Monroe, located in Union County, North Carolina, serves as the county seat in the United States.

Monroe was deliberately established as a planned community, and its roots can be traced back to 1843 when the first Board of County Commissioners, appointed by the state’s General Assembly, chose a location in the heart of the county to serve as the county seat. As a result, Monroe was officially incorporated that same year. The town was named in honor of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. Over time, Monroe evolved into a thriving commercial hub, catering to the needs of the surrounding Piedmont region, which was known for its tobacco production.

In 1958, Williams enlisted the help of Conrad Lynn, a civil rights lawyer based in New York City, to assist in the defense of two young African-American boys, aged nine and seven. The boys had been found guilty of “molestation” for kissing a white girl their age on the cheek and were sentenced to a reformatory until they turned 21. This incident, known as the Kissing Case, attracted attention worldwide and even prompted former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to intervene by urging the North Carolina governor to show leniency. Ultimately, after three months, the governor granted a pardon to the boys.

In the 1960s, amid the civil rights movement, there was an increase in violent attacks by white Ku Klux Klan members against the black community in Monroe. This led Williams to promote the idea of black people defending themselves with arms. Other civil rights activists in Louisiana and Mississippi established groups called the Deacons for Defense to support this approach.

Monroe has been drawing in new Hispanic residents in the 21st century as it becomes a growing part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. North Carolina has been promoting immigration to expand its workforce.

The Malcolm K. Lee House, Monroe City Hall, Monroe Downtown Historic District, Monroe Residential Historic District, Piedmont Buggy Factory, John C. Sikes House, Union County Courthouse, United States Post Office, and Waxhaw-Weddington Roads Historic District have all been officially recognized and included in the National Register of Historic Places.

The city boasts a total area of 24.9 square miles, as reported by the United States Census Bureau. This total area consists of 24.6 square miles of land and 0.3 square miles of water, which accounts for approximately 1.13% of the total area.

The city had a population of 34,562 individuals, with 11,482 households and 8,657 families according to the 2020 United States census.

In Monroe, there were two minor league baseball teams in the Western Carolinas League. The Monroe Indians were active in 1969, and the Monroe Pirates took the field in 1971.

The Enquirer-Journal, the community newspaper, is printed and distributed on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Tune in to WIXE 1190 AM or WDZD 99.1 FM for local radio broadcasts.

Monroe is traversed east-west by U.S. Route 74, while U.S. Route 601 runs through it north-south. The city is circumvented by the Monroe Expressway.

EQY, also known as Charlotte–Monroe Executive Airport, is situated 5 miles northwest of Monroe. The closest airport offering commercial flights is Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which is located 37 miles northwest of Monroe.

The Seaboard Air Line Railroad had several daily passenger trains running on the route from Raleigh to Athens to Atlanta via Monroe, including the Silver Comet from New York to Birmingham. Additionally, the SAL ran passenger trains from Charlotte to Hamlet to Wilmington, with stops in Monroe. This service between Charlotte and Wilmington was discontinued in 1958. The Silver Comet was the last train to run on this route, with service ending in October 1969. The trains used to make stops at the Seaboard Air Line Railroad depot.

Notable individuals include Adrian Autry, a retired professional basketball player who is currently the associate head coach for the Syracuse Orange, and Terry Baucom, a banjoist. Thomas Walter Bickett, the 54th Governor of North Carolina, and Skipper Bowles, a politician, are also notable. Walter P. Carter, a civil rights activist, and Gil Coan, a Major League Baseball player, are included in this list. David L. Cook, a seven-time Emmy Award-winning recording artist, and Grover Covington, a Canadian Football Hall of Famer, are notable as well. Jamison Crowder, an NFL wide receiver for the New York Jets, and Carlo Curley, a classical organist, are also mentioned. Christine Darden, an aeronautical engineer at NASA and the first African-American woman promoted to the Senior Executive Service, the top rank of federal civil service, is included. Theodore L. Futch, a Brigadier general in the United States Army during World War II, and JoJo Hailey and K-ci Hailey, R&B and soul singer-songwriters, are notable. Jesse Helms, a U.S. Senator, and Richard Huntley, a former NFL running back, are also listed. Michael Macchiavello, an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who won the NCAA Wrestling national championship at NC State, and Carroll McCray, an NCAA head football coach of Gardner-Webb University, are included. Jeff McNeely, a Major League Baseball player, and James W. Nance, the 10th Deputy National Security Advisor (1981–1982), are notable. John J. Parker, a U.S. judge who served on the tribunal of Nuremberg Trials, and Samuel I. Parker, a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I, are mentioned. Aaron W. Plyler, a politician and businessman, and Mike Pope, a former NFL tight end coach, are included. Calvin Richardson, an R&B and soul singer-songwriter, and Speedy Thompson, a former NASCAR driver, are also notable. Andy Tomberlin, a Major League Baseball player, and John Tsitouris, a Major League Baseball pitcher, are mentioned. Paul Waggoner, a guitarist for Between the Buried and Me, and Robert F. Williams, a civil rights activist, are included. Scott Williams, a serial killer, and Terry Witherspoon, a former NFL fullback, are also listed.