Gov. Pat McCrory Helps Celebrate Edenton’s 300th Anniversary

Posted May 10, 2013 – 12:00 pm

Governor Pat McCrory will participate Saturday, May 18, 2013, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Edenton’s 300th Anniversary events commemorating the formation of North Carolina and the appointment in 1713, by Her Majesty Queen Anne, of Charles Eden as Governor. The public festivities will begin with the arrival of Governor Charles Eden (interpreter, in colonial attire) aboard the historic replica sailing boat Silver Chalice (from Roanoke Island Festival Park). “Governor Eden” and Governor McCrory will meet, board horse-drawn carriages and make their way to the 1767 Courthouse Green to share the Celebration and honor the many contributions made by Edenton’s founders.

The 1767 Chowan County Courthouse Green is the site of North Carolina’s first Assembly building and a National Historic Landmark. The program on the Courthouse Green will include the keynote address by Governor McCrory and his presentation of an official Proclamation honoring Edenton’s 300th Anniversary. Several Secretaries of North Carolina departments of government as well as locally elected officials will join the Governor during the program. Chowan County student winners of three essay writing contests will receive awards from the Governor.

Earlier that morning, around 10:30 a.m., citizens assembled at the Courthouse green will witness events comparable to what they would have seen during the colonial era, including interactive demonstrations by descendants of the Meherrin Tribe native to the Chowan River area. Tribe members will share Indian exhibits, music, dance and demonstrations. Meherrin Chief Wayne Brown of Ahoskie will present a brief historical overview of the local tribe and introduce Meherrin Tribal Chiefs from Virginia and North Carolina who are joining him.

Colonial-attired guides will add flavor to the gathering as they distribute schedules of the day’s momentous occasion. Three hundred peals of local church and Courthouse bells will follow and short musical selections will precede the official program at noon. The music will be provided by a brass quintet composed of students from the East Carolina University School of Music.

Beginning around 11 a.m., food and beverage vendors will be set up along the Green. Following the Anniversary Meeting of the Governors event, visitors and residents are encouraged to tour all of Edenton’s Historic Sites, for FREE, throughout the afternoon. When visiting the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse and waterfront, be sure to look for the

Silver Chalice. The Lighthouse was relocated to Edenton’s harbor and is expected to be accessible for the first time since the renovation and relocation.

History has been made for three centuries at Edenton and much of it in the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse. Thirty-eight-year old James Iredell, Sr. practiced law in the building before he was appointed by President George Washington as a member of the very first U.S. Supreme Court. Hugh Williamson delivered one of the key addresses that led to North Carolina ratifying the draft U.S. Constitution on the steps. Many say Penelope Barker gathered her friends from throughout the region to sign her petition to King George in this Courthouse. The event later came to be called the Edenton Tea Party. The 1767 Courthouse is one of only five remaining Colonial Period courthouses in the United States, and is the oldest still in use in the nation. It still hears federal, state,and county cases. On May 8 the North Carolina Supreme Court sat in the courthouse and heard oral arguments in three cases to honor Edenton’s 300th anniversary.

Saturday evening the Governor will attend a private dinner hosted by the Edenton Historical Commission at Hayes Planation.

Citizens from around the state are encouraged to meet the 1713 Royal Governor Charles Eden and the 2013 North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory as they come together to celebrate 300 years of history in what Forbes.com calls “One of America’s Prettiest Towns,” Edenton, North Carolina.

Historic Edenton and Roanoke Island Festival Park are both units of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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Central North Carolina Students Prepare For National History Competition

Posted May 9, 2013 – 6:30 pm

RALEIGH — A select group of students from across central North Carolina have demonstrated mastery of a topic in history and are eligible to advance to the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland at College Park in June. More than 300 students came to Raleigh for the recent National History Day in North Carolina competition. They created exhibits or websites, produced documentaries or performances, or submitted papers in the senior (high school) or junior division (middle school), on the theme “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas and Events.”

“By participating in National History Day I have learned research skills, interview skills and how to draw conclusions from historical facts,” one participant observed. The year-long program prepares students for more advanced study and research while enhancing their understanding of societal change.

These are winning students from central North Carolina:

Senior Division

Group Documentary:  
–First Place – Nimit Desai, Peter Cheng and Hal Lin; W. G. Enloe High School, Raleigh
–Second Place — Joseph Womble, Mounark Patel and Hari Tetala; W.G. Enloe High School, Raleigh
 
Group Performance:
–Second Place – Sabrina Otero, Melanie Campbell and Victoria DeLaney; Alamance Burlington Middle College, Burlington
  
Individual Exhibit: 
–First Place – Audrey Dubois; W. G. Enloe High School, Raleigh
  
Individual Website:
–First Place – James Zhang; W.G. Enloe High School, Raleigh
  
Senior Paper: 
–First Place — Carson Clay; St. Mary’s School; Raleigh

Junior Division

Group Documentary: 
–First Place – Quinn Schneider, Ethan Schneider; Woodlawn School, Mooresville
–Second Place — Sydney Dye, Katie McLeod, Caroline Murphy; McDougle Middle School, Chapel Hill

Group Exhibit:
–Second Place — Haley Barker, Elyssa Zimmerman; Southern Middle School, Aberdeen

Individual Performance: 
–Second Place — Jake Johnson; Woodlawn School, Mooresville

Individual Website:  
–First Place — Ansley Earle; Woodlawn School, Mooresville

For more information, call (919) 807-7395 or visit www.nchistoryday.org. National History Day in North Carolina is sponsored with major support from the North Caroliniana Society, the N.C. Society of Cincinnati, and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies, and is administered by the Office of Archives and History within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

 

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Western North Carolina Students Prepare For National History Competition

Posted May 9, 2013 – 5:30 pm

RALEIGH — A select group of students from across western North Carolina have demonstrated mastery of a topic in history and are eligible to advance to the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland at College Park in June. More than 300 students came to Raleigh for the recent National History Day in North Carolina competition. They created exhibits or websites, produced documentaries or performances, or submitted papers in the senior (high school) or junior division (middle school), on the theme “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas and Events.”

“By participating in National History Day I have learned research skills, interview skills and how to draw conclusions from historical facts,” one participant observed. The year-long program prepares students for more advanced study and research while enhancing their understanding of societal change.

These are winning students from western North Carolina: 

Junior Division

Group Performance:
–First Place – James Dillon, Ethan Byrd, Mead Krowka, Wilson Goins and Larry Thomas; St. Dominic Savio Home School, Henderson County
–Second Place – Callyn Brown, Erin Jenkins; Swain County Middle School, Bryson City

Individual Documentary:
–Second Place – Richard Hernasy, St. Dominic Savio Home School; Henderson County

Individual Exhibit: 
–First Place — Darren Blankenship; Swain County Middle School, Bryson City

Research Paper:
–Second Place – Maggie Burns; Swain County Middle School, Bryson City

Senior Division

Individual Performance: 
–Second Place –Margaret Dillon; St. Dominic Savio Home School, Henderson
County

Individual Website:  
–Second Place — Hannah Krowka; St. Dominic Savio Home School, Henderson County

Individual Documentary: 
–First Place — Second Place – Jordan Stamey; A.C. Reynolds High School, Asheville

For more information, call (919) 807-7395 or visit www.nchistoryday.org. National History Day in North Carolina is sponsored with major support from the North Caroliniana Society, the N.C. Society of Cincinnati, and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies, and is administered by the Office of Archives and History within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

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Eastern North Carolina Students Prepare For National History Competition

Posted May 9, 2013 – 4:30 pm

RALEIGH — A select group of students from across eastern North Carolina have demonstrated mastery of a topic in history and are eligible to advance to the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland at College Park in June. More than 300 students came to Raleigh for the recent National History Day in North Carolina competition. They created exhibits or websites, produced documentaries or performances, or submitted papers in the senior (high school) or junior division (middle school), on the theme “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas and Events.”

“By participating in National History Day I have learned research skills, interview skills and how to draw conclusions from historical facts,” one participant observed. The year-long program prepares students for more advanced study and research while enhancing their understanding of societal change.

These are winning students from eastern North Carolina:

Senior Division

Group Website:  
–First Place — Emeline McCaleb, Savannah Cornwell, Madison Mihle and Christina Williams; Cape Fear Academy, Wilmington
–Second Place — Reuben Chemmanam and Jeffrey Roop; J.H. Rose High School, Greenville

Group Exhibit: 
–First Place — Sarah Schneider, Breanne Elrod, Brigette Butler and Sally Crouch; Cape Fear Academy, Wilmington
–Second Place — James Murray, Connor Sledzik, Gunar Swartzlander and Andrew Stoycos; New Hanover High School, Wilmington

Group Performance:
–First Place — Tyler Jones and Ameenah Rose; J.H. Rose High School, Greenville

Individual Exhibit: 
–Second Place – Lindsay Gilliland; North Brunswick High School, Leland

Individual Documentary:
–First Place — Rachel Woodul; Swansboro High School, Swansboro

Individual Performance: 
–First Place – Baylea Williams; J.H. Rose High School, Greenville

Senior Paper: 
–Second Place — Elizabeth Lee; J.H. Rose High School, Greenville

Junior Division

Group Website: 
–First Place — Jakob Lassiter and Jacob Crouse; Wayne School of Engineering, Goldsboro
–Second Place — Sayan Dutta, Logan Rocco, Ethan Li, Daniel Cooke and Antonio Gutierrez; Hope Middle School, Greenville

Group Exhibit:
–First Place – Kate Miller and Megan Reisch; St. Peter’s Catholic School, Greenville

Individual Exhibit:  
–Second Place- – Aruna Ross; Hope Middle School, Greenville

Individual Performance: 
–First Place — Adam Dietrich; St. Peter’s Catholic School, Greenville
Individual Website:  
–Second Place — Erin Crawford; St. Peter’s Catholic School, Greenville

Junior Paper: 
–First Place – Rachel Davenport; St. Peter’s Catholic School, Greenville

Individual Documentary: 
–First Place — Jordyn Williams; St. Peter’s Catholic School, Greenville

For more information, call (919) 807-7395 or visit www.nchistoryday.org. National History Day in North Carolina is sponsored with major support from the North Caroliniana Society, the N.C. Society of Cincinnati, and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies, and is administered by the Office of Archives and History within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

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Watergate: Political Scandal and the Presidency

Posted May 9, 2013 – 10:15 am

The summer of 1973, Americans stayed glued to their televisions as one of the nation’s most serious political scandals, known as Watergate, began to unfold. Friday, May 17, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of the first televised hearing of the Senate Select Committee that investigated President Richard M. Nixon’s 1972 campaign for re-election.

May 17 also brings the opening of Watergate: Political Scandal & the Presidency, an exhibit at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. The exhibit will run through Aug. 10, 2014, one day after the 40th anniversary of President Nixon’s resignation. Admission is free.

“Since many museum visitors will be too young to remember Watergate, the exhibit tells the story of this rather complicated scandal in a very straightforward, engaging way,” says RaeLana Poteat, Curator of Political and Social History. “Artifacts, photographs, video clips and a 1970 living room setting will intrigue both younger visitors and those who recall this transformative time in our nation’s history. Watergate also highlights North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin Jr. and many other Tar Heels who played important roles in investigating the scandal.”

The exhibit’s time line follows the twists and turns of the Nixon administration’s unraveling saga. The scandal began on June 17, 1972, with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. Five men were arrested carrying bugging equipment, and within days, investigative reporters at the Washington Post established links between the burglars and Nixon’s re-election campaign.

As evidence emerged, the Senate formed the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities to uncover irregularities in the 1972 campaign. Sen. Ervin served as chair of the committee that spent almost three months grilling Nixon administration officials during the first phase of its hearings. Eventually, evidence presented during the Senate Select Committee hearings, House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearings, and an ongoing criminal investigation led to the president’s resignation and the indictment of 40 Nixon campaign and administration officials.

Visitors to Watergate will see significant artifacts from the Senate Select Committee hearings. Several examples follow.

A memo and a page from one version of the Nixon administration’s “enemies list.” On Aug. 16, 1971, White House Counsel John Dean sent a memo suggesting that the administration should strike out against Nixon’s political adversaries. A month later, special counsel Charles Colson replied with a 12-page list of potential “enemies” that included actors, academics, politicians and reporters.

–A page from Sen. Ervin’s handwritten draft of the opening statement he delivered on the first day of Senate Select Committee hearings.

–One of the subpoenas served to President Nixon’s lawyer on July 23, 1973, to obtain recordings of Nixon’s White House conversations. North Carolinian Rufus L. Edmisten, deputy chief counsel to the Senate Select Committee, delivered the subpoenas. The committee and Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox subpoenaed the recordings after Nixon refused to hand them over. A major turning point of the Watergate scandal occurred when a witness revealed a secret taping system in the White House. Nixon claimed executive privilege and refused to release tapes of his White House conversations.

–The gavel Sen. Ervin used while chairing the Senate Select Committee. It was presented to him by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Along with key Watergate figures, the exhibit highlights many North Carolinians who worked for the Senate Select Committee. Chief among the Tar Heels was Sen. Ervin, and Americans became enamored by his Southern charm and ready wit as the hearings continued. Although Ervin referred to himself as an “old country lawyer,” his sharp intelligence and Harvard Law School training revealed his legal expertise. Ervin’s clear sense of moral outrage at the scandal’s ongoing revelations struck a chord with many viewers.

“I was privileged to sit ringside at one of the nation’s most important unveilings of campaign and governmental corruption,” remarks Edmisten, a Raleigh attorney who has served as North Carolina’s attorney general and secretary of state. “I saw the genius of Senator Ervin as he worked his constitutional magic at the Senate Watergate hearings.”

Edmisten was responsible for interviewing several witnesses and managing many logistical decisions related to the hearings. The other Tar Heels served on the committee as lawyers, investigators, researchers and staff assistants.

The Watergate exhibit focuses on the scandal’s extensive media coverage. Televised live for an average of five hours a day, the level of reporting about the hearings was groundbreaking. Additionally, investigative reporters at the Washington Post and other newspapers exposed many crucial facts.

Watergate permeated popular culture, inspiring board games, humor books, songs and more. Several examples appear in the exhibit, such as The Watergate Scandal, “a game of cover-up and deception for the whole family,” which claims, “Nobody . . . wins. There are just losers.”

Watergate concludes with a section where museum visitors can share their thoughts about the scandal. Every few weeks, some will be selected to include in the exhibit.

“This exhibit is by far one of the most comprehensive collections of Watergate history and memorabilia, both funny and sad, that I’ve seen about our great American Constitution at work,” notes Edmisten.

Adds Poteat, “Watergate is important because it showed that our constitutional separation of powers works. The legislative and judicial branches were able to check and balance an aggressive executive branch. And while Congress passed campaign finance reforms in the wake of the scandal, many of those laws aimed at limiting large amounts of anonymous campaign money have since been overturned. So the lessons of Watergate still seem pretty relevant today.”

For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, call (919) 807-7900, access the museum’s website  or connect with the museum on Facebook and Twitter.

The N.C. Museum of History is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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Lecture Blends Southern Food with African American Culture

Posted May 9, 2013 – 9:00 am

The Tryon Palace African American Lecture Series continues on Thursday, May 16, with “Shaping a Culture: African American Cooks and the Making of Southern Food.” Conducted in Cullman Performance Hall by Dr. Rebecca Sharpless, this free event is the latest installment of Tryon Palace’s yearlong theme of “Fresh from the Past: Food and Culture in Eastern North Carolina.”

From the earliest days of slavery until the 1960s, African American women cooked for their white owners and employers, using the foods at hand and their own talents and knowledge to create a distinct regional cuisine. This special lecture will consider the ways in which domestic workers used cooking to make “a way out of no way” after slavery and how they affected Southern culture in the process.

Dr. Sharpless is an assistant professor of history at Texas Christian University (TCU), where she teaches courses in women’s history and food history. She is the author of Cooking in Other Women’s Kitchens: African Americans in the South, 1965-1960, and Fertile Ground, Narrow Choices: Women on Texas Cotton Farms, both published by the University of North Carolina Press. Her Ph.D. is from Emory University.

For guests with hearing difficulties, special devices are also available and should be requested at least 48 hours in advance of the performance. For additional information about the 2013 African American Lecture Series call Sharon C. Bryant at (252) 639-3592.

Each program for the African American Lecture Series begins at 7 p.m. in Cullman Performance Hall and is free to the public, thanks to a generous grant from the Harold H. Bate Foundation.

For additional information visit www.tryonpalace.org.

Four more lectures are slated this year as part of the African American Lecture Series. They are as follows:

Sunday Family Dinner: Who Made the Potato Salad?
Speaker: EJ Stewart and Antuan Hawkins
Thursday, June 20, 7 p.m.

Southern Discomfort: A Tour through early African American Foodways
Speaker: Michael W. Twitty
Thursday, July 18, 7:00 p.m.

Gullah Cuisine in African American Foodway
Speaker: Charlotte Jenkins
Thursday, September 19, 7:00 p.m.

“High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America”
Thursday, November 21, 7:00 p.m.

Tryon Palace is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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Scavenger Hunt to Make History Fun on May 18 At Durham Historic Sites

Posted May 8, 2013 – 5:00 pm

DURHAM — Durham’s three state historic sites will offer kids free fun with a scavenger hunt for history on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Historic Stagville, Duke Homestead and Bennett Place State Historic Sites are partnering for this family-friendly event. A booklet with clues for the scavenger hunt will be available at each site, and answers can be discovered at all three sites.

A clue at Historic Stagville might be: The Bennehan House was built in two sections.  The original section was built in ______.  The second story was added in _______.

At Bennett Place the clue might be: The two generals who met at Bennett Place were _____ and _____.

Duke Homestead will take visitors on a tour of the site and museum from the perspective of Washington Duke, and allow youth to meet the Duke family and solve clues as well.

Young and old can practice the skills of a sleuth and have a fun adventure while learning about great families and events in North Carolina, and win buttons representing the sites as prizes.

Bennett Place, Duke Homestead and Historic Stagville are within the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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June Programs at the N.C. Museum of History

Posted May 8, 2013 – 9:30 am

June’s largest event at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh will be presented with Our State in celebration of the magazine’s 80th anniversary. On Saturday, June 8, meet Our State editor Elizabeth Hudson, hear bluegrass music by Kickin’ Grass, sample scrumptious food, and experience much more. The event ties in with the museum’s 2nd Saturdays program featuring Tar Heel potter Hal Pugh, who will make traditional earthenware pottery.

Other June programs include songs and stories by Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, as well as a tour of the outdoor exhibit History of the Harvest to learn about North Carolina crops.

Admission is free for all June programs. Parking is free on weekends.

PROGRAMS

*Storytime in the Gallery
Every Thursday in June: June 6, 13, 20, 27, 10-10:30 a.m.
Meet a staff member at the information desk and follow the guide to one of the museum galleries. Look around and listen to a history-related story. Appropriate for children ages 3 and up with an adult.

2nd Saturdays Programs on June 8 
Artist at Work: Hal Pugh
Saturday, June 8, noon-3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Watch North Carolina potter Hal Pugh as he makes traditional earthenware pottery with the look and feel of pottery from the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries.

Our State Day
Saturday, June 8, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Celebrate the magazine’s 80th anniversary! Enjoy bluegrass music, see displays about Our State and meet editor Elizabeth Hudson. Wendy Perry, whose cakes are featured in Our State, will share samples of her creations. Grab a smoothie and try a s’more. At 2 p.m. guest speaker Dr. Elliot Engel will take you back to North Carolina in 1933, the year Our State was founded. Stoke County’s award-winning teacher Eric Marshall, who was recently featured on CBS “Sunday Morning,” will have a display about the Civil War. Get a free issue of Our State, share your Our State memories, and more. Make a day of it!

*Make It, Take It: Decorate It!
Saturday, June 8, noon-3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Watch North Carolina potters at work and decorate your own ornament in the tradition of 18th-century artisans.

Music of the Carolinas: Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
Sunday, June 9, 3-4 p.m.
Hear songs and stories relating to slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the westward migration, the birth of the blues, and the Civil Rights movement — all to mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM.

Saturdays in the Garden
Saturday, June 15, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Join one of the museum’s garden staff for an informal tour of our History of the Harvest exhibit in Bicentennial Plaza and see what’s going on in the garden! Meet your tour guide at the information desk in the lobby.

For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, call (919) 807-7900, access the museum’s website  or connect with the museum on Facebook and Twitter.

The N.C. Museum of History is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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2nd Saturdays Summer Arts Fest

Posted May 7, 2013 – 4:00 pm

Celebrate history, heritage and the arts at the Museum of the Cape Fear’s annual 2nd Saturdays Arts Fest on June 8, July 13 and August 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A variety of artists and craftspeople will set up shop on the grounds of the 1897 Poe House to display and sell local handmade crafts and creations.  The event also features music by local musicians and food.  Admission to the event is free, but come prepared to shop! “This will be the fourth year of the festival and it has grown every year.  It is a great place to find unique gifts and support our local artists and craftspeople,” says Megan Maxwell, 1897 Poe House Education Coordinator.

Items for sale include handmade baskets, mesh wreaths, custom jewelry, children’s hair bows, hand painted novelty items, pottery, baked goods and more!  Kids can make a beeswax candle and paint a watercolor picture at our “Make It, Take It” stations.  Big Ed’s Creek Sauce and Catering will have BBQ sandwiches for sale, and Mike’s Tropical Gourmet Icees will be on hand to keep everyone cool.

There is no fee to set up as a vendor or exhibitor, and the museum is still accepting vendor applications.  All items for sale must be handmade by the artist/vendor.

In addition to the vendor area we will also be hosting a “Bound Block Quilt Workshop” on June 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. Join textile historian and conservator, Lynn Gorges, and learn about quilts used and produced during the time of the American Civil War as you make your own bound signature quilt block. Workshop will discuss color palettes and patterns used during the Civil War era as well as compare authentic period fabrics to reproduction fabrics that can be bought for making replica Civil War era quilts. Basic sewing skills are required. Space is limited to 20 participants. The cost of the workshop is $40 and price includes materials to make one bound quilt block. Pre-registration is recommended.

Contact Megan Maxwell at (910) 486-1330 for 2nd Saturdays information and registration information for the quilt workshop.

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Reel to Real: The Making of the Gone with the Wind

Posted May 7, 2013 – 3:00 pm

Winner of 10 Academy Awards, Gone with the Wind remains popular decades after its 1939 premiere.Hollywood’s highly romanticized movie of the “Old South”   is based on Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

The true story of how Mitchell’s book became a record-breaking film is revealed in Real to Reel: The Making of Gone with the Wind, an exhibit opening Saturday, June 1 at 10 a.m. at the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City. Showcasing authentic memorabilia — costumes, screen tests, scene props, a script, Vivien Leigh’s Academy Award and more — the exhibit will run through Dec. 31, 2013.

Admission is $5 for ages 18 and up; $2.50 (per person) for groups of 10 or more and for senior citizens ages 60 and up. Free admission for active military and their immediate family; youth ages 17 and under; and Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle members.

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to see more than 120 items from the Shaw-Tumblin Gone with the Wind collection. James Tumblin, former head of the Universal Studios makeup and hair department, owns the largest private collection of Gone with the Wind memorabilia.

“Real to Reel takes museum visitors behind the scenes of one of the most famous films in Hollywood history,” said Katie Edwards, who helped curate the exhibit, which debuted in 2012 at the N.C. Museum of History inRaleigh. “Through costume sketches, scene storyboards, letters and other items, the exhibit highlights the many tasks and challenges, as well as the controversy, involved in this major production.”

Producer David O. Selznick oversaw the making of Gone with the Wind, with a cast and crew of 4,000, and insisted on approving every detail of production. Real to Reel spotlights the roles of individuals, both on-screen and off-screen, who helped create the film.

Movie buffs will recognize costumes worn by Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and others. These costumes include “Scarlett’s” dress from the attack at Shantytown scene; “Bonnie Blue’s” velvet dress from her final scene; and the uniform “Ashley Wilkes” wore when he returned home after the Civil War. Of the 1,500 outfits Walter Plunkett designed for the film, his favorite appears in the exhibit: “Belle Watling’s” burgundy velvet jacket and accompanying fur muff.

For exhibit related programs, please go to museumofthealbemarle.com.  

Come to the Museum of the Albemarle to learn more about Gone with the Wind, ranked as one of the top 10 greatest movies of all time by the American Film Institute.   The exhibit is sponsored by the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle.

For information about the Museum of the Albemarle, call (252) 335-1453. The museum  is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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Post from the Coast Exhibit to Open at the Museum of Albemarle

Posted May 2, 2013 – 12:10 pm

The Museum of the Albemarle’s newest exhibit Post from the Coast will open on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10 a.m. with related programming until noon.

Postcards are often overlooked as valuable research tools and sources of information.  Not only are they illustrative and tell a story, they also serve as markers of pop-culture.  This exhibit highlights postcards from the collections of the Museum of the Albemarle and local collector Gary Cooper.

Old and new, the examples chosen depict coastal North Carolina scenes of beaches, transportation, architecture, and fun. Adding to the experience, several cards have been enhanced for viewing with 3-D glasses provided by Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC and Tandem Incorporated. Learn about their development, and take in this diverse collection of posts from the coast.

The Museum of the Albemarle  is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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The Legacy of Freedom Symposium Complements Exhibit

Posted May 2, 2013 – 11:00 am

The exhibition Freedom Coming, Freedom for All, opening Wednesday, May 15, at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, will be complemented by The Legacy of Freedom Symposium. On Friday and Saturday, May 31 and June 1, this free symposium examines President Abraham Lincoln’s reasons for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, the resulting constitutional amendment that abolished slavery, and the overall impact of the change on legal and academic communities.

Both days will include a guest speaker, panel discussions, freedom songs, and historical re-enactments, followed by Q&A sessions. Symposium hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 31 and 9 a.m. to noon on June 1. The Legacy of Freedom Symposium is sponsored by the North Carolina Freedom Monument Park and the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information and to register for The Legacy of Freedom Symposium, visit www.ncfmp.org.

The exhibit Freedom Coming, Freedom for All is presented by the North Carolina Freedom Monument Park and the North Carolina Museum of History. The exhibit features the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which is on loan from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Major sponsors of the exhibit are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina; Mechanics and Farmers Bank; News & Observer; North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company; PNC; Radio One; and Spectacular Magazine. Additional support is provided by Epiphany Public Relations of N.C., LLC; the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission and the State Archives of North Carolina.

For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, call (919) 807-7900, access the museum’s website  or connect with the museum on Facebook and Twitter.

The N.C. Museum of History is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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Rare Opportunity to View Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in Raleigh

Posted May 2, 2013 – 10:00 am

RALEIGH – The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most significant documents in United States history. President Abraham Lincoln issued the document on Sept. 22, 1862, after the Union victory at Antietam (also called the Battle of Sharpsburg).

Signed by President Lincoln, the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation ordered that in 100 days the federal government would free all slaves in the states still rebelling against the Union. The document formally alerted the Confederacy of Lincoln’s intention. On Jan. 1, 1863, with the Confederacy still in full rebellion, the president issued the final Emancipation Proclamation.

You will have a rare opportunity to see the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh from Wednesday, May 15, through Sunday, June 16, 2013. This historical seven-page document is on loan from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Admission is free.

The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation will be highlighted in the exhibit Freedom Coming, Freedom for All, which is presented by the North Carolina Freedom Monument Park and the North Carolina Museum of History. A second phase of the exhibit, opening July 1, will feature the 13th Amendment.

“As a milestone on the path to slavery’s final abolishment, the Emancipation Proclamation has assumed a place among the great documents of human freedom,” says Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero. “We are honored to share this official Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation for the exhibit Freedom Coming, Freedom for All at the North Carolina Museum of History.”

The exhibit focuses on the status of North Carolina before the Civil War, events leading up to Lincoln’s issuance of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, and outcomes of the document in the state and nation. Freedom Coming also examines the differences among the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, the final Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment.

“We are honored to join with North Carolina Freedom Monument Park and the National Archives to present Freedom Coming, which is especially relevant during the sesquicentennial of the 1863 signing of the final Emancipation Proclamation,” emphasizes Ken Howard, Director of the N.C. Museum of History. The exhibit marks the longest period the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation has been on view since 2004.

Adds Dianne Pledger, Executive Director of North Carolina Freedom Monument Park, “What we will achieve through this partnership is an exploration of the deeper ramifications of the Emancipation Proclamation and its influence on society in subsequent years. By doing so, we hope to increase historical awareness and civic engagement about the importance of freedom for all people. The Emancipation Proclamation is a reminder of our ongoing obligation to learn our history because it reminds us of our mistakes and successes.”

“Freedom Coming conveys how securing freedom for all was more of a process than a single act or proclamation, and the exhibit highlights North Carolina’s unique role in that process,” notes Earl Ijames, Curator of African American History at the N.C. Museum of History.

Phase Two of Exhibit Highlights 13th Amendment

Freedom Coming will reopen with a second phase on Monday, July 1. Phase two features original copies of the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery in the United States (except for punishment for crime) and nullified the antebellum slave codes (laws). The movie “Lincoln” centers on this life-changing document.

Phase two will be presented in two parts.

–July 1 through Oct. 6: North Carolina’s original copy of the 13th Amendment will be on view. Visitors also will see a letter from U.S. Sec. of State William Seward to Gov. Zebulon Vance about the document. Both are on loan from the State Archives of North Carolina. In 1865 the North Carolina Constitutional Convention ratified the 13th Amendment (and 14th Amendment) in order for North Carolina to be readmitted to the Union.

–Oct. 14, 2013, through Jan. 26, 2014: The exhibit will feature Massachusetts’ copy of the 13th Amendment. After the amendment’s adoption by the U.S. House of Representatives in January 1865, members of Congress, Vice-President Hannibal Hamlin and President Lincoln signed several commemorative copies of the 13th Amendment for the U.S. Sanitary Commission. A secretary provided Lincoln’s signature. The commission sold these signed copies to raise money for sick and wounded Union soldiers. Col. Henri Crandall, the Adjutant General of Rhode Island, owned the copy that will be on view.

Traveling Version of Exhibit

On Monday, July 1, a traveling version of Freedom Coming, comprised of eight informational panels (no original documents), will be available for museums, historic sites, and other organizations across North Carolina. For more information call 919-224-0480 or e-mail info@ncfmp.org.

Major sponsors of Freedom Coming are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina; Mechanics and Farmers Bank; News & Observer; North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company; PNC; Radio One; and Spectacular Magazine. Additional support is provided by Epiphany Public Relations of N.C., LLC; the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission and the State Archives of North Carolina.

For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, call (919) 807-7900, access the museum’s website  or connect with the museum on Facebook and Twitter.

The N.C. Museum of History is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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Photojournalism Exhibit Closing at the Museum of the Albemarle

Posted May 2, 2013 – 9:00 am

A 1963 sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Charlotte, Richard Petty and Miss Winston celebrating a mid-1970s victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and images such as the Yellow Brick Road at Beech Mountain’s Land of Oz are a few that have been featured in the exhibit Bruce Roberts Photojournalist: 50 Years of Capturing Change.

The exhibit includes black and white and color images of Robert’s work from his prolific career and includes topics such as desegregation, commercial fishing, changing rural landscapes and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

New York native, Bruce Roberts began his love of photography as a teenager when he set up a makeshift darkroom in his family’s basement. After graduating from New York University and serving two years in the U.S. Air Force, he came to North Carolina to take photographs for the Hamlet Messenger.  Roberts’ photographs were published in national publications such as Life, Look, Time and Saturday Evening Post.  He also contributed many cover photographs to The State magazine, now known as Our State.

In 1958 the venerable Pete McKnight hired Bruce Roberts on the staff of the Charlotte Observer, where he became part of a legendary team of young and talented photographers who pioneered the use of 35 millimeter cameras in photojournalism.

Roberts has written or had his photographs published in over 40 books, most recently Just Yesterday: North Carolina People and Places (North Carolina Office of Archives and History, 2008).

His accolades are numerous – twice named Southern Photographer of the Year, three-time winner of the National Press Photographers Association News Photographers competition, Honorary Tar Heel Award from North Carolina Governor Jim Martin, and notably, was named the first recipient of Our State magazine’s Carl Goerch Award established to honor their founder. The closing date of the exhibit will be Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Visit the Museum Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to view the exhibit.

The Museum of the Albemarle  is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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North Carolina Symphony Performs “Disney in Concert” May 10-11

Posted May 1, 2013 – 4:30 pm

RALEIGH — Resident Conductor William Henry Curry will lead the North Carolina Symphony in some of the best-loved songs from the movies of Walt Disney in the program “Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies,” in three performances Friday, May 10 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 11 at 3 p.m. and again at 8 p.m.  The performances take place at Meymandi Concert Hall at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh.

Music from Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas and many more classic films will fill Meymandi Concert Hall, along with guest vocalists Candice Nicole, Whitney Claire Kaufman, Andrew Johnson, and Aaron Phillips, rare original storyboard art, and video from the Disney archives projected on a giant screen.

Tickets to “Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies” range from $18 to $67.  Student tickets are $15.  For more information, go to the North Carolina Symphony’s website at www.ncsymphony.org, or call 919.733.2750 or toll free 877.627.6724. Meymandi Concert Hall is located in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., in Raleigh.

North Carolina Symphony Pops Series partners are CEI: The Digital Office, Highwoods Properties, Triangle Business Journal and North State Strategies.

The N.C. Symphony is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.

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