The Carolina Theatre opened in February 1926 and was the first theatre in Durham to admit African-Americans, though ticket lines, seating and lounge areas remained segregated. The following year, the famous African-American opera singer, Marian Anderson performed for an audience of multiple races, a landmark event in the state of North Carolina.
However, the history of The Carolina Theatre wasn't always so inclusive. As racial tensions reached a head in the early 1960's, there were several demonstrations outside of the theatre where African-Americans were denied entry. Protesters performed a "round-robin" demonstration in which protestors would attempt to buy tickets and after they were denied, would head to the back of the line to wait for their chance again. After concentrated efforts by both protestors and the newly-elected mayor, Wayne Grabarek, in the summer of 1963 the Carolina Theatre officially de-segregated.
Since the 1960's, the city of Durham has acquired ownership of the theatre. Several restoration efforts have been successful in returning this amazing place back to its original Beaux-Arts architectural style. Most recently, The Carolina Theatre was able to fund a three-phase historical series through the crowd-funding platform, Kickstarter to prominently display the many ups and downs of its history.
We are heading to The Carolina Theatre for the first very time in March to catch the always amazing Aziz Ansari. We cannot wait to take in its awe-inspiring beauty and history in person. Another great show to make sure not to miss out on at The Carolina Theatre is Brett Dennen, an incredible acoustic performer who is sure to take command of the main stage, known as Fletcher Hall. We cannot wait to sit amongst so much history and leave a little bit of our amongst the storied walls of The Carolina Theatre.
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