New in Discover NC! The International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro

Walk by the old Woolworth’s store in downtown Greensboro today and you will witness something exciting happening inside. Fifty years ago, on February 1, 1960, four young black men walked into Woolworth’s and sat down on the stools at the “whites only” lunch counter in protest to segregation. More and more black students followed in their steps and Woolworth’s desegregated their lunch counters nationwide.

It is fitting on this 50th anniversary of this protest, that the new International Civil Rights Center and Museum should open on the very site that Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair, Jr., Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond took a stand against segregation. The Center will hold its grand opening on February 1, 2010.

The lunch counter and stools are the focal point of the Center and they have never been removed from this spot. In addition, 14 other exhibits tell the story of the struggle for civil rights. The museum also features an archival center, a state-of-the-art auditorium, and a children’s event space. The Center’s website has a fact sheet highlighting the exhibits.

The Center is located at 301 North Elm Street and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am to 6:00pm and on Sunday, 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Groups of 20 or more will receive a $1 discount toward the price of tickets. To schedule a visit, call (336) 274-9199.

For instructional resources for this field trip opportunity, please visit Discover NC!