Remembering The Civil Rights Movement In Greensboro
In 2020, we watched our nation divide over race in ways that may have shocked and confused younger generations. It was certainly the first time my teenage sons saw anything like the nationwide protests occur. As we remember and honor the work and words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend, perhaps we would all benefit from some historical perspective. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro is a good place to start.
The museum is housed in a former Woolworth’s store, which was an important site in the civil rights movement more than sixty years ago. Inspired by Dr. King’s non-violent method of protest, four students from North Carolina A&T State University (Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond) sat at a “whites only” lunch counter on February 1, 1960. The next day, there were twenty students at what became known as the Greensboro sit-in. It continued for five months, three weeks and three days.
On February 1, 2010, exactly fifty years after the first day of the sit-in, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum opened its doors. Visitors can tour 30,000 square feet of exhibit space. The lunch counter is still there. Because the Woolworth’s building was preserved, future generations can come to understand the courage of the A&T Four, as well as those who joined them in Greensboro and across America, in the effort to end segregation.
The museum is currently offering tours both on site and online. Interactive virtual tours are also available for schools and other educational groups. You can find more information HERE.
