Guilford at 250: Civil Rights Era Touchstones

Greensboro’s Civil Rights history is unparalleled in North Carolina. With keystone institutions such as NCA&T, Bennett College, and Dudley High School, Greensboro has (at times) been a national leader in Civil Rights. According to historian William H. Chafe, “In some ways Greensboro simply exemplified national trends; in others, it helped to create them, particularly with the sit-ins and the evolution of Black Power ideology.” This important movement grew out of the East and Southeast Greensboro neighborhoods.

These neighborhoods include groups of houses and important buildings in Nocho Park, Clinton Hills, Neighbors United, Benbow Park, and the Washington Street Redevelopment. The neighborhood contains some of Greensboro’s most impressive examples of Mid-Century Modern buildings designed by prominent Black architects associated with the NCA&T Department of Architectural Engineering including Edward Jenkins, William Streat, Gerard Gray, and Clinton Gravely. In spite of redlining, urban renewal, and highway expansions, these neighborhoods remain touchstones to actions of the Civil Rights Era. In recognition of this high level of significance, buildings and neighborhoods have recently been considered for listing to the National Register of Historic Places.

Join us for a presentation on these remarkable neighborhoods by Heather Slane, owner and lead architectural historian of hmwPreservation of Durham, who surveyed the architecture and history of these neighborhoods in 2020. This Zoom event is free to the public as part of our year long celebration of Guilford County’s 250th birthday! Click the zoom link below and enter passcode: GSO250

Connect to our Zoom Meeting