News
RALEIGH, NC— Beginning in the 1940s, Joe Winters worked to break down the walls of segregation and bring black and white audiences together through a common appreciation for music. A new exhibit at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts honors Winters and his legacy, and Womble Bond Dickinson is honored to be a sponsor of this exhibit.
For more than three decades, Winters, who was one of the first African-American police officers in Raleigh, promoted concerts with the top African-American musical acts of the day. He attracted A-list stars like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles and Little Richard to Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium, where his shows drew audiences of all races and helped to break the color barrier in the Triangle.
The exhibit, titled “Joe Comes Home: Celebrating Joseph Winters Sr., the Cop Who Bridged the Racial Divide One Superstar at a Time,” runs through March 2019.
A free reception in the lobby of Raleigh Memorial Auditorium will feature music, guest speakers and more on Sunday, February 24, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Click here to watch a short video on “Joe Winters Revival Celebrates Barrier-Breaking Entertainer” from WRAL-TV.
