The front of the ICRCM stays true to history by maintaining the design of F.W. Woolworth’s Co., the location of the Greensboro sit-ins. Photo by Fatima Nadeem
Alternating blue and orange stools sit in an L-shaped formation, facing a collaged wall of newspaper clippings, menu items and kitchen sinks. This diner set-up is the cornerstone of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum (ICRCM), which houses many artifacts from the F.W. Woolworth Building, the site of the Greensboro sit-in protests.
Immersed in history, visitors learn about the struggle, setbacks and successes of the Civil Rights movement through guided tours featuring archival footage, popular freedom hymns and memorial sites. William Harris, the museum’s principal scholar, said he appreciates that the ICRCM hones in on contributions of female activists in the Greensboro sit-in, as he believes that many civil rights museums overlook the impact of women from Bennett College and other HBCU institutions.
Museum visitors Susan Meadors and Martha Hutson said that this emphasis largely impacted their decision to tour the ICRCM.
“I liked hearing about the women of the movement,” Hutson said. “These kinds of places that educate and take us back to those experiences and the courage of those folks, it’s really important.”
Originally from Mississippi, the women were also drawn to the ICRCM because of its commemoration of Fannie Lou Hammer, a civil rights activist from their hometown who, they said, is a “mother of the movement.”
They also said they valued the museum’s efforts to tell a story that not only reflects on the past but inspires the future. Dillon Tyler, tour coordinator of the ICRCM, noted a specific instance when students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida arrived to see the museum as part of their nationwide tour to advocate for gun safety after losing 17 of their peers in a school shooting.
Tyler offered to lead the tour and revealed that he was a victim of a school shooting himself. He said that he hopes to inspire students to fight for change.
“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room by the end of it,” Tyler said. “It was such a powerful moment. In fact, one of the students just came up and gave me a hug afterward.”
Jeanne Dulin, one of ICRCM’s many docents, said the museum represents an important landmark in the fight for civil rights.
“The museum means to me how important it is for us to continue the struggle because we’re not there yet,” Dulin said. “That’s why this museum is so important. It is here to remind us of where we’ve come from, where we’re going, and we have to keep telling the story.”
Jeanne Dulin, a docent with the ICRCM, talks about how the museum stands for freedom and justice. She said it is important to continue educating younger generations for a better future. Photo by Fatima Nadeem
Harris said that the museum hopes to continue expanding its reach, specifically through the distinction of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“We feel very confident that we’re in good shape for that,” Harris said. “We’ve spent years, four years, preparing for that nomination and for its consideration. We went through two phases of consideration for that. It’s quite extensive, quite rigorous, and we’re very happy we succeeded.”
The designation is important to the ICRCM, Harris said, because of what it means to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site: an area considered of “outstanding universal value to humanity,” according to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
“Our goal there is to come to terms with our name, which is ‘international,’ and to deal with civil rights matters and human rights matters across the world, and to come up with ideas that are relevant beyond the United States,” Harris said.
Jumana Alsaadoon was born in Damascus, Syria, and raised there until she was 9 before immigrating to Harrisonburg, Virginia. Now, she is a rising senior at Harrisonburg High School, where she is captain of the speech team, founder of an advocacy group called Girls Association and vice president of the Equity Student Association. Alsaadoon is passionate about international relations and journalism. During her junior year, she was the editor-in-chief of HHS Media’s website, which she redesigned and for which she reported on global and local issues, such as book banning, a paper genocide and protests. In her senior year, she will run the newspaper, website, broadcast and yearbook of her school’s publication. She plans on pursuing journalism in college.
Arti Jain lives in St. Louis and attends Ladue Horton Watkins High School. She’s been an avid reader and writer since third grade, often devouring a book in mere hours. Next year, Arti will be the executive editor-in-chief of her school’s news site, Ladue Publications, leading 50 staffers in producing the website, newsmagazine, magazine and literary magazine. She also works a part-time job at Meyers-Okohson Political Consulting, is a member of her speech & debate team and serves on the Ladue Leadership Council. In her free time, Arti enjoys Bharatanatyam dance (an Indian classical style) and playing the violin. Arti hopes to pursue a career in journalism, specifically focusing on underrepresented and diverse groups.
Fatima Nadeem grew up in both Thomasville, North Carolina, and Gujranwala, Pakistan. She currently lives in High Point, North Carolina. As an avid reader and writer since childhood, Fatima has been able to grow along with her passion, which has developed into a love for advocacy. Growing up in two different corners of the globe has sparked a love for learning about immigration. In the future, she hopes to work in a position that allows her to positively impact and fight for the rights of immigrants and refugees. To fuel her deep love for driving change through leadership, Fatima leads multiple initiatives, such as her school’s Journalism Team, a community service club, Student Ambassadors and more. Beyond this, she has worked for various legislators in her state and advocated for policies she is passionate about. She enjoys reading, cross-stitching and spending time with loved ones.
