Wyndham Rewards Celebrates Greensboro Six with Golf Course Mural

Today, a mural honouring civil rights pioneers, The Greensboro Six, is being unveiled at the historic Gillespie Golf Course in Greensboro, N.C. The mural was created by Brooklyn-based artist Vincent Ballentine and celebrates the six men’s role in desegregating the game of golf, while also highlighting the current location of First Tee – Central Carolina at Gillespie. This project was announced during last year’s 84th annual Wyndham Championship and has been in the works for a year. A  trailer for the film is now available:

“Just over a year ago, we stood in this spot and shared the story of The Greensboro Six, six civil rights pioneers who made history here at Gillespie and helped change the game of professional golf. This mural is our way of memorializing these heroes and sharing their story with a new generation of golfers—all of whom walk in their footsteps.” – Ryan Wilson, CEO, First Tee – Central Carolina.

“Gillespie is a special place that has transformed over the decades to play a special role in this community. Now, as future generations of golfers come here and learn the game, I hope that this piece can serve as a reminder, sparking meaningful conversation about The Greensboro Six and how their courageous story ultimately helped to uplift this community and empower others across these great 50 states.” – Vincent Ballentine, Artist

Sharing the Story

Today, a mural was unveiled, and Wyndham Rewards, along with First Tee—Central Carolina, announced plans for a short documentary about The Greensboro Six and the mural’s creation. The documentary will be directed by Eternal Polk, an acclaimed director and writer, and will include behind-the-scenes insights and interviews with surviving family members, local leaders, and key community figures.

“It is an honour to help bring to life the story of The Greensboro Six and their triumph over racism and discrimination. They are an example of the power of doing good, and I hope their story inspires others to continue the fight for equality.” – Eternal Polk, Director.

The Legacy of The Greensboro Six

In 1955, less than one week after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, six Black men led by Dr George Simkins started a local movement of their own by defiantly playing a round at the whites-only Gillespie Golf Course. They were later arrested, convicted of trespassing, and spent 15 days in jail. Seven years and numerous court cases later, their actions, along with others, led to Gillespie desegregating and later, seeing The Greater Greensboro Open (now the Wyndham Championship) become the first PGA TOUR event in the South to welcome a Black player (Charlie Sifford).

Today, Gillespie is home to First Tee—Central Carolina, a national youth development program that uses golf to create life-changing opportunities for local youth on and off the course. It also has the distinction of being the first course in North Carolina to offer PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), a national program that leverages golf to enhance the well-being of active-duty military and veterans. It is one of the only courses in the Triad catering to players with spinal injuries and disabilities through adaptive equipment and free programs.