Celebrating Maya Angelou at SECCA, Winston-Salem; credit Visit Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Trivia
Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce is located at 112 North Martin Luther King Drive.
The Tobacco and Textile industries enabled the metro area to remain economically stable as compared to many other cyclic industries.
1.2 million people call this fast-growing metro area home; about 230,000 are African American.
There are more than 5,000 African American-owned companies in the metro area.
Krispy Kreme, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and Wachovia Bank were founded in Winston-Salem.
From 1895 through the 1950s Cone Mills, Blue Bell, Burlington Industries, Guilford Mills, and VF Corporation established headquarters in Greensboro.
Famous Residents
Winston-Salem has a shortlist of African American celebrities and social ground-breakers born or made their mark here:
Dr. Maya Angelou – World-renown Poet laureate, author, and human rights activist
Pam Grier – Actress, one of the first female action heroes of cinema
C.E. “Big House” Gaines – Winston-Salem State University basketball coach for 47 years
Tim Duncan – Before he became an NBA Legend, he played at Wake Forest University
Chris Paul – NBA Legend who played at Wake Forest University
Mel White – Brother who tirelessly worked to uncover and exhibit truths about the special history of the Moravians and African-Americans in Old Salem
Carl Eller – NFL Defensive End, College & Pro Football Hall of Fame member
Rolonda Watts – Television personality, actress, and chairman of Winston-Salem State University’s Fine Arts Dept
Nia Imani Franklin – Miss America 2019
Hubert Davis – University of North Carolina head basketball coach
Stephen A. Smith – National Sports journalist, Winston-Salem State University alum
John Coltrane – One of the two most influential Jazz saxophone masters
