Greensboro Seeks African American Memorabilia About City’s History

GREENSBORO, NC – If you have old items, or memorabilia, that shed light on the history of African Americans in Greensboro, city officials want to know. They’re attempting to find “personal items that tell the story about African American history in Greensboro.”

Those could be things like old postcards, church bulletins, and especially photos from years gone by. Any other personal items that also convey information about local Black history may also help the city out in its effort.

According to the request put out by the city, the memorabilia will be used as part of Greensboro’s “architectural survey of east Greensboro neighborhoods and nomination process of South Benbow Road Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places.”

In July 2021, the Greensboro Planning Department was awarded a National Parks Service African American Civil Rights grant to help further the national nomination project.

The city’s Planning Department is inviting anyone with the items to share them by bringing them to a community event from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 6. That event will be held at the at Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA at 2630 E. Florida St. in Greensboro.

Representatives of the local Oral History and African American Historical Research Committee are conducting the event. That committee includes staff from the City of Greensboro, UNCG and NC A&T State University, the NC Archives Office and Preservation Greensboro, as well as community residents.

And don’t worry, the city isn’t interested in keeping your cherished heirlooms: The items will be scanned and returned.

More details – such as what’s being asked for and what types of items should be brought to the event – can be found on the city’s webpage.