The story of the Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 will take center stage during a special First Friday double feature film event in Greensboro on March 6, 2026. Hosted at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the program explores how Black artists, activists, and students challenged racial discrimination in film and reshaped cultural representation during the Jim Crow era.
This community event will bring together historians, journalists, and local residents to reflect on an important chapter of North Carolina history. The double feature will highlight both the historic Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 and the remarkable story behind the first movie in North Carolina to feature an all-Black cast.
The event will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET in the Museum Auditorium and is free and open to the public.
The Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 and Bennett College Students
The Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 represents a powerful moment of cultural resistance led by members of the Black community, including students from Bennett College. At the time, Jim Crow censorship and segregation severely limited how Black people were portrayed in film and entertainment.
Bennett College students joined community leaders in protesting discriminatory practices that controlled which films could be shown to Black audiences and how Black stories were represented on screen. Their activism challenged racial barriers in the arts and demonstrated how students could organize to confront injustice.
Dr. Lorraine Ahearn of Elon University will present research on how Bennett students helped shape the protest movement and how the Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 became part of the broader struggle for civil rights in North Carolina.
This history reflects a long tradition of activism among Bennett Belles, whose leadership would later echo in movements such as the Greensboro sit-ins of 1960.
North Carolina’s First Film with an All-Black Cast
The second presentation of the afternoon will focus on the groundbreaking story behind North Carolina’s first movie featuring an all-Black cast, produced in 1948.
Journalist Skip Foreman of the Greensboro News & Record will explore the film’s cultural significance and the artists who made it possible during a time when opportunities for Black actors and filmmakers were extremely limited.
The film demonstrated how Black creatives pushed beyond systemic barriers to create their own spaces for storytelling and representation. By producing films that reflected authentic Black experiences, these artists helped challenge the stereotypes and restrictions that dominated mainstream media.
Together, the stories shared during the event highlight the intersection of activism, art, and cultural expression in North Carolina history.
A Historic Setting for Civil Rights Conversations
The First Friday program will be held at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, located at 134 South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. The museum stands at the site of the historic Woolworth lunch counter where four North Carolina A&T students helped to launch the 1960 Greensboro sit-in movement.
Hosting a discussion about the Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 in this historic location reinforces the city’s long legacy of civil rights activism and community engagement.
The event encourages attendees to reflect on how cultural movements, including film and media, played a role in challenging segregation and promoting social change.
Learn more about the museum at
https://www.sitinmovement.org
Event Details
First Friday Double Feature Film Event
Date: March 6, 2026
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: International Civil Rights Center & Museum
Address: 134 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC 27401
Admission is free and open to the public.
Community members, students, and history enthusiasts are invited to attend and learn how the Greensboro Movie Boycott of 1938 helped shape cultural resistance and storytelling in North Carolina.
