History Museum Announces Voices of a City Award Winners

GREENSBORO, NC (October 23, 2025) The Greensboro History Museum’s nonprofit partner GHM Inc. is pleased to announce its two 2025 Voices of a City Award winners: railroad historian Kevin von der Lippe and the Conversations in Black community history project. The awards will be presented at the organization’s Annual Dinner on Monday, November 10.

Kevin von der Lippe is being recognized for his work on the illustrated volume, The Greensboro Depot, part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of Rail series. The nomination notes that the book “is more than just a pictorial history; it is a meticulously researched and engaging account of … a foundational landmark in the city’s history.” Developed with the Greensboro Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, The Greensboro Depot chronicles the 1928 creation of one of the South’s finest passenger stations. His in-depth research in the book has also contributed to efforts by Downtown Greensboro Incorporated and partners to reimagine the landmark’s potential as a city hub and gateway.

Conversations in Black represents an extraordinary collaboration between community, government, and university partners to document and preserve African American community memory in Greensboro. By leveraging funding from the National Park Service and wide community support, the project has recorded and archived dozens of oral histories through the State Archives of North Carolina; scanned hundreds of historic photos and documents and made them available online on Digital Greensboro; obtained recognition for the South Benbow Road National Register Historic District; and more. The award recognizes community historian Bernetiae Reed, the City of Greensboro Planning Department’s Mike Cowhig, and David Gwynn from UNCG University Libraries as key contributors to the project’s success.

Voices of a City awards recognize significant and original contributions to local history. Previous winners include the J.C. Price School Project, historians Gayle Hicks Fripp and Scott Culclasure, journalist Jim Schlosser, and the Ever-Achievers Retired Teachers Club. The 2024 winners were preservationist Eric Woodard and the Vance Chavis Library Heritage Quilters.

This year’s awards will be presented at GHM Inc.’s Annual Dinner on Monday, November 10. The dinner highlights the museum’s GHM100 centennial celebrations and features special guest speaker Dr. Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian’s Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large. Information about the dinner and tickets (available through November 1) are online at https://greensborohistory.org/event/ghm-inc-annual-dinner-2025/. Major sponsors for the Annual Dinner and GHM100 are the O.Henry Hotel & Proximity Hotel and Margaret & Bill Benjamin.

The Greensboro History Museum – AAM-accredited and a Smithsonian Affiliate – is a division of the City of Greensboro Libraries & Museum Department and operates as a public-private partnership with the nonprofit GHM Inc. Together with our diverse communities, the Greensboro History Museum collects objects and stories, connects generations, and challenges people to explore our city’s past, present and future. The Museum sparks wonder through bold exhibitions and creative public programs. We nurture civic engagement and lifelong learning. We encourage dialogue, and we care for all that is entrusted to us. Located in Downtown Greensboro’s Cultural District, the museum is open Tuesdays–Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays 2-5 pm. Admission is free.