International Civil Rights Center and Museum

International Civil Rights Center & Museum

Company type	Nonprofit organization
Industry	Museum
Founded	1993
Headquarters	Greensboro, North Carolina , United States
Key people	John Swaine (CEO)
Products	Museum exhibits, educational programs, Museum Store
Parent	Sit-In Movement, Inc.

This article is about the nonprofit organization Sit-in Movement, Inc's efforts. For the 1960s sit-in protests in the United States, see Sit-in movement.

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum (ICRCM) is situated in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. The museum occupies the former location of a Woolworth's store, famously known as the site of a pivotal nonviolent demonstration during the civil rights movement. This building holds the designation of a National Historic Landmark and is also included within the Downtown Greensboro Historic District. On February 1, 1960, four students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) initiated the Greensboro sit-ins at a lunch counter reserved for "whites only." These four individuals were Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair Jr. (who later took the name Jibreel Khazan), and David Richmond. The following day, their number grew to twenty participants. The founders of the museum aim to preserve the legacy of these A&T Four students, those who joined them in the Woolworth's daily sit-ins, and all others nationwide who engaged in similar sit-in protests and contributed to the civil rights struggle. The museum’s operations are primarily funded through ticket sales and revenue generated by its Museum Store, supplemented by contributions from private donors. Established in 1993, the museum officially opened its doors exactly fifty years after the initial sit-in demonstrations in Greensboro.

History

Constructed in 1929, the building that now serves as the museum was designed by local architect Charles Hartmann in the Art Deco architectural style. Originally called the Whelan Building after its owner, the Whelan Drug Company, it housed a small drugstore in one corner while leasing out remaining space for retail shops and offices. In 1939, the F. W. Woolworth Company leased most of this property, relocating from a smaller downtown Greensboro site. Promoted as "the largest and most modern Woolworth store in the south," it opened with a 69-seat luncheonette on August 10, 1939.

This location became historically significant on February 1, 1960, when four African American students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University staged a sit-in at its segregated lunch counter reserved exclusively for white patrons. The protest sparked widespread participation, drawing thousands to Woolworth’s and other stores such as Kress across Greensboro and inspiring similar demonstrations throughout the southern United States. Confronted with boycotts and sharp declines in business, Woolworth’s manager Clarence Harris ultimately agreed to desegregate the store on July 25, 1960. This action was followed by many other establishments, culminating in the nationwide prohibition of segregation under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Around 1963, renovations were made to the lunch counter, including removal of its stools for reupholstering. When reassembled, no effort was made to restore them to their original positions, leaving historians unable to identify precisely which seats were occupied by the Greensboro Four during their initial sit-in.

Even while Woolworth’s continued operations at this address, recognition of its historical importance began to grow. On February 1, 1990—the 30th anniversary of the first sit-in—the segment of Sycamore Street adjacent to the building was renamed February One Place. That same year, part of the original lunch counter was donated by Woolworth’s to the Greensboro History Museum.

Preserving the structure

On October 14, 1993, Woolworth revealed plans to shut down more than 700 stores across the country, including the downtown Greensboro branch. Initially, a company representative expressed interest in aiding efforts to maintain the building as a historic site. The iconic lunch counter served its final patrons on October 23, with Reverend Jesse Jackson among the hundreds present for the closing moment, joining in singing "We Shall Overcome" shortly before the 5 p.m. shutdown. The entire store ceased operations on January 22, 1994.

In November 1993, Guilford County commissioner Melvin "Skip" Alston proposed repurposing the building into a museum dedicated to African-American history. This suggestion met resistance from some fellow commissioners; one voiced concern that it might exacerbate racial divisions. By December, Alston offered a revised idea to establish a civil rights museum instead of a broader African-American history museum. This alternative plan received unanimous approval from the commission. Subsequently, Alston collaborated with Greensboro city councilman Earl Jones to establish Sit-In Movement, Inc., a nonprofit focused on creating a civil rights museum at the site. Just days before the store’s January 1994 closure, First Citizens Bank, the building’s owner, agreed to sell it to Sit-In Movement, Inc.

In February 1994, as store fixtures were being removed, a portion of the lunch counter featuring four stools was donated to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum was initially slated to open in 1996. In May 1995, attorney and community archivist James P. Mayes was appointed executive director of Sit-In Movement, Inc., tasked with raising $10 million for the museum’s construction. However, Mayes was dismissed in September after Alston and Jones accused him of failing to meet fundraising targets. Mayes responded by describing the organization as being in "disarray," citing poor financial record-keeping. Fundraising efforts faced significant setbacks; by January 2000, only $2 million had been collected toward a $9.1 million goal, with nearly all funds already spent. Local leaders criticized Alston and Jones for alleged mismanagement and self-interest, especially following creation of the Alston-Jones International Civil Rights Award. The co-founders claimed these accusations were racially motivated.

In 2001, Sit-In Movement, Inc., partnered with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) to jointly design and develop the museum.

Financial challenges

File:Former Woolworth store in Greensboro, NC (2008).jpg

The structure in 2008, prior to its opening as the ICRCM

File:Greensboro sit-in counter.jpg

A portion of the lunch counter is now exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History.

Despite receiving millions in donations, the museum initiative encountered ongoing financial challenges over several years. Contributions included over $1 million from the State of North Carolina, funding from the Bryan Foundation, upwards of $200,000 each from the City of Greensboro and Guilford County, and $148,152 awarded by the U.S. Department of Interior through the National Park Service's Save America's Treasures program in 2005.

In autumn 2007, Sit-in Movement, Inc. sought an additional $1.5 million (~$Template:Format price adjusted for Template:Inflation/year) from Greensboro city officials; however, this request was denied. Additionally, voters in Greensboro twice rejected bond referendums intended to finance the project.

By 2013, the city consented to provide a $1.5 million loan on the condition that any funds raised by the museum "outside the normal course of business" between September 2013 and July 2015 would be credited toward loan forgiveness. A memo dated June 24, 2016, from City Manager Jim Westmoreland and Mayor Nancy Vaughn reported that the museum had raised $612,510 but still owed $933,155, with an initial payment of $145,000 due June 30 and the remaining balance scheduled for repayment by February 2018. The museum disputed this figure, stating its debt was $281,805. On August 1, the city council declined to forgive $800,000 of the outstanding amount; using the museum property as collateral was considered an option. Two weeks later, council members extended the deadline to February 2018 for additional fundraising efforts, agreeing that amounts raised would reduce the debt accordingly. Following a profitable year in 2016, the museum announced in 2018 that it had fully repaid its debt.

Fundraising and inauguration

As the 50th anniversary of the sit-ins approached, momentum to finalize the project intensified. More than $9 million was secured through donations and grants. Additionally, the museum earned historic preservation tax credits, which were sold for $14 million. Construction and preparation advanced steadily, culminating in completion just in time for the commemorative opening on the 50th anniversary.

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum officially opened its doors on February 1, 2010, coinciding with the half-century mark of the original sit-in event. The ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting and a prayer led by Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr.. Among the honored guests were three of the four surviving members of the Greensboro Four (McCain, McNeil, and Khazan). Assistant Attorney Thomas Perez represented the White House at the event. Speakers included Perez, U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, and North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue.

Events

The museum organization has hosted an annual Black and White Ball since 2007. In 2010, the event's theme was "Commemorating Five Decades of Civil Rights Activism." The following year’s theme was "Make a Change, Make a Difference." In 2013, the focus shifted to "Celebrating Our Victories as We Honor Our Past."

In September 2016, during a campaign stop in North Carolina, Donald Trump’s presidential team requested permission for the candidate to tour the museum. This would have necessitated closing the facility to visitors for five hours. The museum declined this request; CEO John Swaine explained that they did not want to disrupt regular operations to assist Trump in "legitimizing his ideological positions." Following this refusal becoming public knowledge, museum staff received threats from supporters aligned with Trump's campaign.

Awards and recognition

The museum bestows the prestigious Alston-Jones International Civil and Human Rights Award, honoring individuals whose lifelong dedication has significantly advanced civil and human rights. This accolade represents the institution's most esteemed honor. In 1998, the celebrated author Maya Angelou was a recipient of this distinction.

In 2013, the Alston-Jones Award was granted to Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, who serves as director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African Art. Dr. Cole is renowned as an educator, cultural anthropologist, and humanitarian, having previously held presidential roles at both Bennett College and Spelman College. That same year, the Trailblazer Award was presented to Dr. Joe Dudley Sr., co-founder of Dudley Products. The Unsung Hero Award went to Gladys Shipman, owner of Shipman Family Care. Additionally, the museum honored participants of the February 1, 1960 sit-in protests with Sit-In Participant Awards: Roslyn Cheagle from Lynchburg, Virginia, Raphael Glover from Charlotte, North Carolina, along with Mary Lou Blakeney and Andrew Dennis McBride from High Point, North Carolina.

The museum has also achieved designation as a National Historic Landmark.

Exhibits

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum’s architectural design was crafted by Freelon Group based in Durham, North Carolina, while Eisterhold Associates from Kansas City, Missouri developed its exhibit layouts. The facility offers approximately 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) of exhibition area spread across the basement and ground floor, with administrative offices situated on the upper level.

Visitors may choose between guided tours led by docents or self-directed explorations for a fee. Tours commence in the lower level where guests encounter multimedia presentations illustrating the segregated environment of the 1960s. This section includes a compelling "Hall of Shame" that graphically portrays violence inflicted upon civil rights activists nationwide. The experience continues with a reenacted planning session featuring the four students involved in the Greensboro sit-ins, set amid the authentic dormitory furnishings from their 1960 residence at A&T College.

Proceeding to the main floor, visitors encounter the original lunch counter arranged in its historic L-shaped layout from 1960, spanning nearly the building’s full width and half its length. Preserved signage from that era is displayed alongside functional dumbwaiters once used to transport food from the kitchen above. Life-sized video reenactments vividly recreate the sit-in demonstrations.

The tour then advances through a faithful reproduction of the "Colored Entrance" at Greensboro’s Rail Depot, highlighting the influential roles played by churches, educational institutions, political entities, and judicial bodies within the civil rights movement. Among notable artifacts are a pen utilized in signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a uniform belonging to a native Greensboro Tuskegee Airman, and an intact Ku Klux Klan robe with hood.

Expansion plans

The museum aimed to secure $5 million by March 31, 2022, as part of the $10.25 million required to acquire a neighboring five-story structure and 2.2 acres located at 100 South Elm Street. This acquisition was intended to enhance the museum's prospects of achieving UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. On March 23, the city council approved a contribution of $1 million, alongside an annual allocation of $250,000 for four years, contingent upon a building assessment and the successful procurement of additional funding. Should the museum decide to sell the property, the grant would be subject to repayment. Subsequently, on March 29, county commissioners authorized $1 million plus $200,000 annually over five years. The purchase was finalized by Sit-in Movement Inc. on March 31.

See also

• List of Woolworth buildings
• Sit-in movement
• State v. Katz
• Timeline of the civil rights movement

External links

• International Civil Rights Center and Museum homepage
• Greensboro News & Record website about the sit-in movement and the museum Archived 2016-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
• Video from the opening ceremonies