North Carolina sites rooted in Black history
Hundreds of sites important to Black history are at risk of disappearing as buildings sit abandoned, forgotten, or dismissed amid urban renewal and climate change.
- Yes, but: North Carolina is home to a number that are still standing.
Why it matters: The sites tell stories about abolition, civil rights, and Black entertainment, Axios' Russell Contreras and Keldy Ortiz report.
What's next: National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is working to save 200 Black heritage places, from schools to churches. It's awarded millions in grants.
Zoom in: St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, whose mission is to preserve The Hayti Heritage Center in Durham, is among those that have received funding.
- The money has gone to restoring stained glass windows and repairing and replacing window parts, the center said on its website.
Other historically significant sites around N.C. include:
- Walnut Cove Colored School
- The Historic Magnolia House, in Greensboro
- The Nina Simone Childhood Home, in Tryon
- St. Stephen African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Wilmington
Go deeper: The rush to save fading Black history

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