Hillsborough’s Black History; A Self-Guided Walking Tour

February 13, 2023

This walking tour offers a small glimpse into the vibrant and profound Black community that has flourished in Hillsborough, despite race laws, segregation, and discrimination throughout the history of North Carolina.

Enslaved and freed people of color lived amongst whites, and all races would have interacted daily, which has added to the complexity of this town’s history. Hillsborough had a large population of freed Blacks in the antebellum era, which was rare for a small southern town. They created their own communities within the larger town, most of which can still be seen today. Unfortunately, much of this history has been overlooked and lost over time; however, historians are now bringing a new focus to this important part of Hillsborough’s past and are making new discoveries that we are excited to share.

*Walking tours are made possible with the help of Alliance volunteers. Please email Annie@historichillsborough.org for volunteer information or to add a Hillsborough Black historical site to the walk.