Building Greensboro – Foundations of Our Mid-Century Modern History

Over the past five years, a new storyline has emerged in Greensboro that is associated with Black builders, artists, and architects. In spite of systemic disenfranchisement typical of the mid-twentieth century, Black residents of East Greensboro expressed optimism through progressive architectural styles for mid-century modern style buildings. These middle- and high-income Black families served as patrons who commissioned young and innovative Black architects, many associated with nearby North Carolina A&T State University, to design advanced compositions that serve as a cultural high-water mark in the state. Their modernist designs represent Black empowerment and upward mobility during the Civil Rights Era.

Eric Woodard, “The Mod Man”, will present “Building Greensboro – Foundations of Our Mid-Century Modern History”. Learn how Greensboro blazed a different path during the Civil Rights Era that departed from traditional narratives found throughout the southeastern United States. Eric Woodard has served as a member of Preservation Greensboro’s Board of Directors since 2017. His research showcases trailblazing artists and architects such as Ann Lamb Davis, Edward Jenkins, William Streat, Gerard Gray, Clinton Gravely, all of whom broke social and design barriers in Greensboro, and provided the city with a family of distinctive modern designs. Eric has been profiled in publications such as O.Henry Magazine and Atomic Ranch.