Fayetteville Today

(Fayetteville, N.C.) – The City of Fayetteville will host an unveiling ceremony for the Civil Rights Trail marker at 116 Green St., on June 16 at 11 a.m. This unveiling will mark the induction of Fayetteville on the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail.

The event is being held outside near the southwest corner of the Fascinate-U Children's Museum, the location of City Hall in 1963. Limited seating will be available. Green Street will close from Market Square to Maiden Lane starting at 10 a.m. and reopen at approximately 1 p.m. The round-about will remain open.

The marker honors the courageous actions of community members protesting racial segregation in Fayetteville. It also acknowledges the tremendous and collaborative work of City staff and religious, educational and local non-profit organizations to prepare a successful application.

City staff worked closely with a group of community stakeholders to complete the application for the marker, which highlights how residents advocated for change during the summer of 1963.

The demonstrations like picketing and marching often culminated in the downtown area near then city hall. The protest resulted in the necessary political pressure to influence elected leadership to enact policy directing businesses to desegregate Fayetteville, one year prior to the 1964 Civil Rights Act was adopted by the federal government. It also was the catalyst for the first mayoral committee focusing on race relations.

About City of N.C. Civil Rights Trail:

The N.C. African American Heritage Commission leads the N.C. Civil Rights Trail with funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, and with support from Visit North Carolina and the North Carolina Office of Archives & History. The commission works with communities across the state to designate up to 50 sites where trail markers are being placed, including 10 in Hometown Strongcommunities. An interactive web portal highlights these places and others to guide people to history and experiences from the past.

To learn more about the project, please visit aahc.nc.gov/programs/civil-rights-trail

About City of Fayetteville: 

The City of Fayetteville is a dynamic, culturally-rich community committed to high performance, transparency and innovation. Directly adjacent to Fort Bragg, Fayetteville is home to more than 208,000 residents. The mission of the City is to provide sustainable, high-quality public services for our communities to thrive and businesses to grow. With creative energy, vibrant history and compassionate people, Fayetteville always finds a way. That's why we are America’s Can Do City. To learn more about the City of Fayetteville and City departments or services, please visit fayettevillenc.gov or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

About the N.C. African American Commission:

Created in 2008, the African American Heritage Commission is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Commission works across the department to preserve, protect and promote the state’s African American history, art and culture for all people. Its endeavors include the identification of heritage sites, compiling resources for educators, extending the work of national programs such as the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom Underground Railroad, and independent initiatives including the NC Civil Rights Trail. aahc.nc.gov

 About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources:

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

Original source can be found here