Grassroots History

No community can be all it can be without knowing, learning from, and being strengthened by its story. There is a long history of ignoring, distorting, and/or co-opting the rich, vibrant history of people of color, especially as it relates to the struggles for social transformation. The purpose of the BCC Grassroots History group is to authenticate and preserve with historic accuracy and integrity the social change movement of Greensboro and Guilford County, North Carolina.

With this as our focus, we sponsor an annual Grassroots Hall of Fame program, maintain an ongoing grassroots history display, sponsor seminars, workshops, and other programs to acknowledge the contributions of ordinary and diverse people from our community. Increasingly, BCC is also visited by sister organizations interested in learning more about BCC's innovative community building initiatives. The Grassroots History Project hosts a number of national tour groups for university, high school, and community groups who are retracing the footprints of the Civil Rights movement through Greensboro.  Recent visitors have come from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, and New Mexico, Detroit, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.


For more information on the BCC's Grassroots History Working Group, please contact Lewis Brandon.

Recent News & Views:

An open letter to Dr. Chafe

by Robert P. Foxworth

Labels: A prose poem

by Jean Rodenbough

Framing the Beloved Community Context and Approach

by Rev. Nelson Johnson

Photo Galleries:

BCC Board Retreat

photographed by Lewis Brandon
photos taken on Apr. 11, 2008 — Apr. 12, 2008

The Beloved Community Center staff, board, and some volunteers went to Dudley Inn in Kernersville for a weekend of retreat, deepening our relationships to one another and our commitment to the work. During the course of our day and a half retreat, over 35 board members, staff members, volunteers, and community partners joined our circle of discussion. We truly had an intergenerational gathering, from 16 year old teens to almost 80 year old seniors. Everybody's contribution was so meaningful and so important, including written reports, rich working group discussions, spiritual practices, sharing personal stories, poetry, music and priceless bonding and fellowship.

Kerner Report Plus 40

photographed by Lewis Brandon
photos taken on Feb. 25, 2008

NC A&T State University hosted a symposium focused on the effect of the Kerner Commission Report 40 years later. Rev. Nelson Johnson spoke on a panel moderated by Dr. Claude Barnes on the subject, "The Kerner Report’s Impact on the Black Power Movement." Other panelist included Amelia Parker, executive director, International Civil Rights Center & Museum, Greensboro, NC and Jamal Turner, former Black Panther & lecturer, Department of English, NC A&T State University.

Revisiting Sustainable African American Communities in the Greater Greensboro Area

photographed by Lewis Brandon
photos taken on Feb. 24, 2008

The Grassroots History working group observed Greensboro's bicentennial by highlighting historic sustainable African American communities around the city. Lewis Brandon curated a gallery of pictures and an opening panel discussion from residents of several historic African American neighborhoods.