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Black History Road Trip: Can’t‑Miss Sites In North Carolina

8 items

Karla R.

If you're looking for Black history sites to explore throughout North Carolina, here are a few I have enjoyed!

Map

Sections

Nina Simone Plaza

Nina Simone Childhood Home

Nina Simone Mural

"With These Hands"

African American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum & State Historic Site

Nina Simone Plaza

The city of Tryon, NC celebrates its native daughter, Nina Simone, with several sites including the Nina Simone Plaza.

This is a beautiful statue of Nina Simone found in the heart of Tryon. It is located just a few minutes from her childhood home as well as a mural of her in the city.

Nina Simone Plaza

Nina Simone Childhood Home

The restoration work on Nina Simone’s childhood three-room home is complete- and will eventually open to the public. This is in Tryon, which is about an hour and 30 minutes west of Charlotte. It has not been announced exactly when it will be open to ...

Nina Simone's childhood home is located on a very narrow road in Tryon. However, it is quite easy to get to it. While the inside of this home is not open yet, you can still walk around the outside of it to check out her humble beginnings.

Nina Simone Childhood Home

Nina Simone Mural

There is a cool mural of Nina Simone in her hometown of Tryon, NC, created by artist Scott Nurkin.

The mural is absolutely beautiful! It is located on the side of the Marathon Gas Station on Lynn Road.

Nina Simone - NC MUSICIAN MURALS

"With These Hands"

If you’re in the Charlotte area and looking for some cool art with a powerful story behind it, take a trip to Davidson College and check out this new sculpture. It’s called “With These Hands,” designed by renowned artist Hank Willis Thomas. It’s a me...

This is a beautiful sculpture featuring two hands coming out of the ground. The design was inspired by the handprints that still remain in some of the bricks of the original buildings. You’ll find it front of the Cunningham Theater Center on the camp...

With These Hands: A Memorial to the Enslaved and Exploited

African American Museum of History and Culture at Loray Mill

This museum is in Gastonia, North Carolina. It is about 30 minutes outside of Charlotte. If you want to learn more about lesser known Black history makers who impacted not only North Carolina, but the world, this is a good place to start because it i...

Great museum in Gastonia! It is in a small space but there is so much to take in. There are at least 300 pictures, paintings and artifacts. It is free but donations are welcomed.

African American Museum of History & Culture

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum & State Historic Site

This site is dedicated to Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown and the boarding school she founded in 1902. You can tour her home, walk the grounds of the former school, and visit her gravesite.

This is a fascinating site and tour in Sedalia, which is right outside of Greensboro. Dr. Brown accomplished so much during her time in education as well as civil rights, and the tour guides do a phenomenal job sharing her story. The house tour was m...

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum & State Historic Site

The Historic Magnolia House

A restaurant, bed and breakfast, and events venue in Greensboro, NC. One of maybe four Green Book sites in North Carolina still in operation.

If you love good food AND good food, this is the place to visit! You can come here for a delicious Sunday brunch (you can't do wrong with any of the food on the menu!)or you can come for a midweek Wednesday jazz session with some amazing artists. The...

The Historic Magnolia House

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

This is a center dedicated to celebrating the contributions of Africans and African- Americans to American culture and serving as a community epicenter for music, dance, theater, visual art, film, arts education programs, literature and community out...

This center is filled with so much local as well as global history! It's located in Charlotte's Uptown neighborhood. I've visited the center several times because it features cool exhibits throughout the year. It's one of few places in Charlotte wher...

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture