Journey Through History on the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail

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: 

• Stay the night in Historic Magnolia House — a former "Green Book" motel — like Jackie Robinson and Tina Turner did during the Jim Crow era.
• Check out the February One monument on NC A&T University’s campus honoring the four alumni who led the sit-in. 
• Play a round at Gillespie Golf Course, where six Black players fought for the right to play. 
• Support Black-owned businesses: Savor the fare at Stephanie’s or Dame’s Chicken & Waffles, and pick up something sweet at Black Magnolia Southern Patisserie or Savor the Moment Bakery & Dessert Café. Enjoy drinks and live music at The Loft at Elm Street Lounge.

Black history fills the Port City:

• A new trail marker honoring Hubert Eaton Sr. — tennis great Althea Gibson’s mentor who led efforts to improve education and health care for Black residents — adds dimension to Wilmington’s history and more reason for quality time exploring. 
• Guided or self-guided tours incorporate everything from the Wilmington Coup to highlighting sites such as Cameron Art Museum, where the nation’s first park dedicated to the US Colored Troops opened in 2022.
• Stop at Bellamy Mansion Museum and Poplar Grove Plantation, both on the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, where the stories of their owners and enslaved residents are traced. 
• The Cape Fear Museum's exhibits span from the Civil Rights era and the Wilmington Ten to Michael Jordan's greatness. And if the outdoors are more up your alley, don’t miss Airlie Gardens, where self-taught artist Minnie Evans worked as gatekeeper. 
• Support Black-owned businesses: Chef Keith Rhodes’ seafood restaurant Catch attracts everyone from local diners to Hollywood stars in town for projects. Enjoy more choice fare at Nippy’s Soul Food Restaurant, Sweet D’s Cuisine and On Thyme Restaurant. Or plan a pop-up meal with Luxe Picnic Co.

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:

• Hit the links at Blair Park Municipal Golf Course, a trail site where segregation was fought in 1954.
• Explore John Coltrane sites, including the bronze sculpture honoring the legendary musician, his childhood home and the museum that displays his old piano.
• Peruse the map provided by Visit High Point and stroll a once-flourishing Black business district in the Historic Washington Street neighborhood.
• Support Black-owned businesses: Feast at Unwind on Main Café and Bar, Uncle Cheesecake, and Mayberry Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop.

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:

• Whistle Stop Tours puts Black neighborhoods center stage on 75-minute walking tours with stops throughout the Hayti neighborhood and the former Black Wall Street district.
• The Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, which is anchored by the childhood home of the activist and legal trailblazer, asks visitors to stand up for peace and equity. Black history, women’s history and LGBTQIA+ history are all explored here.
• The Hayti Heritage Center promotes the Black experience with poetry slams, writing and performance workshops, concerts, artist exhibitions and much more. 
• At Carolina Theatre, walk through the exhibit on the second balcony level detailing the peaceful protests to desegregate the theater.
• RN Harris Elementary School, named after Rencher Nicholas Harris, the first Black person elected to Durham City Council and first Black person appointed to the Durham School Board. 
• Support Black-owned businesses: Taste your way through James Beard Award-winning Chef Ricky Moore’s constantly changing menu at Saltbox Seafood Joint; order a coffee and French toast at Beyu Caffe, or go for vegan sweets at Bklyn Bakery; Shop for candles at Bright Black and for books at Rofhiwa Book Cafe.