MUSE Winston-Salem

06/19/2026

On this day—June 19, 1976—the Winston-Salem Chronicle ran the “Local Girl Gets Yale Scholarship” article you see here. If you think you recognize the smiling face in the background, you’re probably right. That's Angela Bassett, the acclaimed actress and movie star whose career on stage, tv, and film has taken her from soap opera success to her recent turn as Ramonda, Queen of Wakanda, in the "Black Panther" franchise. From infancy through the age of 4, Bassett lived with her aunt and grandmother in Winston-Salem, before moving with her mother to St. Petersburg, Florida, where she graduated from high school. Throughout Bassett’s youth, she spent summers in Winston-Salem. Her aunt, Dr. Golden Bassett Wall, was a professor of education at Winston-Salem State University and director of student teaching from 1966 to 1985. In a 1999 interview, Bassett credited time spent with her educator aunt on and around the HBCU campus with shaping who she became. Winston-Salem State University

06/18/2026

MUSEws will be closed tomorrow, June 19th, in observance of Juneteenth. But please come see us on Saturday at Triad Cultural Arts' Juneteenth festival. We'll have a booth inside BioTech Place alongside other history and heritage organizations and oodles of vendors. Come ready to take our "Timeline Test" to show your knowledge of local African American history and enter to win 2 tickets to one of our upcoming Semiquincentennial Stroll—A Guided Historical Walk with MUSE Winston-Salem ! See you Saturday!

06/17/2026

06/16/2026

On June 16, 1879, Wachovia National Bank commenced business at 232 North Main Street with $100,000 of operating capital. The bank’s origins lay partially in a predecessor institution, the Salem National Bank operated by Israel Lash in the 1860s and 1870s. Founded by Lash’s nephew, W.A. Lemly, and James A. Gray, other officers and directors included familiar Winston-Salem names like Bowman, Belo, Gray, Bahnson, and Vogler. Holding key accounts for the R.J. Reynolds To***co Company brought early success and growth. Three decades later it would merge with the Wachovia Loan & Trust Company to form the new Wachovia Bank & Trust Company to become one of the largest banks in the South. Downtown Winston-Salem Downtown Residents Association of Winston-Salem (DRAW-S)

06/16/2026

MUSEws was honored to be part of last weekend's International Association of Torch Clubs' annual convening! Thanks to the local W-S Torch chapter for the great work they do, bringing folks together for learning and fellowship! We loved the opportunity to share Winston-Salem history with your group!

06/15/2026

Tickets are going fast for the final 4 opportunities to go on the Semiquincentennial Stroll before Independence Day weekend is come and gone! Grab one of the last remaining slots for Wednesday's golden-hour stroll, or for June 25, July 4, or July 5! Tickets available here: https://www.musews.org/events or at link in our bio.

It's the season to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial! Join MUSE Winston-Salem for a historical stroll—covering 2 miles in 2 hours and 250 years of history! On the 2x2x250 “Semiquincentennial Stroll” you’ll gain new insights into the Twin City’s fascinating journey from colonial times through today. As we make our way through MUSEws’ neighborhood of bridges & railbeds, retired farms & factories, monuments & graveyards, and panoramic overlooks into the city’s past & future, the tour will highlight turning points in the Camel City story, fascinating figures (both famous and forgotten), and maybe even inspire dreams for the next 250 years! The final stop of the tour takes you into the museum for a cold drink and snack, along with an exclusive ‘first look’ at our gorgeous mosaic glass mural (formerly housed at Smith Reynolds Airport, newly relocated and illuminated at MUSEws).

For the cost of registration, participants experience the. 2 hour “Semiquincentennial Stroll” with historian and MUSEws executive director Dr. Mike Wakeford, a souvenir water bottle to take on the tour, and a post-tour beverage & light snack (plus all the new knowledge is yours forever!).

The 2 x 2 x 250 “Semiquincentennial Stroll” covers approximately 2 miles in under 2 hours, following a relatively even path of sidewalks with modest elevation changes across a partially shaded route. The tour will take place rain or shine. Participants are encouraged to carry water. The tour guide will be amplified, and registration limited, to ensure participants can hear the guide and ask questions. Registrants will be required to sign a liability waiver prior to the event.

Whether you’re a local or a newcomer, the 2 x 2 x 250 ‘Semiquincentennial Stroll’ is for you!

06/06/2026

You have 5 more chances between now and July 4th weekend to go on "The Semiquincentennial Stroll"! Grab one of the last remaining slots for tomorrow (Sunday, June 7 at 2pm), or book yourself for June 17, June 25, July 4, or July 5! Tickets available here: https://www.musews.org/events or at link in our bio.

It's the season to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial! Join MUSE Winston-Salem for a historical stroll—covering 2 miles in 2 hours and 250 years of history! On the 2x2x250 “Semiquincentennial Stroll” you’ll gain new insights into the Twin City’s fascinating journey from colonial times through today. As we make our way through MUSEws’ neighborhood of bridges & railbeds, retired farms & factories, monuments & graveyards, and panoramic overlooks into the city’s past & future, the tour will highlight turning points in the Camel City story, fascinating figures (both famous and forgotten), and maybe even inspire dreams for the next 250 years! The final stop of the tour takes you into the museum for a cold drink and snack, along with an exclusive ‘first look’ at our gorgeous mosaic glass mural (formerly housed at Smith Reynolds Airport, newly relocated and illuminated at MUSEws).

For the cost of registration, participants experience the. 2 hour “Semiquincentennial Stroll” with historian and MUSEws executive director Dr. Mike Wakeford, a souvenir water bottle to take on the tour, and a post-tour beverage & light snack (plus all the new knowledge is yours forever!).

The 2 x 2 x 250 “Semiquincentennial Stroll” covers approximately 2 miles in under 2 hours, following a relatively even path of sidewalks with modest elevation changes across a partially shaded route. The tour will take place rain or shine. Participants are encouraged to carry water. The tour guide will be amplified, and registration limited, to ensure participants can hear the guide and ask questions. Registrants will be required to sign a liability waiver prior to the event.

Whether you’re a local or a newcomer, the 2 x 2 x 250 ‘Semiquincentennial Stroll’ is for you!

06/03/2026

On this day (June 3, 1904), Marshall Clement Kurfees was born in Germanton in Stokes County. Kurfees would become one of Winston-Salem’s most consequential mayors during six terms in office from 1949 to 1961. After moving to Winston-Salem as a teenager, Kurfees enlisted in the U.S. Army and spent several years there. Back in Winston-Salem, he pursued business opportunities, mostly in the transportation industry. Though he had political aspirations, Kurfees lost several races for elected office in the 1930s. A Democrat, Kurfees at first had few allies among the corporate elites of the Democratic stronghold of the Camel City. After winning the mayoralty at last in 1949, however, Kurfees proved remarkably effective in creating working consensus and pursuing a city-changing agenda. During his years as mayor, Wake Forest University arrived, the restoration of Old Salem accelerated, and urban renewal and major road and highway construction transformed the city and its surrounding area. Kurfees remained active after his years as mayor, and died in 1991.

06/02/2026

Executive Director Mike Wakeford of MUSE Winston-Salem leads a guided walk through downtown Winston-Salem, uncovering the stories behind the city's architecture and the people who helped shape it. One stop on the tour features a statue of George Henry Black, the renowned brickmaker whose handmade bricks were used in “Old Main,” the original North Carolina Baptist Hospital built in 1923, as well as many of Winston-Salem’s most recognizable landmarks, including RJ Reynolds factory buildings and the YWCA.