Born in Henderson, North Carolina, Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown was an educator, author, and civil rights leader. She founded the Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia, N.C. and transformed the lives of more than 1,000 African American students. 

Dr. Brown’s house and surrounding campus was designated as a state historic site in 1987, the first site in North Carolina to honor an African American woman. Several buildings of the Palmer Institute were named on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in May 2022.

We will embark on a 90-minute tour of both Canary Cottage (where she hosted illustrious guests such as Langston Hughes!) and the campus. The outdoor campus will be explored by bus and will conclude at the picnic shelter, where we will enjoy our lunches brought from home.

Note: Please be mindful that this trip involves a mix of standing and walking. Canary Cottage is accessible and will have limited seating available. Please bring your lunch from home to enjoy outside at the picnic shelter. We will have a rain plan for lunch if needed.

Includes: Transportation by bus, guided indoor and outdoor tour

Depart: McKimmon Center at 9:00 am

The bus will pick up outside the front entrance of the McKimmon Center a few minutes before departure. Please arrive in plenty of time to park your vehicle and meet the group. OLLI Special Programs Coordinator, Lindsey Hale, will meet you on arrival and will accompany the group on the study trip. You will receive a reminder email approximately one week before the date with further instructions on where to meet.

Return: Approximately 1:30 pm

Registration Deadline: March 4