North Carolina sites rooted in Black history
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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