Thursday is the 59th anniversary of the Chapel Hill Nine’s sit-ins, one of the first civil rights protests in Chapel Hill. On February 28, 1960, a group of students from the all-black Lincoln High school, inspired by the sit-ins in Greensboro earlier that month, organized their own demonstrations at the Colonial Drug Store on Franklin Street.

To commemorate that significant event in the local civil rights movement, the site of the new marker is to be dedicated Thursday at 5 p.m. where the drug store once stood, in front of what is now the West End Wine Bar.

Danita Mason-Hogans has been a key proponent behind this permanent historical marker. She spoke to WCHL’s Aaron Keck this week about her role on the Town’s Historic Civil Rights Commemorations Task Force that recommended its construction.

“This was just an opportunity to really dive into the local history and how this community was not only affected by the civil rights movement but sparked and inspired the civil rights movement.”

Mason-Hogans is the daughter of Dave Mason, one of the Chapel Hill Nine, and grew up with the stories of her father and others who organized for their civil rights.

The marker, which will contain pictures and descriptions of the sit-ins, is expected to be constructed and unveiled in February 2020, for the 60th anniversary of those early civil rights demonstrations.

Molly Luby, special programs coordinator of the Chapel Hill Public Library was a part of the conversation as well. She said she was happy to see this history become accessible to the wider community but also to the folks who witnessed it firsthand.

“The greatest thing I have watched is how this history, which had so long been in the hands of scholars, and in the history books, has moved into the hands of the people who have lived that history.”

After Thursday’s dedication, there will be a march to First Baptist Church for a community celebration of the dedication. Local singers will be on hand to put on a show, Mason-Hogans said, she expects it to be a joyous occasion to mark the remembrance of a vital history,

“The civil rights history in Chapel Hill can be really ugly, but the celebration of uncovering that history is a really beautiful thing.”

Related Stories
‹
Civil Rights Leaders Visit Chapel Hill, Advocate for SCOTUS Expansion
As the country awaits a ruling on the future of affirmative action in higher education, civil rights leaders visited Chapel Hill.
Photo Gallery: Chapel Hill Nine Memorial Marker Ceremony
Detours Planned for Chapel Hill Transit During Marker Unveiling Ceremony
The Town of Chapel Hill announced detours to buses that normally run on West Franklin Street for Friday, as a ceremony celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Chapel Hill Nine closes the street. Chapel Hill Transit shared detoured routes for the CW, F and J lines, which will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Friday and […]
Chapel Hill Honors 2 for Lifelong Commitment to Peace and Justice
Alongside the names of former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith, former Chapel Hill Town Council member Bill Thorpe and a handful of others, two more names engraved into the granite slab at Peace and Justice Plaza were revealed Wednesday. The honor is designated for members of the community who have been selected for demonstrating a […]
Chapel Hill 9 History Commemorated on Franklin Street
The Chapel Hill Nine were just high school students in 1960 when they staged sit-ins at a Franklin Street drug store that did not serve black customers at its counter. Now, nearly sixty years later, members of the Chapel Hill Nine were on hand to dedicate the land for a historical marker outside of the […]
The Evening News: Elliott Woods Apartments, Pittsboro Data Centers, Small Business Challenges
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition of the news, we hear about residents at Elliott Woods Apartments being forced to relocate for renovations. Chatham County continues to grapple with how to handle possible Data Center development, Chapel Hill small businesses navigate local barriers, and more. In sports, women's soccer closes their regular season home slate, football prepares to welcome #1, and more.
Chapel Hill: Halloween Weekend, Hedgepeth Reflection, LUMO Update
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, October 29, discussing town news and events. She talked about the upcoming Halloween weekend, featuring subdued celebrations compared to previous years in Chapel Hill. She also reflected on the Chapel Hill Police Department's role in the Faith Hedgepeth investigation and trial, as well as its impact on the community. She recapped the latest meeting of the Town Council, which saw more work on the Land Use Management Ordinance rewrite, and more.
On Air Today: A Farewell 'Community Mixtape,' from Chapel Hill Poet Laureate Donovan Livingston
Donovan Livingston is reaching the end of his term as Chapel Hill's poet laureate, but he's going out with a bang - and a mixtape.
The Morning News: Elliott Woods Residents Displaced, Early Voting Surpasses 2022
In today's news: residents at Elliott Woods and Chase Park in Chapel Hill sound the alarm after being displaced by renovations.
The Evening News: Constitutional Amendments, New Chapel Hill Park, Basketball Exhibition
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition of the news we hear more on the implications of proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall. We hear from Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson on a future town park being named after local icons, and more. In sports, the basketball team got a narrow win against Charlotte in their final tune-up before the regular season begins, and more.
›