A graduate student at UNC Wilmington, John is pursuing a master’s degree in U.S. history, focusing on the Cold War era. He earned his B.A. in history from Elon University and has written on a range of subjects including military, political, and environmental history. John currently (2025) is an intern at the John Locke Foundation, where he contributes to the North Carolina History Project. Growing up in North Carolina, John found a love for the state’s natural beauty, from the trails and trout streams of Pisgah National Forest to the dunes and marshes of the coast. When John isn’t writing or working on his master’s research, you can find him searching for a new fishing hole or in his kitchen trying to perfect his recipes.
Royal Proclamation of 1763
Issued by the British following the conclusion of the French and Indian War, the Proclamation of 1763 was a significant factor in the cultivation of revolutionary fervor but one that has been somewhat neglected. The proclamation was an attempt by the British not only to prevent colonists from migrating westward but to stabilize relations with...
The Race to the Dan
The “Race to the Dan” is the name given to the competition between Patriot and British forces as they tried to reach the Dan River that flows along the border of North Carolina and Virginia. This race took place in early 1781, over the months between two key battles that shaped the Southern Campaign and...