Celebrate Black History Month in North Carolina

North Carolina has been a pivotal location for many significant moments in Black and African American history.

For Black History Month, North Carolina will have a series of events across the state to celebrate Black culture.

Black History Month in North Carolina

Raleigh

As the Capital City, Raleigh honors Black culture with panels, storytelling, art exhibitions and other events.

Highlights include the month-long Living in Color Art Exhibit at Dorothea Dix Park and Black Artists Day on Feb. 15, showcasing talent from across the state.

Visitors can also board the Black History Trolley Tour to learn about the Oberlin neighborhood’s history of community and freedom.

Wake Forest

A short drive north, Wake Forest invites visitors to take part in free Black History Month Walking Tours every Friday in February.

Durham

Durham proudly showcases its rich Black history with the resurgent Black Wall Street and the Hayti Heritage Center as well as the newly opened Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, located in the childhood home of the remarkable human rights activist, legal scholar and Episcopal priest.

Visitors can stay at the charming, Black-owned Morehead Manor Bed & Breakfast and indulge in a culinary journey at Black-owned restaurants, including Saltbox Seafood Joint, Backyard BBQ Pit, and Ekhaya.

Charlotte

In Charlotte, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture stands as a testament to the city’s rich Black heritage.

Named for the first Black student admitted to Clemson University and Charlotte’s first Black mayor, the center features an impressive collection of Black art and dynamic cultural programming.

Nearby, Romare Bearden Park pays tribute to the Charlotte-born Harlem Renaissance artist.

Both sites are included in Charlotte’s Perseverance, Power, and Progress Black History Van Tour.

The city also boasts a thriving Black-owned dining scene with longtime favorites such as Mert’s Heart & Soul.

Greensboro

Greensboro is home to several significant landmarks, including the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. Housed in the former F.W. Woolworth Building, this museum is notably known as the location of the 1960 lunch counter sit-in, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement that sparked a wave of protests across the nation.

Stay at Historic Magnolia House, a stylishly restored Green Book site that hosted Jackie Robinson, James Baldwin, Tina Turner and other prominent figures.

Asheville

In Asheville, discover remarkable stories of Black history on the Hood Huggers Tour or by exploring the self-guided Black History Cultural Trail.

Be sure to visit Good Hot Fish by Chef Ashleigh Shanti, reopening on February 1, for an unforgettable dining experience.

A short drive away, in downtown Tryon visit Nina Simone’s sculpture by Zenos Frudakis. The larger-than-life bronze memorial includes her ashes within a sculpted heart, paying tribute to the legendary singer and activist.

Other sites and avenues to explore for Black History Month in North Carolina:

• Underground Railroad Network to Freedom: NC locations include the Washington Waterfront Underground Rail Road Museum, which is housed in a train car, and Halifax with the hike-worthy Roanoke Canal Museum & Trail.
• N.C. Civil Rights Trail, which covers the state and its fight for equality with landmarks, moments and communities across the state.
• Cameron Art Museum: in Wilmington, home of the country’s only sculpture park dedicated to US Colored Troops, who fought an 1865 battle at the site.
• “Boundless,” its signature sculpture, was cast from 11 men with connections to the site.