Our Story

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS CENTER & MUSEUM

Our Story

Mission Statement

Animating the iconic F.W. Woolworth's landmark, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum opened in 2010 as a comprehensive museum of the Civil Rights Movement and an innovative educational organization devoted to understanding and advancing civil and human rights in this country and the world. It commemorates the Feb. 1, 1960, sit-ins at a whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro by four Black college students from North Carolina A&T State University — David Richmond, Frank McCain, Ezell Blair, and Joseph McNeil. Their non-violent direct action ignited the Sit-In Movement that renewed the Civil Rights Movement as a whole, challenging the Americans to make good on promises of personal equality and civic inclusion enunciated in the Constitution. The ICRCM commemorates the brave and visionary advocacy of full citizenship and social justice.

Experience our permanent galleries with virtual or on-site visits.

Explore the story of the civil rights struggle in the United States as part of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum's permanent galleries, The Battlegrounds. This engaging encounter includes captivating audio/video narratives, pictorial depictions, artifacts, video re-enactments, and interactive components.

Get a free copy of the Museum's Concept Primer.

Get an introduction to the Museum's central civic concepts and themes with a complimentary copy of the Museum's Concept Primer.

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Helen Suzman:
Fighter for Human Rights

The Virtual Exhibit

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Participate in thoughtful programming year-round.

From workshops and film screenings, to lectures and cultural events, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum provides a rich calendar of events for all ages and backgrounds.

See Upcoming Events