The Magic of the Fourth Ward is now open at Betty Ray McCain Art Gallery and tells the story of this predominantly Black neighborhood before urban renewal impacts in the 1970s.
The Fourth Ward — now south of downtown — was established by newly freed people after the Civil War, and the exhibit chronicles the historic neighborhood with photos, artifacts, records, and resident stories, many of which were collected by NC State graduate students as part of the Fourth Ward Oral History Project.
“The Fourth Ward is finally being formally recognized as one of the largest Black neighborhoods,” said community activist and Fourth Ward historian Octavia Rainey in a press release. “This achievement honors the history of our neighborhood and legacy of the three Black churches that were removed during urban renewal.”
You can visit the permanent exhibit on the first Thursday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and during all public performances at the Martin Marietta Center.
