Safe House Black History Museum: A Sanctuary of Civil Rights History

The Safe House Black History Museum stands as a powerful testament to the Civil Rights Movement in the heart of Alabama's Black Belt. Located in Greensboro, this unassuming shotgun-style house provided safe harbor for Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. on March 21, 1968, when the KKK was looking for him. Just two weeks later, King was assassinated in Memphis, making this site all the more significant. Theresa Burroughs, a close friend of the King family and active participant in the Civil Rights Movement, established the museum in 2002 to document the local struggle for equality. The museum displays a collection of relics from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement, including many unpublished photographs of the Greensboro marches, Bloody Sunday in Selma, and the triumphant march from Selma to Montgomery. A cement cast of the hands of Lewis Black, who founded the Hale County Civic Improvement League, one of the country's first civil-rights groups, is also on display. The Auburn Rural Studio renovated the museum, connecting the original house with an adjacent shotgun house. The exterior was restored to its original condition, and a glass hallway was added between the two buildings, with one glass wall covered with images of protest marchers. The second house now serves as a gallery, classroom, and computer lab. A visit to the Safe House offers a glimpse into the often-overlooked stories of the Civil Rights Movement in small, rural towns. It serves as a reminder of the courage and resilience of those who fought for equality in the face of adversity.