Statesville Convention & Visitors Bureau and City of Statesville to Host Civil Rights Marker Unveiling

Public Invited to Attend Ceremony at Statesville Historical Collection

The Statesville Convention & Visitors Bureau, in partnership with the City of Statesville, will host a public unveiling of a Civil Rights Marker honoring the 1960 Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in.

The marker was secured through an application to the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission as part of its statewide initiative to identify and physically mark sites critical to the Civil Rights Movement in North Carolina.

For generations, communities across the state have used spaces and places to organize, protest, and advance civil rights. Through this initiative, the African American Heritage Commission aims to place 50 markers in counties across North Carolina, highlighting both well-known and unsung civil rights efforts.

Statesville’s inclusion recognizes the local impact of the 1960 sit-in movement and affirms the city’s place within North Carolina’s broader Civil Rights story.

The ceremony will take place at the Statesville Historical Collection, home to the recreated Woolworth’s counter exhibit that commemorates the courage of those who participated in the peaceful protest movement that helped shape our community and our nation.

WHAT:

Civil Rights Marker Unveiling & Open House

WHEN:

Thursday, February 26, 2026

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Unveiling ceremony promptly at 11:00 AM

WHERE:

Statesville Historical Collection

117 S Center St

Statesville, NC 28677

Unveiling will take place on the sidewalk in front of the Collection. The unveiling represents a collaborative community effort, supported by local civic, preservation, and business organizations.

The event is free and open to the public. Community members and media are encouraged to attend.