’s son Edward was home from studying architectural engineering at MIT. He took over the firm, bringing new expertise and allowing his father to enjoy his elder years.
Mr. Boykin died on March 13, 1943 at 70 years old. His was laid to rest in the Star of Hope Baptist Church cemetery.
Today, Link Boykin remains one of the community’s leading builders with an impressive career that extended from the 1890s into the 1930s and saw Sanford’s change from a raucous rail community to a bustling, industrious town. Most of the buildings and homes attributed to him are still in use to this day.
The City of Sanford thanks Mr. Boykin, his colleagues, and his family for their role in building the city we know and love today.