Timeline: 1916-1945
Showing results: 286 to 300 out of 302
Richard M. Weaver, Jr. (1910-1962) Encyclopedia
Paragon of post-World-War II-era conservatism, Richard M. Weaver, son of North Carolina, was one of the most important American thinkers of the twentieth century. Although he lived outside of North Carolina for most of his life, Richard M. Weaver visited his family often (he even purchased a home in Weaverville), and never lost a sense of place.Whiteville Encyclopedia
With a population of over 5,000, Whiteville is the largest town in Columbus County and serves as the county seat. Whiteville's beginnings date back to 1733, when it was originally part of a 640 acre tract inherited by attorney John Burgin and his wife, MargaretWilkes County (1777) Encyclopedia
Wilkes Couny was formed in 1777 from part of Surry County, and it has contributed to the culture of the state in many ways. The Tom Dula legend, MerleFest, and NASCAR all originated in this mountain county.David “Carbine” Williams (1900 - 1975) Encyclopedia
One of North Carolina’s most famous inventors, “Carbine” Williams was a native of Cumberland County. While in his early twenties Williams made moonshine. During a raid on his still, Williams shot and killed a deputy sheriff, so he was sentenced to prison for the murder. A trusted inmate, Williams spent his extra time working on gun inventions in the prison’s blacksmith shop. After his release from prison, Williams developed the prototype for the M-1 Carbine rifle, the military’s weapon of choice during World War II.Kenneth R. Williams (1912-1989) Encyclopedia
Influential minister and educator and university president in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kenneth R. Williams won an alderman seat in 1947 and became the first African American to defeat a white opponent in a twentieth-century election in a Southern cityRobert Franklin Williams (1925-1996) Encyclopedia
A Monroe native and an African American leader who gained national fame for advocating “armed self-defense," Robert Franklin Williams inspired Black Panthers and other groups that criticized what they considered the ineffective, less-violent techniques of the Civil Rights Movement. During the 1960s, Williams went into exile and lived in Cuba and China, where he published newsletters and produced radio programs for dissemination in the United States.Wilson County (1855) Encyclopedia
Formed in 1855, Wilson County was once home to the Tuscarora Indians. The county did not experience great growth until the arrival of the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad in the late 1830s. During most of the 20th century, the county was known as "the world’s greatest tobaccomarket." Its county seat is also called Wilson.Wingate University Encyclopedia
Established by the Baptist Association of North Carolina out of a need for schools in the Piedmont region, Wingate University was founded in 1896. Wingate College grew but experienced tough financial times during the Great Depression. However, concerned Baptists and dedicated professors helped Wingate survive. The school became a university in 1995, with a student body of about 2,500 students today.Winston-Salem State University Encyclopedia
Originally the Slater Industrial Academy, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has grown from its meager beginnings of 1892. The first class of 25 students studied to become teachers, but today, WSSU offers programs ranging from nursing to English, with a student body of almost 6,500 students. Important locales on Winston-Salem State University’s campus include the sculpture gardens and the Diggs Art Gallery.John W. Winters, Sr. (1920-2004) Encyclopedia
Born on January 21, 1920 in Raleigh, North Carolina, John W. Winters, Sr. lived an accomplished life in the city where his “family home” had always been. Before he died on February 15, 2004, Winters started a construction company and real estate management business and became Raleigh’s first African American city councilman and one of the first African Americans elected to the North Carolina State Senate since the Reconstruction Era.Thomas Wolfe (1900 - 1938) Encyclopedia
One of North Carolina’s greatest writers, Thomas Wolfe was born in Asheville in 1900. Wolfe’s childhood experiences in Asheville influenced much of the author’s masterpiece, Look Homeward, Angel. An eccentric, tall man, Wolfe lived in New York and Europe throughout his short life. He died from tuberculosis on September 15, 1938.Thomas Wolfe (1900-1937) Encyclopedia
An Asheville native, Thomas Wolfe emerged as one of the early-twentieth century’s most controversial writers. His meandering writing style irritated many editors, who nevertheless recognized a diamond in the rough and published his work. His first novel, Look Homeward Angel, angered many of his former mountain neighbors; his novel was autobiographical, and he did little to mask the characters’ identities.Works Progress Administration (WPA): One Failure to End the Great Depression Commentary
This major public works program represented one failure of the New Deal to end the Great Depression. The WPA spent over $60 million in North Carolina, but critics charged that relief weakened the work ethic. North Carolina farmers and industrialists resented the competition for labor; the unemployed could work for the WPA rather than in the fields and factories. Conservatives also fought power shifting from the state and local levels to Washington, D.C. Despite the WPA's existence, the Great Depression worsened by the late 1930s. But by the early 1940s, market forces and wartime demand had rejuvenated the economy.World War I U-Boats Encyclopedia
In the summer of 1918, five large German submarines (U-boats) crossed the Atlantic and operated against the lightly protected shipping off the North American coast. Several of the U-boats would get as far south as the North Carolina coast, where they sank three ships just a few miles from the Outer Banks.