A civil rights movement in Durham shocked the nation when Black movie patrons refused to accept “no” for an answer at white ticket booths.
At Carolina Theatre, Black patrons were restricted to the top balcony – and it took a 97 step journey to get there, with each step indicative of the heights Black people had to reach to feel included.
The segregated balcony area was often spoken about with slurs and disrespect, according to Charlene Regester, associate professor of African American and diaspora studies at UNC-Chapel Hill.