By: Dominique Heath, Guest Columnist
For nearly a century, the Carolina Theatre has been a central part of Durham’s cultural landscape. However, beyond its role as an entertainment hub, the theater also played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. During the 1960s, as a city-owned institution, it became a battleground for the fight against segregation, with local activists challenging discriminatory policies and paving the way for integration.
A Segregated Institution
When the Carolina Theatre opened as the Durham Auditorium in 1926, it quickly became a venue for major cultural events, drawing performances from national artists such as Marian Anderson and Tallulah Bankhead. However, like many theaters in the South, it operated under Jim Crow laws, restricting Black patrons to the balcony while white patrons occupied the main floor.
Even as the theater was remodeled in 1929 and renamed The Carolina, these segregationist policies persisted, reflecting the broader racial injustices of the era. Black moviegoers were forced to use separate entrances and restrooms, a practice that continued into the 1960s despite growing calls for change.
The Civil Rights Movement Reaches The Carolina
By the early 1960s, Durham had become a hotspot for civil rights activism, and the Carolina Theatre found itself at the center of the struggle. As a publicly funded institution, activists argued that it had no right to continue enforcing segregation. Leading the charge was attorney Floyd B. McKissick, alongside youth leaders from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), including John Edwards, Vivian McCoy, and Walter Riley.
In March 1962, these activists launched “Round Robin” protests, a form of nonviolent resistance where Black patrons would repeatedly approach the whites-only ticket window, get denied service, and then rejoin the line to demand entry again. These protests drew national attention and placed immense pressure on city leaders to take action.
Breaking the Barriers
The tide began to turn in 1963 with the election of Wense Grabarek as mayor. Acknowledging the growing movement, Grabarek worked to persuade the Carolina Theatre’s management to integrate. In July 1963, the theater officially ended segregation—two months before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech and nearly a year before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated desegregation nationwide.
This victory at the Carolina Theatre was a landmark moment in Durham’s civil rights history. It demonstrated the power of grassroots activism and set a precedent for other businesses and public spaces to follow suit.
In the 1980s, during a major restoration, the Carolina Theatre uncovered the hidden segregated balcony, serving as a powerful reminder of its past. The theater’s journey from segregation to integration highlights the resilience of Durham’s civil rights activists. Today, the Carolina Theatre remains a cultural landmark, celebrating its history and continuing to foster inclusivity as it marks its 99th year.
