Good Neighbor Council

The Good Neighbor Council was an effort in North Carolina proposed by Governor Terry Sanford to fight racial segregation and encourage the employment of Black people in the state. David S. Coltrane was the first chairman and director of the Good Neighbor Council.

Creation
On January 18, 1963, Governor Terry Sanford created the Good Neighbor Council to help ease racial tensions that were building in the state because of civil rights struggles and integration issues. The purpose of the councils was two-fold: to encourage the employment of qualified people without regard to race; and to encourage youth to become better trained and qualified for employment.

Governor Sanford established this council on January 13, 1968, and appointed David S. Coltrane as the first Chairman and Executive Director. He held this position until his death in 1968.

Local branches
Local branches of the Good Neighbor Council were initially formed in Alamance County, North Carolina, Albemarle, North Carolina, Asheville, North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, Dunn, North Carolina, Durham, North Carolina, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Gastonia, North Carolina, Goldsboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina, Greenville, North Carolina, Hickory, North Carolina, High Point, North Carolina, Kinston, North Carolina, Laurinburg, North Carolina, Lexington, North Carolina, Mooresville, North Carolina, Mount Airy, North Carolina, Oxford, North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina, Rockingham, North Carolina, Roxboro, North Carolina, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Salisbury, North Carolina, Sanford, North Carolina, Shelby, North Carolina, Smithfield, North Carolina, Thomasville, North Carolina, Wadesboro, North Carolina, Warrenton, North Carolina, Whiteville, North Carolina, Wilmington, North Carolina, Williamston, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Wilson, North Carolina.

Evolution of the Good Neighbor Council
The Good Neighbor Council evolved into the state's North Carolina Human Relations Council, now North Carolina Human Relations Commission.