As we all know, February is Black History Month. To celebrate this month, many events and activities are scheduled in our communities to help inform and educate on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It is essential to recognize that there are sites and exhibits you can go to not only in February but throughout the year to broaden your understanding of the significance and impact of Black history in North Carolina. Here are a few places you can visit in our State. 

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum in downtown Greensboro are open throughout the year in what was the F.W. Woolworth retail store. At this retail store, four NC A&T freshmen challenged segregation by sitting at a “whites only” lunch counter. This site offers exhibits, artifacts, and video re-enactments that help to provide information about this event’s significance. 

Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum is another location you can visit to learn about the contributions of African Americans to the history and development of Wilson, North Carolina. This museum is one of many houses built by an African American stonemason named Freeman. Freeman built several houses using whatever was on hand to provide homes for soldiers returning from World War II because of a shortage of available housing. 

Another place you could visit is the Harriet Jacobs Trial in Edenton. This trial focuses on Harriet Jacobs, a woman who escaped slavery and wrote one of the first accounts about female slaves struggling for freedom in the south. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is her autobiography in 1861, detailing what she had to endure as a slave. This trail allows you to tour where she lived and visit some of the different places described in her book. 

Also, Historic Stagville is another excellent place to visit, especially if you are interested in learning more about the lives and work of enslaved people on plantations. This is one of the largest plantations in North Carolina, initially owned by the Bennehan-Cameron family. You can see the family cemetery, the original slave quarters, a barn, and more. 

As mentioned earlier, it is important to note that we can explore the history of African Americans not only during February but throughout the year. The sites mentioned are all in North Carolina and are worth visiting. These are just a few places and things you can do to educate yourself on Black history. Keep in mind that there are many other places within North Carolina so don’t limit yourself.