International Civil Rights Center and Museum
On February 1, 1960, four college students sat down at a F.W. Woolworth lunch counter and made history. The young men were African American. The “Whites Only” lunch counter was located in the segregated south. When the young men were refused service, they refused to leave.
This nonviolent sit-in protest and eventual boycott of the store in Greensboro, North Carolina received national publicity and led to similar sit-ins throughout the south that helped push the civil rights movement across America. Today, that same Woolworth building in Greensboro honors the brave men and women who fought, and continue to fight, for social change and equal rights in America and throughout the world. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum opened on February 1, 2010, fifty years to the day of the original sit-in.
Visitors take a guided tour through the museum to learn about the country’s evolution from segregation through photos, film clips, documents, artifacts, and audio recordings. Be forewarned that some images are graphic, but they deliver a clear message of what the movement stands for.
At one point during the tour, visitors can see the original lunch counter setting as it was on that site fifty years ago. Most of the displays at the museum are dedicated to the American Civil Rights Movement with the final section of the tour showcasing the quest for civil rights in other countries. It should be noted that after the store closed in 1993, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC acquired a small section of the Greensboro Woolworth’s lunch counter for its collection.
The center hosts various events such as a Children’s Storytelling & Reading Hour, a Breakfast & Tea featuring special speakers, film events, and Forums & Presentations. There is a Gift Shop on site.
The International Civil Rights Center & Museum is located at 134 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC. Hours are Tue – Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun 1 – 5 p.m., closed on Monday. It is wheelchair accessible. Parking is available on street (2 hours max, metered) or in one of two nearby parking garages.
More Info: Phone: 336.274.9199 / Toll free: 800.748.7116
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