Journey Through History on the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail

For travelers in pursuit of civil rights history and Black heritage, the NC Civil Rights Trail is your gateway to significant sites in North Carolina’s – and our country’s – story. As a complement to the US Civil Rights Trail, all stops on the NC Civil Rights Trail invite exploration and reflection. 

Highlighting protests, community organizations, milestones, court cases and more, this project is being developed by the NC African American Heritage Commission and will feature up to 50 markers once completed. In 2022, 11 markers were added to the trail, and some suggestions for experiencing the trail are highlighted below. For the full list of locations across NC, plus additional points of interest such as rallies, birthplaces, courthouses, churches and visits by civil rights icons, start exploring the trail virtually.

1 Greensboro

1 Greensboro

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Occupying the former F.W. Woolworth department store where the 1960 lunch counter sit-in movement was launched by four NC A&T freshmen – plus several women from Bennett College who helped initiate and plan the movement – the International Civil Rights Center & Museum makes Greensboro a top-tier destination for civil rights travel. Other sites and histories enrich the experience:

2 Fayetteville

2 Fayetteville

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Though Fayetteville is perhaps best known for Fort Liberty, the largest post in the U.S. Military, a 2022 Lending Tree survey also found the city has the highest percentage of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. Plus, it was the first place named after Marquis de Lafayette, the Revolutionary War hero and author of The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Stops include:

3 Wilmington

3 Wilmington

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Black history fills the Port City:

4 Shelby

4 Shelby

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Shelby’s 20th-century history includes chapters as a political powerhouse and a major textiles center. Our top picks for civil rights history include:

5 High Point

5 High Point

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Known as the “Home Furnishings Capital of the World,” High Point boasts a vibrant culture, a flourishing culinary scene and intriguing pockets of civil rights history. Some inspiration:

6 Raleigh

6 Raleigh

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NC’s capital city has abundant history and places to explore it, starting with the NC Museum of History. Its “Story of North Carolina” anchor exhibit includes an exploration of the civil rights era. Other key sites in Raleigh include:

7 Durham

7 Durham

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Black Wall Street gained national acclaim in the early 1900s when Black-owned businesses were the hub of activity on Parrish Street. Other places telling the story of Durham’s past:

Keep an eye out for more NC Civil Rights Trail markers to be added throughout 2023.

Updated January 31, 2023
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