Published by Carl. Last Updated on February 5, 2025.
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This guide features important places to visit and learn about Black History in North Carolina, from the mountains to the sea!
Black history in North Carolina, like most things in life, is better understood at the locations where important events transpired. From Underground Railroad sites to Civil Rights landmarks and hubs of African-American business, this guide features some inspiring places for you to visit.
Black History Month in February results in increased traffic to these sites, but we hope you’ll keep these landmarks in mind throughout the year. Such important parts of America’s story should not be limited to simply one month.
Whether youโre a new resident, a frequent visitor, or a local, weโre leaving no detail behind. If you live in North Carolina and are wondering, โAre there any African American museums near me?โ we think this NC travel guide will help you out!
Read More: 100+ Unique Things to Do in North Carolina
List of Places to Learn Black History in North Carolina (+ Map)
For the guide, we’ve alphabetically arranged these important places in Black history in North Carolina.
- African-American Museum of History & Culture (Gastonia)
- African-American Music Trail (Various)
- Black History Murals
- Black Wall St (Durham)
- Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum (Gibsonville)
- Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station (Rodanthe)
- Halifax Underground Railroad Trail (Halifax County)
- Harriet Jacobs Trail (Edenton)
- Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (Charlotte)
- The Historic Magnolia House (Greensboro)
- Historic Stagville (Durham)
- Hood Huggers International Tours (Asheville)
- International Civil Rights Center & Museum (Greensboro)
- Montford Memorial (Jacksonville)
- Nina Simone Plaza (Tryon)
- North Carolina Museum of History (Raleigh)
- Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum (Wilson)
- Pope House Museum (Raleigh)
- Princeville (Edgecombe County)
- St Phillips Moravian Church (Winston-Salem)
- Somerset Place State Historic Site (Creswell)
- Underground Railroad Museum (Washington)
- Young Men’s Institute (Asheville)
You can also visually plan your adventures with this map we created via Google Maps. Before you do that, keep reading for more details on each site.
Read More: The NC Tripping North Carolina Travel Map
African-American Museum of History & Culture
Address: 300 S. Firestone St., Suite P, Gastonia, NC
Official Website
Gastoniaโs African-American Museum of History & Culture at Loray Mill is one of the newer places to learn about Black history in North Carolina. Open since February 2019, this museum honors African Americans who have contributed to the Gaston County community.
These influential contributors include business leaders, artists, and more change-makers whoโve made an impact on Gaston County.
African-American Music Trail
Address: Various Locations in Eastern NC
Official Website

The African-American Music Trail is the first of a few car-friendly ways to learn about North Carolina Black History and Music. Itโs spread across multiple cities and towns in Eastern North Carolina.
Some of our favorite exhibits include the art installations at Kinstonโs Music Park and the beautiful mural in Goldsboro. There’s much more to discover here, however; purchase a guidebook via the NC Arts Council and learn about the trail and musicians who lived and played along it.
Black History Murals
Address: Various Locations

The African-American Music Trail is one of many ways to learn Black history in North Carolina through the arts. Another way is to admire the many murals that honor Black North Carolinians who were musicians but who also made a difference in other ways.
Here are a few examples:
- The African American Trailblazers Mural where Chapel Hill and Carrboro Meet (111 S. Merritt Mill Rd), by Kiara Sanders
- Depot Street Renaissance Mural in Winston-Salem (7th Street between Research Pkwy and Vine St) by Leo Rucker
- Durham Civil Rights Mural (120 Morris St), by Brenda Miller Holmes
- “Mosaic Village” in Charlotte (1545 W Trade St), by Abel Jackson: This amazing mural can be seen along with others through an Art Walk.
These are just a few amazing representations of people who’ve made a difference. If you know of anything else that we should feature, please feel free to contact us.
Also, this guide is not finished sharing Black History through art. So keep reading for more!
Black Wall St
Historical Marker Address: Corner of Parrish and Mangum Streets, Durham, NC

Parrish Street in Durham was once known as a hub of African-American enterprise. It spanned four blocks and earned the praise of prominent figures such as Booker T Washington and WEB Dubois.
Today, a historical marker sits at the corner of Parrish and Mangum streets, commemorating Durham’s Black Wall Street. The old headquarters of Mechanics and Farmers Bank, one of many businesses to have originated here, has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
Read More: 17 Amazing Eno River State Park Trails (+ Bonus Hikes)
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
Address: 6136 Burlington Rd, Gibsonville, NC
Official Website

In 1901, teacher Charlotte Hawkins Brown established the Alice Freeman Palmer Institute in Gibsonville, near Greensboro. As president of the preparatory school for 50 years, Brown graduated more than 1,000 African-American students.
Thanks to the efforts of Brown’s niece and her classmate, the site was designated as North Carolina’s first African-American State Historic Site. Today, you can visit and walk through the shoes of the many students who lived and learned at the school.
Read More: Fun Museums in Greensboro (Kid-Friendly, Contemporary Art, and More!)
Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station
Address: 23645 North Carolina Hwy 12, Rodanthe, NC
Official Website

Drive down US 12 on the Outer Banks Scenic Byway, one of our favorite scenic roads, and you’ll eventually come upon the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station. Commissioned in late 1874, this was the first life-saving station along North Carolina’s coast.
It was also America’s only life-saving station crewed by African Americans. One notable feat of heroism came in 1896 when the surfmen rescued all nine passengers of the ES Newman while battling a hurricane.
Read More: The Best Things to Do in the Outer Banks
Halifax Underground Railroad Trail
Address: Various Locations in Halifax County
Official Website

The Halifax Underground Railroad Trail will take you around three towns in Halifax County. Each National Park Service-designated site provides a piece of the story of a runaway slave’s journey to freedom.
- Halifax (25 St David St) is where you’ll find the first site. Here, you’ll find a series of wanted ads once posted in North Carolina newspapers. These ads will lead you to the Roanoke River, a guiding path for the “runaways” in their escape.
- River Falls Park in the town of Weldon (100 Rockfish Dr) hosts the second site. The Roanoke River comes into full view here and demonstrates the dangerous circumstances presented to those who escaped.
- Finally, the Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail in Roanoke Rapids offers information about the slaves who largely built the canal. Ironically, after its completion, that same canal was utilized as part of the escape route.
Read More: Sylvan Heights Bird Park (How to See 2,000 Exotic Bird Species and More!)
Harriet Jacobs Trail
Address: 108 N. Broad St, Edenton, NC
Official Website
When in the historic town of Edenton, you should seek out sites that commemorate Harriet Jacobs, an African-American writer. Stop by the Historic Edenton State Visitor Center to begin your journey.
An exhibit inside the Visitor Center features photos and illustrations of her life and the people and places associated with it. You can also embark on a self-guided tour and visit sites related to Jacobs and her eventual escape north via the Maritime Underground Railroad.
Read More: Penelope Barker House in Edenton (How to Visit and Why!)
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture
Address: 551 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC
Official Website
The Harvey B Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (The Gantt) is part of the Levine Center for the Arts in Charlotte.
The Gantt’s location and design offer much insight into Black history in Charlotte, residing in the razed Brooklyn neighborhood that once was a Black community hub. Its outer aesthetic is inspired by the demolished Myers Street School, once Queen City’s only African-American public school.
Inside the Gantt, you’ll find exhibits dedicated to Black history, art, and culture in North Carolina and beyond. The Gantt also works with local creatives to cultivate a community of arts in Charlotte, a community that will hopefully last for many years.
Read More: 20+ Awesome Museums in Charlotte and Nearby!
The Historic Magnolia House
Address: 442 Gorrell St, Greensboro, NC
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If you are looking for an overnight Black History experience, we highly recommend staying at The Historic Magnolia House in Greensboro. The Magnolia House is a Green Book site, meaning that it was listed as safe for Black travelers during Jim Crow.
This essentially makes it a living Black History museum in Greensboro, NC.
Among its clientele, multiple famous Black musicians, authors, and sports figures have stayed at The Magnolia House.
Along with its historical significance, The Magnolia Houseโs Sunday brunch earned it a spot among the best places to eat in Greensboro! Itโs open to the public on Sundays and they serve some of the best grits in all of North Carolina.
Read More: 30+ Awesome Things to Do in Greensboro
Historic Stagville
Address: 5828 Old Oxford, Highway, Durham, NC
Official Website

Historic Stagville is the former site of a massive plantation in North Carolina. It once housed more than 900 enslaved people, and today, the site is trying to tell the story of those who were forced to live and work here.
There are tours held throughout much of the week, though you can visit either the one-time main house or Horton Grove, which housed the enslaved people.
Hood Huggers International Tours
Address: Asheville, NC
Official Website
DeWayne Barton leads Hood Huggers International Tours, an interactive look at Black history in Asheville. He’ll take you through neighborhoods flourishing with the arts, music, and more grassroots initiatives.
A common theme in this community is resilience, a theme that is worth listening to during one of Barton’s tours. Both driving tours and walking tours are available, offering a nice mix depending on your ability to keep up.
Read More: 30+ Great Things to Do in Downtown Asheville
International Civil Rights Center & Museum
Address: 134 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC
Official Website

Today, itโs known as the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, but before February 1, 1960, it was a whites-only lunch counter. On that day, a group of four North Carolina A&T students took action that would change the world.

The African American museum in NC commemorates the A&T Four, who each took a seat at the counter and peacefully fought for change. Galleries and exhibits share the story of their five-month-long sit-in but also the greater Civil Rights struggle as a whole.
Read More: The Best Things to Do in Greensboro
Montford Memorial
Address: Montford Landing Rd. & Lejeune Blvd, Jacksonville, NC
Official Website

Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville is a powerful place, with monuments dedicated to Americans who fought and died in multiple wars and important moments in our history. Also at Lejeune is the Montford Point Marine Memorial, which remembers African-Americans who trained during and after World War II from 1942-49, all while segregated from the white soldiers.
There’s also a wall of 20,000 stars dedicated to honoring the unnamed troops because no active roster can be located. Another thing to appreciate about the Montford Point Marine Association is that they continue to search for those who served from โ42 to โ49.
When identified, these veterans are presented with congressional gold medals. In case you know a Montford Point Marine who hasnโt yet been recognized, please contact the Montford Point Marine Association.
Read More: 20 Amazing Restaurants in Jacksonville, NC and Onslow County
Nina Simone Plaza
Address: 54 N Trade St, Tryon, NC
Official Website

Nina Simone Plaza in Tryon honors one of the world’s most powerful and iconic voices. Born Eunice Waymon in 1933, Tryon was Nina Simone’s childhood home until she moved to Asheville to continue her education.

That education eventually led to Julliard and a professional career in singing. The name “Nina Simone” came as a disguise from her family, whom she feared would not approve of her playing “the devil’s music.”
North Carolina Museum of History
Address: 5 East Edenton Street, Bicentennial Plaza, Raleigh, NC
Official Website

Each February, the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh celebrates Black History Month with special exhibits and tours, but they still offer much to learn at any other time of the year.
At the time of writing, the museum is closed for renovations but on February 5, they’ll be hosting History at High Noon: North Carolina Patriots of Color in the Revolutionary War. This FREE event will be held via Zoom, and will recognize the 400 men of African and Native American descent that fought for the Continental Army in the American Revolution.
Read More: Things to Do in Raleigh
Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum
Address: 1202 Nash St, Wilson, NC
Official Website

The Oliver Nestus Freeman Roundhouse Museum in Wilson is housed in one of the most unique buildings you’ll find. Inside, the museum offers an insight into African-American life and contributions to the Wilson community from slavery through today.
You’ll also find examples of Freeman’s work in and around the house. Freeman’s work accentuates this amazing place where all can come and learn about Black history in North Carolina.
Pope House Museum
Address: 511 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC
Official Website
The Pope House Museum is special for more than a few reasons. For starters, it is North Carolina’s only African-American house museum.
This free Raleigh attraction commemorates Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope, who built the home and was also the only African-American male to run for mayor in a Southern capital city during the Jim Crow era.
During a tour, you’ll find original family furnishings, historic artifacts, and more.
Read More: Things to Do With Kids in Raleigh
Princeville
Address: Princeville, NC
Official Website

The Princeville Museum and Welcome Center honors the oldest town incorporated by African Americans. A group of freed slaves founded this town and named it “Freedom Hill” after the Civil War.
Sitting right across the Tar River from Tarboro is a mobile museum designed by NC State students, accompanied by an informative display. Just before you reach the bridge that crosses the river, you’ll also see a historic marker that briefly describes Freedom Hill.
St Phillips Moravian Church
Address: 3002 Bon Air Ave NE, Winston-Salem, NC
Facebook Page
St Phillips is a unique contribution to Black history in North Carolina (and the United States). Many of the Moravians who worshipped here between 1823 and 1861 were enslaved, and the only congregation historically made up of African-American Moravians in the US.
You can still join the church congregations on Sundays in their Historic Brick Church inside the Old Salem complex.
Read More: Museums in Winston-Salem
Somerset Place State Historic Site
Address: 2572 Lake Shore Road, Creswell, NC
Official Website

Somerset Place was once a working plantation and sawmill that produced rice, corn, lumber, and more. Hundreds of enslaved people were responsible for these products (and more) over 80 years until the end of the Civil War.
It was once among the South’s largest plantations but has since been transformed into an interactive educational tool. You can walk around the site and many of its buildings, which are paired with explanatory exhibit markers.
Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum
Address: Corner Of Main and, Gladden St, Washington, NC
Official Website

The Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum details Washington and Beaufort County’s history of slavery. Housed in a caboose, the museum’s collection also shares the story of enslaved people in the area who sought freedom from slavery.
This site is designated by the National Parks Service’s “Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.”
Young Men’s Institute (Asheville)
Address: 29 Eagle St, Asheville, NC
Official Website
The Young Men’s Institute in Asheville was built as a YMCA equivalent for Black men and boys who helped construct the Biltmore Estate. In fact, it’s designed similarly to many of the homes at the estate and buildings in Biltmore Village.
Today, the YMI (now the YMI Cultural Center) hosts exhibitions, educational, cultural, and social activities, along with leadership and economic development programs.
Read More: How to Enjoy Christmas at Biltmore
Where Can We Learn More Black History in North Carolina?
As much as we love books and articles about these places, you’re not going to learn as much about North Carolina Black history facts as you can from a visit to one of these awesome places!
Also, please let us know if we left out any vital spots for Black history in North Carolina! We’re always happy to hear about that.