Press Releases

 In honor of Juneteenth, numerous N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources sites across the state will feature events and tours throughout the month of June. Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and ensure that all enslaved people were now free. It celebrates the official end of slavery in the United States.

Kevin Bischof is the new superintendent of Gorges State Park in Transylvania County, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Bischof succeeds Robert McGraw, who transferred to serve as superintendent at Mount Mitchell State Park last fall. Skyler Hill, a ranger at Gorges, served as acting superintendent for several months.

The State Library of North Carolina announces the 2021-2022 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant awardees. This year's $4,843,343 federal allotment will be distributed on behalf of North Carolina's libraries through programs and services available under the North Carolina LSTA Five Year Plan. The 47 awards go to local library projects that: 

The State Archives of North Carolina will host a virtual roundtable, “North Carolina’s Colonial Court Records,” Tuesday, June 22, 7-8:30 p.m. Learn about colonial North Carolina and new discoveries from the Archives!

The North Carolina State Capitol will host a community art collaboration on historic Union Square, Saturday, June 19 in commemoration of Juneteenth. In 2020, the City of Raleigh designated Juneteenth as a city holiday celebrating the official end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed.

North Carolina has long sustained strong maritime industries of major consequence, including ship and boat building. A new book from the North Carolina Office of Archives and History examines that maritime and shipbuilding heritage. “Shipbuilding in North Carolina, 1688–1918,” by William N. Still, Jr. and Richard A. Stephenson, documents a comprehensive and authoritative history of maritime industries that dotted the Tar Heel coast.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Did you know that over 300 businesses in North Carolina were listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book? In fact, there were 327.

Life on the farm in 1870 was not about stylish clothing. No nearby mall or hip boutique offered trendy fashions. Aycock Birthplace and members of the Tarheel Civilians will examine fiber and fixings at the “Spinning a Yarn” program Saturday, May 29, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., in a celebration of creating textiles and clothing. Bring a snack or picnic lunch and learn of bygone days. This program will feature a sheep shearing demonstration from 10 a.m.-noon and living history demonstrations and children’s crafts throughout the day.

The North Carolina Zoo is doing its part to help Bring Summer Back in North Carolina! The North Carolina Departments of Health and Human Services and Natural and Cultural Resources are partnering with StarMed Healthcare and the Randolph County Health Department to host a vaccine clinic for anyone 12 and older at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro on May 20 through May 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The State Capitol will open to the public May 17, with some new procedures in place to help ensure the safety of staff and visitors, including:      · Limiting visitation      · Installing hand sanitizer stations and increasing the frequency of cleaning high touch public areas      · Installing protective barriers at information desks      · Our gift shop will be open