THE GREENSBORO SIX
In 1955, one week after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, six Black men, led by Dr. George Simkins, started a local movement of their own by defiantly playing a round at the then whites-only Gillespie Golf Course. They were later arrested, convicted of trespassing, and spent 15 days in jail. Seven years and numerous court cases later, their actions would help lead to the desegregation of Gillespie and the game of golf as we know it.
To commemorate the legacy of the Greensboro Six, Travel + Leisure and Wyndham Rewards commissioned a mural designed to lift up the story, while celebrating the vital role Gillespie plays in the community today through their work with First Tee – Central Carolina. Created by award-winning, Brooklyn-based artist Vincent Ballentine, the art piece serves as inspiration to a new generation of golfers—reminding them as they walk in the footsteps of those before them—that anything is possible.
This short film about the Greensboro Six won a Bronze Telly for Advocacy & Causes Branded Content. The category recognizes "Branded content produced to advocate for social issues and improve civil and social life."
