WEBVTT WANDA: TOMORROW MARKS THE BEGINNING OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH. IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE’LL TAKE YOU TO SOME OF THE PLACES IN THE TRIAD THAT ARE JEWELS OF BLACK HISTORY, AMERICAN HISTORY. WE BEGIN IN GREENSBORO WITH THE HISTORIC MAGNOLIA HOUS MAGNOLIAS ARE SAID TO SYMBOLIZE DIGNITY AND NOBILITY AND THIS PLACE THIS GRAND VICTORIAN HOUSE AT THE CORNER OF GORRELL AND PLOTT, STANDS IN A CLASS ALL BY ITSELF. IT’S SUNDAY MORNING AT THE HISTORIC MAGNOLIA HOUSE. TODAY’S SPECIAL, A JAZZ BRUNCH FLAVORED WITH WARM CONVERSATION, PEPPERED WITH LAUGHTER OVER FISH AND GRITS, CHICKEN AND WAFFLES, AND A GENEROUS SIDE OF HISTORY >> THIS IS THE GREEN BOOK WALL. WANDA: THE MAGNOLIA HOUSE WAS LISTED IN SIX EDITIONS OF THE GREEN BOOK STARTING IN 1955. >> YOU NOTE THERE WAS A STAR BY OUR NAME, WHICH MEANS IT WAS A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PLACE TO STAY. WANDA: THE GREEN BOOK WAS ALL THE IMPORTANT GUIDE TO DINING AND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS TRAVELLING THROUGH THE SEGREGATED SOUTH >> IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND IN A STATE THAT YOU WERE TRAVELING THROUGH, YOU SLEPT IN YOUR CAR. YOU KNOW? AND YOU HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHERE YOU PARKED. WANDA: SAMUEL IS THE FOURTH OWNER. IT WAS BUILT BACK IN 1890 -- 1889 AS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE. THE FAMILY SOLD THE HOME TO THE GUEST FAMILY THAT ESTABLISHED A HOTEL WHERE BLACKS COULD STAY. THERE IS A LOT OF HISTORY IN HIS OLD HOUSE. A NUMBER OF FAMOUS PEOPLE HAVE WALKED DOWN THESE STAIRS. CELEBRATED AUTHOR JAMES BALDWIN. JAZZ GREAT LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND WHILE HAMPTON. BASEBALL LEGENDS JACKIE ROBINSON AND SATCHEL PAIGE. SINGING SENSATIONS RAY CHARLES, I CAN TINA TURNER, AND THE GODFATHER OF SOUL ALL STAYED AT THE MAGNOLIA HOUSE. >> JAMES BROWN USED TO PLAY BALL WITH THE KIDS IN THE STREET WHICH WAS PEARSON STREET AT THE TIME. THE ENTERTAINERS, WHEN THEY CAME HERE, THEY DID NOT JUST COME TO ENTERTAIN IN GREENSBORO. THEY DIALOGUE WITH THE PUBLIC. WANDA: PASS REMEMBERS BEING A STAR STRUCK TEEN, TALKING TO SINGER JOE TEX ON THE FRONT PORCH OF THE MAGNOLIA HOUSE. ALL THESE STORIES MORSELS THAT MADE PASS HUNGRY TO BUY THE MAGNOLIA HOUSE IN 1995. BY THIS TIME, IT WAS JUST A SHELL. -STARVING FOR ATTENTION AND IT TOOK YEARS OF WORK AND MONEY TO RESTORE THE BEAUTY AND HISTORY OF THE SPACE. TODAY IT IS PRIMARILY A SUNDAY BRUNCH AND EVENT SITE, A NON-PROFIT TRAINING GROUND FOR STUDENTS. BUT THE FAMILY HOPES TO SOON ADD MORE TO THE MENU >> THIS WILL BE THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WILL COME WHEN THEY ARE TRAVELING THROUGH TOWN. OR THIS WILL BE THE PLACE THAT BUSINESSES GROW. THIS WILL BE THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND JUST CREATE EXPERIENCES. WANDA: IN MARCH, THE PASS FAMILY PLANS TO ADD DINING TWO NIGHTS A WEEK IN SOMETHING THEY CALL SUPPERTIME AT THE JUKE JOINT. BUT THE BIG DREAM IS THAT ONE DAY THE MAGNOLIA HOUSE WILL RETURN TO ITS ROOTS AS A HOTEL AND BECOME THE INN AT MAGNOLIA. A LOT OF BLACK HISTORY THAT BEGAN WITH 2 PEOPLE ARTHUR AND LOUISE GIST. BRIANA: THEY WERE REALLY TRAILBLAZERS. KENNY: YES, THEY WERE. THEY WERE THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS TO PURCHASE PROPERTY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BACK IN 1949. IT WAS A VERY AFFLUENT AREA. ONE OF THEIR SONS, HERMAN GIST SERVED 11 YEARS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE BEFORE HE DIED IN 1994. KENNY: I LOVE THE SHOT OF YOU WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS AND TALKING ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS. SAMUEL PASS TALKED ABOUT MEETING JOE TEX AS A BOY. DID HE EVER IMAGINE THAT ONE DAY HE WOULD OWN HE MAGNOLIA HOUSE? -- THAT HE WOULD OWN THAT VERY BUILDING ACT OH -- VERY BUILDING? WANDA HE SAID HE NEVER DREAMED : THAT WOULD HAPPEN. WHEN HE ACQUIRED IT, IT WAS AN ABANDONED BOARDING HOUSE. HE SAID THERE WAS SO MUCH HISTORY THERE, HE SAID HE FELT LIKE HE JUST HAD TO SAVE IT. SOME OF THE HISTORY YOU SEE THERE INCLUDES THE FURNITURE. THIS IS A PIECE MADE BY THOMAS DAY, A NOTED CRAFTSMAN AND FURNITURE MAKER, A FREED BLACK MAN BORN IN CASWELL COUNTY. YOU’LL SEE SOME OF HIS WORK NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE YOU TO OLD SALEM TO HIGHLIGHT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN THAT COMMUN