Civil Rights

Duke Marks 50 Years Since Integration

Isaac-Davy Aronson — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:30:29 +0000

Duke University celebrates 50 years of black students on Saturday, with an address by U.S. Senator William "Mo" Cowan. The Massachusetts Democrat is a 1991 Duke graduate and one of two African-Americans currently in the U.S. Senate.

The Story Of Medgar Evers Through Collective Memory

Frank Stasio and Christina Blyde — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:54:56 +0000

Medgar Evers’s assassination was a spark that motivated social activists and inspired writers, poets and journalists. Artists like Bob Dylan, Eudora Welty and James Baldwin have contributed to the collective memory of Evers through their own works.

Minrose Gwin, professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, talks to host Frank Stasio about her new book, “Remembering Medgar Evers” (University of Georgia Press/2013).

A&T Four Celebrated 53 Years After Iconic Sit-in

Jeff Tiberii — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:01:50 +0000

Chapel Hill during the Civil Rights Movement

Frank Stasio and Lindsay Foster Thomas — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:39:00 +0000

What did Chapel Hill look like during the Civil Rights Movement? Photographer Jim Wallace captured images for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s student newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel. But Wallace didn’t see fire hoses or police dogs turned on protesters.

Who’s Responsible for Human Rights?

Frank Stasio and Susan Davis — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Last month, a conference in Greensboro brought together more than 70 attorneys, activists and average citizens to talk about human and civil rights violations at the hands of law enforcement. Among the issues discussed were racial profiling, police brutality, mass incarceration, torture and rendition. The event was a call to action and the message was that every member of society is responsible for speaking out about abuses of state power.

"Freedom Rallies" Honored in Williamston

Leoneda Inge — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:10:00 +0000

The “Freedom Rallies” of 1963 were remembered and honored yesterday with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.

The “Freedom Rallies” took place in the town of Williamston – in Martin County. For 32 days – hundreds of mostly African Americans held mass meetings and marches, anchored at Green Memorial Church. Diane Carr was 12-years-old during the “Freedom Rallies” and remembers singing and marching to the courthouse to demand equal rights.

Civil Rights Exhibit Online

Leoneda Inge — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0000

The North Carolina Museum of History launched a new online exhibit today that takes a close-up look at the struggle for equal and civil rights across the state.

As soon as you log onto the website – you are serenaded by Sam Cooke. The name of the exhibit is “A Change is Gonna Come: Black, Indian and White Voices for Racial Equality.” It covers the years 1830 to 1980 – from the Indian Removal Act to the rise and fall of Soul City. Earl Ijames is the curator of the exhibit. He says it was going to be a physical exhibit before the 2008 recession.

African American Legacy in New Bern

Leoneda Inge — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Some historians refer to the Civil War as the “war between the states" – a white man’s war. But to many people of color – it was the “war for freedom.” And during this mighty war, no other place in North Carolina had more “free” slaves than New Bern.

When the Union Army seized the city, word spread fast. Slaves travelled from across the state and outside its borders to get to New Bern.

State's Rights and the Reconstruction Amendments

Frank Stasio and Susan Davis — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:44:00 +0000

The 14th Amendment may be the most hotly debated 2,000 words in American history. It was adopted on July 9, 1868 and is considered the most important of the “Reconstruction Amendments.” Those amendments - the 13th, 14th and 15th - reconfigure the relationship between the states and the federal government. Among other things, they put the federal government in the position of monitoring the way states protect civil rights.

Meet Heather Williams

Alex Granados and Frank Stasio — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Heather Williams experienced racism for the first time when she moved to Brooklyn from Jamaica at 11 years old. That’s when she discovered that black was considered bad in the United States, though she didn't know why. Her high school library’s Black Studies section began her education in racial history. Her fascination with the subject would lead her to one day become a civil rights lawyer, and later, a teacher of history.