African American
African American Innovation During Difficult Economic and Discriminatory Times
1866-1915
On November 10, 1898, a disgraceful event in North Carolina occurred: as part of the White Supremacy campaign of the 1890s, Democratic leaders in Wilmington overthrew leading black and white Republicans and Populists to regain control of Wilmington’s government. What happened in Wilmington, many assert, “suppressed the political, social, educational and economic development and aspirations of African-Americans in this state for over ninety years.” Although innovative blacks worked in unfair circumstances during the late 1800s and early 1900s, such assumptions reveal a 1960s Revisionist focus on failure instead of an emphasis on black agency and fortitude that reveals how African Americans remarkably achieved success during difficult times.
“Senator Sam” Continues to Offer Lessons of Authenticity
"Yes, I was born right over there. You can see I haven't gotten very far in life," remarked former Sen. Sam Ervin while pointing to his birthplace, a white house across the street from his residence in Morganton.
Schoolmaster Yorke and the Tories
Offering a different interpretation than presented by B.J. Lossing in his groundbreaking "Pictorial Field Book of Revolution," Randolph County historian Mac Whatley argues that historians should do further research regarding the Regulator Rebellion and the story of David Fanning and Bay Doe.
Tryon’s Ferry: Myth or Fact
After the Battle of Alamance, royal Governor Tryon and his army marched through the Piedmont and distributed what they considered justice to the rebellious in the backcountry. In Randolph County, they burned the house of Herman Husband and others. The end of May 1771 was a soggy time in Randolph County and the creeks and rivers flooded. How did Tryon and his army cross those flooded waterways?
The Constitutionality of Hollering a Joyful Noise
In an unusual case in 1873, the N.C. Supreme Court applied the principle of the separation of church and state. It ruled that the courts had no place implementing church discipline and overturned a lower court’s ruling that fined William Linkhaw of Lumberton one penny for disturbing the peace.
Asking The Right Questions
Some people never ask the right questions. Or even ask anything. Take science and government intervention, for example. Many progressive actions (whatever progress is, no one has defined it sufficiently for me) are nothing more than barbarism revived. Case in point: the eugenics movement in 20th-century North Carolina.
Tar Heel State Helped Protect American Freedom
North Carolinians' skeptical approach to government power helped pave the way for a U.S. Bill of Rights.
Hostility and Abuse of Power Is Nothing New
American dislike of taxes is nothing new. As early as 1665, North Carolinians despised taxes — even if deemed necessary — and they especially loathed abuse of power and mismanagement of revenue. In particular, North Carolinians’ irritation with the quitrent, basically a land tax, intensified during the early 1700s, when the new provincial governmenAt tried collecting back taxes and the Assembly and royal officials debated the proper role of the government and its use of the quitrent.
Tar Heels of The Past: Quotes and Corruption
Many times, nothing proves a point better than a good quote. Anything else—a paraphrase or an explanation—only dampens a literary passage’s verve or weakens an argument’s persuasiveness. So with brief contextual background, here are four quotes from North Carolinians regarding the importance of liberty and the imperative to defend it against corrupt government.
Religion’s Role in Nation’s Founding Is Misunderstood
From biographies to sweeping narratives, from readable pop history to dry-as-dust academic publications, books exploring the lives of the Founding Fathers increasingly are being published. One misunderstood aspect of the Founding Era is the role that religion played.
How Jesse Helms Made the Reagan Revolution Possible
Thirty-five years ago, on March 23, 1976, voters in North Carolina helped shape the course of history. Their decision to support the presidential hopes of former California Gov. Ronald Reagan in the Republican presidential primary kept Reagan in the race for the 1976 GOP nomination and opened the way for his 1980 election as the 40th president of the United States.
Champions of Freedom: Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Jesse Helms
Nobel Laureate Alexander Solzhenitsyn and US Senator Jesse Helms spent more than one-half of their lives without an awareness of each other's existence. They spoke different languages. They met only a few times, yet they forged a relationship that allowed them to help shape events that brought down one of the world's most powerful governments. By examining the commonalities of these two men, their relationship, and their shared values, we can gain an understanding of their passion and the importance of their message for all of us today.
African American Innovation During Difficult Economic and Discriminatory Times
On November 10, 1898, a disgraceful event in North Carolina occurred: as part of the White Supremacy campaign of the 1890s, Democratic leaders in Wilmington overthrew leading black and white Republicans and Populists to regain control of Wilmington’s government. What happened in Wilmington, many assert, “suppressed the political, social, educational and economic development and aspirations of African-Americans in this state for over ninety years.” Although innovative blacks worked in unfair circumstances during the late 1800s and early 1900s, such assumptions reveal a 1960s Revisionist focus on failure instead of an emphasis on black agency and fortitude that reveals how African Americans remarkably achieved success during difficult times.