Greensboro, as of the 2000 U.S. Census, claims a population of 223,891. It is located at the intersection of two major interstates (I-85 and I-40) which fuel the city's population and economic growth. The city is also the site of the February 1, 1960 "sit-in" conducted by four African American college students, from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College, at an all-white Woolworth's lunch counter who refused to leave when they were denied service. Others joined the protest and it lasted for several months. Word of the protest spread through the South quickly, and more protests of its kind were initiated all over the segregated states. There is a Sit-In Museum being constructed in the old Woolworths building, slated to open in early 2008.
The city is home to several universities and colleges that include The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Guilford College, Bennett College, Greensboro College, Guilford Technical Community College, and the Elon University School of Law, which has opened a campus in downtown Greensboro.
Greensboro is home to the corporate headquarters of the Honda Aircraft Company, Lorillard Tobacco Company, VF Corporation, Volvo Trucks of North America, RF Micro Devices, and the International Textile Group. Although traditionally associated with the textile, furniture, and tobacco industries, Greensboro is attempting to attract new businesses in the nanotech, high-tech, and transportation/logistics fields. The city is the future home of a FedEx air-cargo package sorting facility, slated to open in 2009, which will generate thousands of jobs. This project has also spurred other investments in the area like the Triad Tower, a planned 25-story office/condominium, located near the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Businesses in the tower will also include an IMAX Theater, Honda Aircraft Company jet factory/world headquarters, and Dell Computers.
Downtown Greensboro has also seen a great deal of change in its nightlife with the opening of numerous nightclubs, bars, and restaurants. Other attractions in the area include The Bog Garden, Bicentennial Garden, Greensboro Arboretum, Greensboro Center City Park, World War Memorial Stadium, and Blandwood Mansion and Gardens. The arts and entertainment in Greensboro are supported by residents and visitors alike and include many organizations, venues, and events such as the Carolina Theatre, City Arts, the Community Theatre of Greensboro, the Eastern Music Festival, CafeJAM, the Weatherspoon Art Museum, and the Greensboro Opera Company.
