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Ignite Greensboro raises money for civil rights museum

Thursday, March 26, 2009

(Updated 4:54 pm)

By Jennifer Fernandez
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO — Just $2. If half of Greensboro’s college students donated $2, at least $30,000 could be raised for a good cause.

UNCG junior Zimuzor Ugochukwu, 20, put that idea into practice Thursday to support the International Civil Rights Museum - and, she hopes, to foster civic responsibility in fellow students.

Ugochukwu, a biology major, created Ignite Greensboro this year. The group, which includes students from UNCG, A&T, Greensboro College and Bennett College, started soliciting donations at its first event Thursday.

“I figured since it was for a good cause, why not?” said Jasmyn Alston, 20, a junior from Greensboro who donated on her way to lunch at Elliott University Center at UNCG.

The group raised about $226 on Thursday.

“We’re excited,” Ugochukwu said. “We have a whole entire year to go.”

Ignite Greensboro’s goal is to raise $30,000 to $50,000.

“I definitely think it can be done,” she said.

The money will be used to support the museum, bring in speakers and pay for scholarships and service projects. Details, such as the nature of the scholarships, still need to be worked out, Ugochukwu said. Committees will be formed this summer to help hash out those details.

The museum, in the former F.W. Woolworth Co. building on Elm Street, is under construction. Four A&T students in 1960 sparked a nonviolent protest movement by sitting at the Woolworth lunch counter to protest the whites-only policy.

UNCG junior Chantal Jones, 21, was among dozens of students who volunteered to promote Ignite Greensboro on Thursday at various sites on campus.

“We’re trying to raise awareness about the museum,” she told two fellow students, who left with information pamphlets.

Many students don’t even know about the museum, Jones said.

Junior Damian Williams, 20, of Rocky Mount said supporting the museum should be important even for students who don’t come from Greensboro.

“It’s informative for the students,” he said. “It’s good to learn something new any day.”

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com

MORE ELSEWHERE

International Civil Rights Museum

Zim Ugochukwu's Twitter feed

Greensboro Sit-ins: Launch of a Civil Rights Movement

WANT TO HELP?

To donate, or for more information, email Zimuzor Ugochukwu

What do you think?

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kikablue

March 26, 2009 - 6:41 pm EDT

What happened to all the money they were bragging about having just a month or two ago. I don't think it's right to expect the colleges to bail them out with money. I'm sorry to say but this is costing Greensboro citizens to much.

gboro84

March 26, 2009 - 9:53 pm EDT

Ms. Ugochukwu, please, if you want this museum to open, DO NOT GIVE ONE CENT OF THIS TO SKIP ALSTON, THE GREENSBORO CHAPTER OF THE NAACP, OR ANYONE INVOLVED WITH THESE PEOPLE!!!

zcugochu

March 26, 2009 - 11:38 pm EDT

Good evening!
I think that there is a little misinterpretation with where the money will be donated. This money is completely independent of the opening of the museum. This money [the goal is $30,000] will be donated in four parts. Part to the museum itself, part to bringing speakers from the national, international and local stage into the city of Greensboro. They will talk about their lives during the Civil Rights Era, their dreams and aspirations during that time and what they want us as a generation to take from those experiences, to apply them to our lives to ultimately make us better citizens. Part of the money will go scholarships that will serve four brackets: Elementary, Middle School, High School and College students. Contests will be enacted, and there will be an art entity and an essay entity. All will have to deal with the history of Greensboro. An annual celebratory gala will ensue. The last part of the funds we raise will go to fund service efforts that we take part in for years to come.
You see, this project is a lot bigger than myself, it is a lot bigger than all of us who are involved. It is a student-led, student-built and student-run project aimed to reestablish a sense of obligation to the community, culture and history of Greensboro. This project aims and seeks to bridge commonalities between students, institutions and the community. The opening of the International Civil Rights Museum is the driving force for this project. We think of the ideal of the museum and what it has the capability of bringing into the city of Greensboro.

We are just students, giving back to students and the community.

gboro84

March 27, 2009 - 3:55 pm EDT

"Part of the money will go scholarships that will serve four brackets: Elementary, Middle School, High School and College students."

-Scholarships will be made available to white students also? Or just blacks, asians, and hispanics?

zcugochu

March 28, 2009 - 4:06 pm EDT

Scholarships are open to visionaries in their own brackets, regardless of their race or ethnicity. This project is meant to be as diverse a project as possible.
Hope this helps.

-Zim

gboro84

March 29, 2009 - 1:46 am EDT

Thank you for taking the time to make well known the intentions of your project. I hope you do not view my comments as belittling your efforts. Just understand, that this city is very skeptical when it comes to ANYTHING having to do with race, and especially the Civil Rights Museum. I hope very much that your efforts can help end this. Good luck to you. When and where can I donate my $2?

zcugochu

March 29, 2009 - 6:23 pm EDT

I understand. Thank you so much for your understanding as I do know that these past years have been very frustrating for many citizens in Greensboro. We are doing everything in our power to make this project as transparent as possible. I appreciate your concern and I will do everything I can to answer any questions that you or anyone else may have. You can donate at www.ignitegreensboro.org, Or you can donate in person at one of the exhibitions. The website will have an updated list of all the exhibitions, trainings and events that are going on with the project.

Best of luck to you!

Zim