Black History Month is here, and it’s a time to keep learning and honoring trailblazers who’ve had a lasting, impactful and transformative legacy while changing history, becoming a beacon of hope, and transforming Civil Rights here in North Carolina and nationwide. SIGNIFICANT SITES Take this month and beyond to explore significant sites in North Carolina, including the state’s Civil Rights Trail highlighting sites across the area, to visiting the Historic Magnolia House, which was a former “Green Book” motel, to the February One monument on North Carolina A&T State University’s campus, to visiting the International Civil Rights Museum and much more. Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.BLACK HISTORY MONTH GUIDE We’ve put together this Black History Month North Carolina Guide also, highlighting Black History Month events and ways to support Black business owners, podcasts and much more. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereGREENSBORO FOUR A group of four Black students from North Carolina A&T State University made history in Greensboro in 1960.Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr., and David Richmond, known as The Greensboro Four, staged a peaceful protest at a lunch counter at Woolworth’s on Feb. 1, 1960. The area was designated “For Whites Only.” The four men were denied service, but sat at the counter until the store closed early at 5 p.m.The next day, 25 men and four women joined the sit-in, but the movement gained national attention. More than 1,000 people participated in the protest over the next four days. Similar demonstrations took place in 55 cities across 13 states. ►A former Woolworth's busboy recounts meeting the Greensboro Four during the sit-ins in the video below. The sit-in played a crucial part in the Civil Rights Movement. Woolworth’s lunch counter served its first Black customers on July 25, 1960. The counter officially became desegregated the next day.You can visit Woolworth's lunch counter where the sit-in happened as part of visiting the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in downtown Greensboro. The museum offers tours and special events to learn about the Civil Rights Movement.Find out more about how to buy tickets. You can also visit the Greensboro Four monument on NC A&T State University's campus located at 202 University Circle in Greensboro. ►Check it out: John Swaine, CEO of ICRCM, talks about what's next for the museum and possibly turning the Woolworth lunch counter into a National Historic Landmark in this extended interview. ►Check it out: Extended interview with Roslyn Smith McLean, a Bennett College graduate who helped to plan the sit-in movement.MAGNOLIA HOUSE The historic Magnolia House is a must-see attraction. A grand, Victorian-style home at the corner of Gorrell and Plott streets in Greensboro, the property was listed in six editions of the Green Book, starting in 1955. The Green Book was an important guide to dining and accommodations for African Americans traveling through the segregated South. Listed on the National Historic Register, it was built in 1889 as a private residence. In 1949, the Plott family sold the 14-room, four-bath home to the Gist family, who established a hotel where Black people could stay.There's a lot of history in the old house, and a number of famous faces have walked through it. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black history; celebrated author James Baldwin; jazz greats Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton; baseball legends Jackie Robinson and Satchell Paige; singing sensations Ray Charles, Ike and Tina Turner — all stayed at The Magnolia House.You can stay in the Magnolia House or enjoy brunch or dinner, or even an event. Find out more by visiting the Magnolia House. Want more Black History Month? Check out all of our videos on our YouTube playlist below.UNDERGROUND RAILROAD SITE Another must-see attraction is located on Guilford College's campus. Trees surrounding Guilford College in Greensboro were once silent witnesses to the enslaved men and women who walked and sang in the surrounding woods before the campus existed.The Guilford College Woods Underground Railroad Educational Trail traces back 250 years.A road that runs through campus, Levi Coffin Drive, is named for the man often called the "president of the Underground Railroad," part of the network of Quakers who secretly helped people escape slavery through the woods.One of the members of the interracial network in Guilford County was a free Black woman named Vina Curry. She used her deceased husband's papers to help Black men gain freedom and took incredible risks. Many of the details of the Underground Railroad are documented at Guilford College, including the stories shared in the book, "Reminiscences Of Levi Coffin," published years after slavery ended.Guilford College Woods Underground Railroad Educational Trail was created in 2017. The trail leads to a champion tulip poplar tree, over 300 years old, known as the Underground Railroad Tree. You will also find trail markers, including nails in the trees that once guided those toward freedom. Find out more about tours and the Guilford College Woods Underground Railroad Educational Trail.CHARLOTTE HAWKINS BROWN MUSEUMThe Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum is another historic stop to visit. It was founded in 1902 by Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown as the Palmer Memorial Institute that helped transform the lives of more than 2,000 African American students. Visitors can explore the campus and upcoming events at the museum. The museum is located at 6136 Burlington Road in Gibsonville. Admission to the museum is free. Find out more about the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum. HISTORIC GOLF COURSES You can also hit a round of golf at two courses in the area that are significant to Black history. Play a round at Gillespie Golf Course, where six Black players fought for the right to play.Hit the links at Blair Park Municipal Golf Course, a trail site where segregation was fought in 1954, according to Visit North Carolina. DEEP DIVE INTO THE GREENSBORO 6 The story of the Greensboro 6 is one that’s left an important legacy, but it's a story many don’t know. They changed the game of golf in Greensboro and contributed to the fight for Civil Rights.Six days after Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, a group of men took a stand at a Gillespie Golf Course, which was whites-only at the time. They’re now known as the “Greensboro Six": Phillip Cooke, Samuel Murray, Elijah Herring, Joseph Studivent, George Simkins Jr., and Leon Wolfe.The men paid 75 cents each and teed off. After playing nine holes, they were arrested and charged with trespassing. Their case went before the Supreme Court, whose decision would later lead to the course being integrated by 1962. Now, all these years later, a mural was commissioned in their honor. JOHN COLTRANE Check out the childhood home of legendary jazz musician John Coltrane in High Point. Coltrane was born in 1926 and moved at three months old to live at a house located at 113 Price St. before moving to 118 Underhill St. in High Point. There's also a bronze statue in downtown High Point. The statue stands at the northeast corner of High Point City Hall at the intersection of Commerce Avenue and Hamilton Street. The Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival is also held in High Point. Find out more about John Coltrane's life and legacy. MAYA ANGELOU REMEMBERED When you think of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University, or poetry, or Civil Rights, you can't help but think of legend and trailblazer Maya Angelou. The city lost a one-of-a-kind beautiful soul in 2014 but her spirit remains a big part of the fabric of the city. In fact, former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about just that during her memorial service at Wake Forest University. The former first lady called Angelou "One of the greatest spirits the world has ever known." She added, "When I think about Maya Angelou, I think about the affirming power of her words. She didn't just want to be phenomenal herself, she wanted all of us to be phenomenal alongside her."Her leading roles in Civil Rights and the arts helped her make famous friends of Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela. Angelou was named an American studies professor at Wake Forest in 1982 despite never earning a college degree. Wake Forest University awarded Angelou an honorary degree in 1977. In 2002, the Wake Forest School of Medicine created The Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity to study racial and ethnic disparities in health care and health outcomes. ► Mobile users, find photos here: Funeral Service Photos | Life In Photos | Maya's Powerful QuotesNORTH CAROLINA CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL Did you know that North Carolina has a Civil Rights Trail? It highlights protests, community organizations, milestones court cases and more. The project is by the NC African American Heritage Commission and will feature up to 50 markers across the state as part of the Civil Rights Trail. Stops in Greensboro, High Point, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Shelby, Raleigh and Durham have already been added to the trail. Check out some other places that are being added to the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail and places you can visit across the state. PROTESTS, RALLIES AND SIT-INSHere are some other locations where sit-ins, protests, and rallies took place across the state.Adkin High School Walkout, KinstonElizabeth City Sit-Ins, Elizabeth CityKinston Sit-Ins, KinstonMonroe Swim-Ins, MonroeWatts Grill, Chapel Hill PODCASTS Want to learn more about Civil Rights in North Carolina? Check out significant moments as Black History is explored in North Carolina. Make sure to get the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail podcast. You'll also hear real stories of people who lived them. BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS Please check all event websites to verify nothing has changed since this article's publication.Thursday, Feb. 1International Civil Rights Center & Museum “Civil Rights Series” 6:30 p.m. 134 S. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 Civil rights leaders will highlight some pivotal points in the history of the United States. There will also be a private VIP reception with the speakers beforehand for sponsors.Friday, Feb. 2Black Business Summit 2024 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1922 South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Winston-Salem 27107 This event will gather entrepreneurs, professionals, and enthusiasts of Black-owned businesses. Participants can network with industry leaders. There will also be keynotes and interactive workshops. Buy tickets hereSaturday, Feb. 10CampOUT: Underground Railroad Educational Walk/Hike 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center, 5109 Ainsworth Drive, Greensboro, NC, 27410 This is a family-friendly guided walk of the Underground Railroad. Dr. Omar H. Ali will lead it and speak about the underground railroad's history. Ali is a historian of the global African Diaspora.Protect Black Freedoms Summit 10 a.m. The location is TBD, but it will be on Feb. 10 and 11 Organizers say this event is focused on shifting socio-economic situations You can also opt into the virtual session on Feb. 11 On Sunday, there will be three virtual workshop offerings and two embodiment practices for participants to learn and skill up together. This event centers on Black people but is open to all organizations committed to shifting the conditions of Black, poor, and working-class people across North Carolina. Buy tickets hereMonday, Feb. 12HBCU Made: A Celebration Of The Black College Experience 6 p.m. Donald Julian Reaves Student Activities Center Room 100 at Winston-Salem State University Tickets are free, but registration is required This will be a conversation event with Ayesha Rascoe in conversation with Dr. Santiba D. Campbell. It's organized by Bookmarks and Winston-Salem State University. For questions: email info@bookmarksnc.org or (336) 747-1471 x1001Wednesday, Feb. 21North Carolina A&T Speaker Series 2024 6 p.m. Corbett Sports Center, 405 N Benbow Road, Greensboro, 27401 Tickets will be available starting on Monday, Feb. 12, at the University Ticket Office Free and open to the public This is the second installment of the Harold L. Martin Sr. Chancellor's Speaker Series, "Standin' on Business." It features CEO, producer, actress, and writer Issa Rae. Alumna Toya Bynum of 2005 will moderate.Saturday, Feb. 24Chosen By Christ Ministries 8th Annual Black History Show 'Sounds of Blackness" 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. 1011 Junction Road, Durham, NC, 27704 There will be performances, powerful speeches, and captivating displays that honor the rich heritage and contributions of the Black community. Get your ticket hereAnytime this month African American History Walking Tours At any time, you can take a guided walking tour of Greensboro's Black history. It will take you to a hotel that housed some of America's most prestigious Black celebrities, to one of the earliest institutions for the education of African American women, and more.► Keep checking back here also for more listings throughout the month. INTERNATIONAL BLACK THEATRE FESTIVAL Winston-Salem is home to the International Black Theatre Festival. This year, it will take place July 29-Aug. 3. The event transforms Winston-Salem into a mega-performing arts center with more than 130 performances in several venues.Find out more about the International Black Theatre Festival here, including tickets. BUY BLACK GUIDE You can also help support Black business owners. Check out the Buy Black Guide for businesses in the area. You can also search by business type and also by city or ZIP code. Here are some Black businesses that have been featured on WXII 12 as part of the Buy Black Guide in support of Black business owners.