February 1 …

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum (ICRCM) in Greensboro, NC preserves and interprets the history and legacy of the 1960 sit-ins and the broader civil and human rights movements while serving as an educational and cultural center.

The museum was inaugurated on February 1, 2010, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the original sit-in, during a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony. Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr. delivered a religious invocation and the three surviving members of the Greensboro Four — Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.) — were honored guests.

The museum’s narrative begins with the pivotal sit-in at the F.W. Woolworth lunch counter on February 1, 1960, carried out by four students from North Carolina A&T State University: Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil. This act sparked a nationwide sit-in movement.

In 1993, the nonprofit Sit-In Movement, Inc. was established to preserve this historic site and develop a museum. The organization undertook a successful capital campaign and oversaw renovations of the 1939 Woolworth building. Key figures in the museum’s founding include Earl Jones and Melvin “Skip” Alston, alongside longtime activists, veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, local civic leaders, and partnerships with North Carolina A&T State University.

The museum’s mission focuses on narrating the history of nonviolent direct action, civil and human rights, and social justice through its exhibit galleries, educational programming, and outreach efforts. Its permanent galleries, archival collections, the restored lunch counter, and rotating exhibits contextualize Greensboro’s sit-in within a national and international framework.

Key stakeholders include the board and staff of Sit-In Movement, Inc., descendants and participants of the sit-ins, North Carolina A&T State University, various levels of government, private donors, national funders, educators, scholars, and local community organizations. The museum serves a diverse audience, from K–12 student groups and university researchers to local residents and international visitors.

The ICRCM has received accolades and recognition for its efforts in preservation and education. It bestows the Alston-Jones International Civil & Human Rights Award, named after its founders, alongside other annual awards honoring activists and civic leaders. The Woolworth building and museum have been listed on the National Register and were designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in December 2024.

Attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum has gained recognition in regional and national media for its vital role in preserving the history and lessons of the sit-in movement.