ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — An exhibit highlighting the history and legacy of some of Asheville’s historic Black neighborhoods is now on display at Pack Memorial Library.
“Black Stories in Census Tract 2” opened last month at Buncombe County Special Collections inside the downtown library and will remain on view through April 21, 2026.
The multimedia exhibit explores the social, cultural and historical impact of the Stumptown, Hill Street and South Montford communities, centering on the lived experiences of elders and descendants whose families shaped those neighborhoods.
The project was curated by Garnet Prose + Projects and STM Multimedia in partnership with the Historic Stumptown Neighborhood Association. Support for the exhibit comes from Dogwood Health Trust, the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County and the Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections.
Organizers said the exhibit is the result of years of community-centered research and oral history collection led by Ami Worthen, of Garnet Prose + Projects, along with contemporary multimedia documentation by Elizabeth Lashay Garland of STM Multimedia.
“The stories of Stumptown residents continue to inspire others by revealing the strength, creativity and care that sustained the community despite systemic barriers and displacement,” Garland said in a statement.
She said Stumptown stands as a testament to families who built homes, institutions and networks of support in the face of exclusion, even as redlining and urban renewal disrupted physical spaces.
By pairing historical archives with modern digital storytelling, organizers say the exhibit encourages cross-generational dialogue and invites younger residents to see themselves as part of the legacy of elders.
A closing event is scheduled for 5 p.m. April 21 at Pack Memorial Library. The event will feature a documentary screening focused on Stumptown’s history, followed by community dialogue. Organizers say the program is intended to bring together elders, descendants, students and members of the public for reflection and discussion on memory, place and preservation.
The exhibit and screening are presented as part of the Carolina Record Shop, a program of Buncombe County Special Collections that features creative perspectives on community history.
Buncombe County Special Collections is on the lower level of Pack Memorial Library in downtown Asheville and preserves archives and reference materials related to the social, cultural and natural history of Asheville, Buncombe County and Western North Carolina.
