The North Carolina Civil Rights Trail is pleased to announce the opening of its sixth cycle of applications for its trail markers.
The N.C. Civil Rights Trail is a program within the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission that marks the historic events and people of the Civil Rights Movement across North Carolina with a distinctive “walk-up” marker. Between 2021 and 2025 the commission aims to place trail markers at 50 sites across the state, with ten of those sites in rural Hometown Strong communities. To date, 19 trail markers have been awarded across the state, with a total of 25 markers on the virtual trail. An interactive web portal highlights these places and others to guide people to history and experiences from the past.
This program is made possible by funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and with the support of Visit North Carolina and the North Carolina Office of Archives and History.
Applications for the program are open through June 14, 2024. For more information on the trail and the application for a trail marker, visit NC Civil Rights Trail on the commission’s website or email nccivilrightstrail@ncdcr.gov.
About the N.C. Civil Rights Trail:
An initiative of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission with support from Visit North Carolina and the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the N.C. Civil Rights Trail will be developed with community involvement across the state. Forty to 50 sites will be designated with at least 10 in Tier I and 2 rural North Carolina counties in alignment with Gov. Roy Cooper’s Hometown Strong initiative. Completion of the program is targeted for January 2023 at a cost of $173,500 to cover a full-time program coordinator; development of a digital GIS map; development of an interactive web portal, featuring at least 150 sites; and up to 50 physical community-based markers. https://aahc.nc.gov/programs/civil-rights-trail
About the N.C. African American Commission
Created in 2008, the African American Heritage Commission is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The commission works across the department to preserve, protect and promote the state’s African American history, art and culture for all people. Its endeavors include the identification of heritage sites, compiling resources for educators, extending the work of national programs such as the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom Underground Railroad, and independent initiatives including Oasis Spaces: Green Book Project. aahc.nc.gov
About the William G. Pomeroy Foundation
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history; and to raising awareness, supporting research and improving the quality of care for patients and their families who are facing a blood cancer diagnosis. One of their initiatives is helping people to celebrate their community’s history. They meet this by providing grants to obtain signage in the form of roadside markers and plaques. Since 2006, they have funded over 1,300 signs across the United States, all the way to Alaska. Wgpfoundation.org
About Visit North Carolina
Visit NC is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that oversees the state's efforts in business and job recruitment and retention, international trade, and tourism, film and sports development. Visit NC’s mission is to unify and lead the state in developing North Carolina as a major destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production. One of the state’s most vital industries, tourism generates economic activity and employment in each of the state’s 100 counties. In 2019, domestic travelers to North Carolina spent $26.7 billion and accounted for 235,703 jobs. VisitNC.com
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.