FOR. THIS MURAL OF THE GREENSBRO FOUR ALONG BENBOW ROAD REALLY SHOWS THE IMPACT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS HAD ON THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. BUT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF STORIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD, AND THE CITY IS HOPING TO DOCUMENT THEM THROUGH A SCANNING EVENT THIS WEEK. IT IS ASKING FOR FAMILY PHOTOS, CHURCH BULLETINS, POSTCARDS AND ANY OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS FROM FORMER AND CURRENT RESIDENTS OF THE BENBOW ROAD HISTORIC DISTRICT. THIS IS A PART OF AN ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY BEING DONE AS THE AREA APPLIES TO GET ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. THE MEMORABILIA SCANNED THIS WEEK WILL BECOME A PART OF A PUBLIC DIGITAL DATABASE DOCUMENTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF IT, AND THEIR IMPACTS OVER THE LAST CENTURY. HISTORICALLY, THAT RECORD HAS NOT DOCUMENTED AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, IN PARTICULAR THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE, PERHAPS. WE WANT TO GET THOSE STORIES OUT THERE FOR NEXT GENERATION SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHO LIVED HERE, WHAT THEY WERE DOING. NATIONAL HISTORIC DESIGNATION, AND WILL MAKE IT ONE OF THE LARGEST RESIDENT CENTRAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. AND WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL IS, IS AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND THINGS LIKE THAT JUST DON’T HAPPEN EVERY DAY. THERE’S A LOT OF STORIES AROUND THE BOONVILLE ROAD AREA, AND EVERYBODY’S STORY MATTERS. YOU KNOW, SO. YES. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THAT HISTORY. SURE. BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT SOMEBODY ELSE. THE SCANNING EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TOMORROW FROM 2 TO 7 P.M. GREETERS AND AURAL JOCKEY MENTORS WILL BE SET UP AT THE HAYS TAYLOR MEMORIAL YMCA THAT IS ON EAST FLORIDA STREET. BUT IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT OUT TO THURSDAY’S EVENT, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS TO GET YOUR MEMORABILIA SCANNED IN. AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE WXII 12 DO
City seeks memorabilia about African American history in Greensboro
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Updated: 1:06 PM EDT Apr 5, 2023
Do you have old photos, postcards, church bulletins, and other personal items that tell the story of African American history in Greensboro?Click video player above to hear more about the project. The city would like to scan them into a digital archive. Greensboro's planning department is seeking memorabilia as part of an effort to document the architectural and historic significance of neighborhoods in East and Southeast Greensboro. "The Memorabilia will add to the historical research that demonstrates the historical significance of the area," said Mike Cowhig, senior planner of the City of Greensboro.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.City officials say the collection will also contribute to the nomination process of the South Benbow Road Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places.Residents are invited to bring their items to a community event on Thursday, April 6, at Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA, 2630 East Florida Street. The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.City officials ask residents to bring unique items that tell the story of their life, home, neighborhood, church, or businesses. Your items will be scanned and returned to you. Those items include:PhotographsScrapbooksNewslettersChurch bulletins and publicationsEvent fliersPolitical signs (small), buttons, fliers, etc.Family historiesLocal restaurant menusLetters and postcards you don’t mind sharing publiclyPublications from local civic groups, etc.As for items you should not bring, city officials say those are: Books, newspapers, magazines, and other copyrighted materialsVery large items that cannot fit on the scannerItems you’re not comfortable sharing online.You can find out more details about the scanning process here. The memorabilia scanned will be placed in an online archive that the public can access. You will be asked to sign a release form that allows the items to be put online, but you do not give up any other rights. This project is in collaboration with UNCG and NC A&T State University, NC Archives Office, and Preservation Greensboro, as well as community residents.Librarian and faculty member at UNCG David Gwynn is handling a lot of the scanning-in process. He highly encourages former and current residents of the southeast section of Greensboro to participate in Thursday's event."The Benbow Road Historic District was a middle-class area and an architecturally significant area, too," Gwynn said. "The physical layout of the neighborhood is important, but also it's important because the people who lived there basically were the civil rights movement in Greensboro or at least a large part of it. Historically, that record has not documented African American communities in particular the way it should have. We want to get those stories out there for the next generation."Gwynn said if someone has a surplus of documents to scan or cannot make it to this week's event, to email him directly at jdgwynn@uncg.edu.Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We LoveMORE NEWS WE LOVEKeep up with local news, weather, and current events with the WXII app here
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Do you have old photos, postcards, church bulletins, and other personal items that tell the story of African American history in Greensboro?
Click video player above to hear more about the project.
The city would like to scan them into a digital archive.
Greensboro's planning department is seeking memorabilia as part of an effort to document the architectural and historic significance of neighborhoods in East and Southeast Greensboro.
"The Memorabilia will add to the historical research that demonstrates the historical significance of the area," said Mike Cowhig, senior planner of the City of Greensboro.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
City officials say the collection will also contribute to the nomination process of the South Benbow Road Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places.
Residents are invited to bring their items to a community event on Thursday, April 6, at Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA, 2630 East Florida Street. The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
City officials ask residents to bring unique items that tell the story of their life, home, neighborhood, church, or businesses. Your items will be scanned and returned to you. Those items include:
- Photographs
- Scrapbooks
- Newsletters
- Church bulletins and publications
- Event fliers
- Political signs (small), buttons, fliers, etc.
- Family histories
- Local restaurant menus
- Letters and postcards you don’t mind sharing publicly
- Publications from local civic groups, etc.
As for items you should not bring, city officials say those are:
- Books, newspapers, magazines, and other copyrighted materials
- Very large items that cannot fit on the scanner
- Items you’re not comfortable sharing online.
You can find out more details about the scanning process here.
The memorabilia scanned will be placed in an online archive that the public can access. You will be asked to sign a release form that allows the items to be put online, but you do not give up any other rights.
This project is in collaboration with UNCG and NC A&T State University, NC Archives Office, and Preservation Greensboro, as well as community residents.
Librarian and faculty member at UNCG David Gwynn is handling a lot of the scanning-in process. He highly encourages former and current residents of the southeast section of Greensboro to participate in Thursday's event.
"The Benbow Road Historic District was a middle-class area and an architecturally significant area, too," Gwynn said. "The physical layout of the neighborhood is important, but also it's important because the people who lived there basically were the civil rights movement in Greensboro or at least a large part of it. Historically, that record has not documented African American communities in particular the way it should have. We want to get those stories out there for the next generation."
Gwynn said if someone has a surplus of documents to scan or cannot make it to this week's event, to email him directly at jdgwynn@uncg.edu.
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love
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