Civil Rights Museum Official Steps Down

A top administrator has left the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro. The departure comes after a tumultuous period for the organization.

Bayard "Bay" Love was hired last March as chief operating officer and director of development. Museum officials say he was part-time and resigned to pursue other opportunities.

“It's something that happens in organizations. Sometimes, people move on to pursue other things that they want to do,” says John Swaine, CEO of the Civil Rights Museum. “We're working hard with a smaller staff than in the past to share the story behind this historic museum and engage with the community.”

The museum has faced financial issues since it's founding in 1994. The City of Greensboro offered to take over the organization in 2014, but the museum's board dismissed the proposal. The city has loaned the museum more than $1 million to help it stay afloat.

Melvin "Skip" Alston is co-founder of the organization and is a current board member for the museum. He says it's on solid financial footing.

“The financials are good. We will meet the city's obligations and we will meet all of our obligations, so the museum is stable,” says Alston. “We're focusing on our outreach efforts and have found more sponsors for events and fundraisers.”

Alston says the museum recently expanded its exhibit space and is partnering with organizations in other countries to expand programming. Around 70,000 people visited the museum last year.

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum is located in downtown Greensboro. It's the exact same spot where the civil rights sit-ins took place at the Woolworth's lunch counter in the 1960s. A special exhibit at the center commemorates the event.

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