Press Releases

Most frequently seen images of African Americans from pre-Civil War times show them barefoot and poorly clothed. Collector Craig James has striking images of elegant and proud African Americans from that period. He will offer “A New Look at Early African American Images,” Thursday, Feb. 21 at 12:30 p.m., in the Archives & History/State Library Building,109 E. Jones St., Raleigh.

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi Hamilton announces the appointment of Timothy Owens as the new State Librarian of North Carolina.

African Americans were ready to fight for freedom when the Civil War started, and before it ended they were recruited to take up arms. The CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center will explore that process in the program, “African American Troops in Eastern North Carolina,” followed by a Wyse Fork Battlefield tour Saturday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Lunch and Learn program fee is $10.  

Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the lunar module Eagle on July 20, 1969. Armstrong’s first step onto the lunar surface, and now-famous exclamation “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” was broadcast on live TV to a worldwide audience. Learn more about the history of human endeavors to reach the Moon, including the Apollo landings, present-day orbiters, and future projects that will help prepare for a possible lunar colony, when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts Astronomy Days, Saturday, Jan. 26, 9 a.m.–5

African American history in North Carolina involves struggle, resistance, songs and celebrations. All of this will be showcased at various programs at venues of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. There are many free, family friendly events available all across the state.  

The legacies of the U.S. slave trade have extended well into present. The N.C. African American Heritage Commission seeks to explore this present-day legacy by looking to the past through its newest initiative, “Africa to Carolina.” The first in a series of public meetings will be Thursday, Jan. 31, at 6 p.m. in Edenton at the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse.

The State Archives of North Carolina is excited to announce the availability for public research of the World War II-era papers of U.S. Army Air Forces aerial reconnaissance photographer Charles M. Allen Jr. of Mount Gilead, N.C.. Allen served in Headquarters, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), and later Headquarters, 363rd Reconnaissance Group, during World War II, and  also served in the European Theater from February 1944 through the summer of 1945. 

Winter storms can mean power outages. One great way to weather the storms is with your very own quilt. Want to combat the cold winter days and nights? The Aycock Birthplace Quilting Workshop is for you. Over six consecutive Saturdays, Jan. 26 through March 2, the workshop will teach modern techniques for this time-honored craft. The fee is $35 plus tax. More information will be emailed/mailed upon registration. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.

In late December, the final step in a plan to preserve the historic and natural landscape surrounding the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in Manteo was achieved when The Conservation Fund transferred ownership of 20 acres of maritime forest adjacent to the site to the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. 

First Day Hikes offered at all of North Carolina’s state parks on New Year’s Day brought a record 3,859 people to join 57 guided hikes across the state. Mild, dry weather made the hikes more attractive than those in 2018, which were marred by rain and winter weather.   To start the new year, hundreds of dogs, two llamas and a goat joined their human companions on various hikes. Participants ranged in age from newborn to 95 years young. Cliffs of the Neuse State Park set a record for their park’s first day hike program with 300 participants.