Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum State Historic Site

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum State Historic Site North Carolina’s first State Historic Site to honor an African American and a Woman. Our site offers tours, activities, and private rentals.

The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum is North Carolina’s first and only official State Historic Site to honor an African American and a woman. The site is the former Palmer Memorial Institute, an African American preparatory school established by Brown in 1902. The historic site opened to the public in 1987 and has as its mission to preserve and interpret the history and cultural legacy of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Palmer Memorial Institute and African American education. Visitors can explore and learn about a unique environment where many African American boys and girls lived and learned during the greater part of the 20th Century. Call today to set something up! Additional links to uncover more about the legacy of Dr. Brown:
http://ncpedia.org/biography/brown-charlotte-hawkins -1344
http://www.biography.com/people/charlotte-hawkins-brown-206525
and a selection from a fantastic PBS documentary, "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow"
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_people_brown.html

Are you a budding filmmaker with a story to tell? Want your work to be shown in a historic setting? Enter your film in t...
09/12/2026

Are you a budding filmmaker with a story to tell? Want your work to be shown in a historic setting? Enter your film in the 2nd Annual Sedalia Film Festival!

The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum hosts the annual Sedalia Film Festival in the historic town of Sedalia, NC. This festival is a special celebration to honor the legacies of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown and Palmer Memorial Institute by highlighting films that showcase stories of legacy, heritage, and education; Through the power of cinema, we strive to preserve the spirit of resilience and tenacity, holding true to the rich history of CHB and PMI. This event is free and open to the public.

This year's theme is HERITAGE. In honor of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown and the work she championed, we highly encourage filmmakers with stories emphasizing education, equality, civil rights, or North Carolina to submit!

Submit your film here: https://filmfreeway.com/SedaliaFilmFestival

Looking for a place to bring your students this school year? Bring them to CHB! They will have the chance to take a tour...
09/09/2026

Looking for a place to bring your students this school year? Bring them to CHB! They will have the chance to take a tour of Canary Cottage, Dr. Brown's historic home, and of Palmer Memorial Institute's campus. Education programs are also available as an enhanced portion of your visit!

Contact April Finley, our Education Coordinator, if you are interested in crafting an experience for your students and leaving with a little Palmer Spirit of your own!

email: [email protected]
phone: 336-449-3310

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey." This sunflower brought CHB's staff immen...
09/05/2026

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey."

This sunflower brought CHB's staff immense joy this past summer! It was grown in our very own community garden. Tell us in the comments about something that brought you joy over this last summer!

Rainbow chard, peppers and squash, oh my!Stop by the Visitor Center at the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum to pick up som...
09/03/2026

Rainbow chard, peppers and squash, oh my!

Stop by the Visitor Center at the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum to pick up some produce fresh from our Community Garden!

Want to get involved with the garden? Sign up at the link below! https://www.tinyurl.com/chbgarden

Have you wondered what other 20th century Black-led institutions existed in the U.S.? Come on over to another installmen...
09/01/2026

Have you wondered what other 20th century Black-led institutions existed in the U.S.? Come on over to another installment of Palmer Presents: Salon Conversations on Friday, September 18, 2026 at 6 pm to learn about one!

We will explore the life and work of Doris Allen Anderson, founder and leader of the Howalton Day School in Chicago, IL. This school and its progressive curriculum was a haven for Chicago's Black community from 1946 to 1999. Dr. Worth K. Hayes, author of Schools of Our Own: Chicago’s Golden Age of Black Private Education and a coming biography of Doris Allen Anderson, will lead this conversation.

We are excited to host you in our salon!

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/PalmerPresentsSept2026

Feel free at give us a call at (336) 449-3310 or email us at [email protected] if you have questions about this event!

LAST CALL!! The Sedalia Singers Project needs you!!Are y'all ready for a new way to be involved on a different level wit...
08/30/2026

LAST CALL!! The Sedalia Singers Project needs you!!

Are y'all ready for a new way to be involved on a different level with the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum? Singers, choir directors, choral conductors, and musicians: we need your help! Join our 3rd informational meeting about a new initiative, The Sedalia Singers Project, on Tuesday, September 1, at 6 pm on Zoom. You can sign up for the meeting here: https://www.tinyurl.com/SedaliaSingersProject.

Share this opportunity with all who you feel might be interested! AANNDD slide to see a sneak peek at the rehearsal schedule.

We hope to see you in the room!

Check out another Campus Spotlight from the area of our community garden:"I enjoy taking walks near the butterfly bush. ...
08/28/2026

Check out another Campus Spotlight from the area of our community garden:

"I enjoy taking walks near the butterfly bush. It helps me reset my focus for the day!" - Our friend, Susan.

If you would like your favorite spot or a place on campus that inspires you to be featured in a future , please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line "Campus Spotlight":

1. A photo (taken by you) or video (recorded by you using your own voice, as you are able) of your favorite spot or a place on PMI's campus that inspires you.

2. A written description of your favorite spot or a place on campus that inspires you location and why it appeals to you. This description should be spoken if you are submitting a video. This description would form the caption for your photo/video if chosen for public posting.

All submissions will be evaluated for appropriateness and adherence to instructions. Submissions that are shared publicly are at the discretion of site staff. We look forward to learning more about the spots on campus that speak to you, our visitors!

📸 Susan Huynh

Looking to get your hands in soil before the summer ends? Or celebrate the end of the first week of school? Would you li...
08/26/2026

Looking to get your hands in soil before the summer ends? Or celebrate the end of the first week of school? Would you like to learn more about fall growing? Join us Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 10 am for a Fall Gardening Workshop featuring Planted Soul Life and the NC Cooperative Extension!

Palmer Presents: Let's Grow Together will be an immersive experience where people will learn about PMI's agricultural history, learn the importance of keeping and how to maintain houseplants, AND learn more about what grows best in the fall. Participants can start a 5-gallon grow bag to take home and are encouraged to get their hands dirty in the CHB community garden. The workshop will close with a seed swap and an invitation to taste items grown in partner gardens. Kids are welcome! The first 30 registrants will receive growing materials to take home.

Families, individuals, and groups should register in advance online: https://tinyurl.com/CHBFallGarden2026. See you all soon!

We are in the LAST WEEK of our annual school supply drive! Have you donated yet? If not, bring any supplies featured on...
08/24/2026

We are in the LAST WEEK of our annual school supply drive! Have you donated yet? If not, bring any supplies featured on the list here to the Visitors' Center at CHB (6136 Burlington Road, Gibsonville, NC 27249). Collection will remain open until the end of August (Aug. 31).

See you, with your donated supplies, soon!

Address

6136 Burlington Road
Gibsonville, NC
27249

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13364493310

Website

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