GHM Inc., the museum’s nonprofit partner, announced this week that railroad historian Kevin von der Lippe and the Conversations in Black community history project are the 2025 winners of the organization's Voices of a City Awards. The awards will be formally presented at GHM Inc.'s annual dinner on Nov. 10, bringing attention to local efforts to preserve and interpret the history of Greensboro and the wider Guilford County community.

Von der Lippe, noted for his volume The Greensboro Depot, has focused scholarly attention on the city's railroad heritage. His work documents transportation infrastructure that helped shape Greensboro's economic development and the daily lives of residents. Conversations in Black is a community history initiative that centers African American stories and places often overlooked in mainstream historical narratives. Together, the two honorees represent a cross-section of preservation work: archival scholarship and grassroots documentary practice.

Recognition from GHM Inc. is more than ceremonial. Awards like Voices of a City direct public attention and resources toward preserving local memory, which can influence museum programming, school curricula, and public planning. For residents of Guilford County, the selection highlights the ways historical research and community-driven storytelling intersect with contemporary civic concerns such as neighborhood investment, tourism, and equitable access to cultural institutions.

Public health and social equity experts increasingly emphasize that community identity and historical recognition are important social determinants of health. Projects that recover and elevate local stories can strengthen social cohesion, reduce the isolation of marginalized groups, and support mental well-being by affirming residents' belonging. In practical terms, winners often catalyze partnerships with schools, libraries, and city planners that expand educational opportunities and preserve historic sites that are central to neighborhood character.

The awards event on Nov. 10 will also serve as a fundraising and networking occasion for the museum's nonprofit partner, providing a venue for civic leaders, educators, and community activists to collaborate. Such gatherings can prompt policy conversations about how local governments and institutions allocate funding for cultural preservation and how that funding is distributed across communities in Guilford County.

As the city and county consider long-term investments in cultural infrastructure, recognition of both scholarly work like The Greensboro Depot and community-led initiatives such as Conversations in Black underscores an inclusive approach to history. Elevating a range of voices in the public record can help ensure that future decisions about development, education, and public health reflect the experiences of all residents, particularly those whose stories have been historically marginalized.

Final event details and further information are being shared by GHM Inc. and the museum as the Nov. 10 dinner approaches, offering Guilford County residents an opportunity to engage with the honorees and the broader project of preserving the city’s layered histories.