Press Releases

Residents of the Lower Cape Fear region were not happy about the 1765 Stamp Act imposed by the British Crown -- a tax on all newspapers, gambling papers, books pamphlets and more. The town of Brunswick returns to 1766 Saturday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as historic interpreters demonstrate trades and show how the dreaded Stamp Act affected their lives during the 252nd Anniversary of the Stamp Act Resistance program.  

On a guided campus tour of Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum visitors will learn of notable personalities who have ties to Palmer Memorial Institute, the former incarnation of the museum. In its heyday in the 1940s and ’50s, Palmer was a unique private school for African Americans. The Feb.

Take advantage of a rare opportunity to view the historic North Carolina 1868 Constitution, now on display at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh through April 29. The state’s 1868 Constitution brought about change in post-Civil War North Carolina, most notably granting rights and privileges to emancipated former slaves. It remained as law until the 1972 Constitution took its place. The document is stored in the vault of the State Archives of North Carolina and is rarely on public view due to its fragile nature.

The origins and impact of slavery in Cabarrus County, and the benefits of slave labor to Reed Gold Mine will be examined during Black History Month. Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site will offer “Black Gold: North Carolina Slavery and Reed Gold Mine” tours every Saturday in February at 1 p.m. and examine the area’s social and economic environment during John Reed’s lifetime.

South Mountains State Park in Burke county has been named North Carolina’s State Park of the Year by the Division of Parks and Recreation. It was selected from three regional nominees that included Jordan Lake and Fort Fisher state recreation areas.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Why in the world do we ask a groundhog about the weather every Feb. 2? What makes them better prognosticators than squirrels, or wooly worms, or frogs? Here are some fun facts about Groundhog Day history, North Carolina groundhogs and other animals that predict the weather.

Members of the public may use a new online portal to comment on a proposal to relocate three Confederate monuments from the State Capitol grounds in Raleigh to the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site in Four Oaks, N.C.  

Artists in North Carolina have until Thursday, March 15 to apply for the Mary B. Regan Community Artist Residency, a $12,500 grant designed to support innovative art projects that impact communities. The funds will support the selected artist’s planning and implementation costs related to the proposed project.

African American history in North Carolina involves the pursuit of freedom, equality and excellence. The following programs from venues of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources celebrate the lives and contributions of African Americans to the state.  

This evening’s planned exhibit opening at the North Carolina State Capitol for “The Mountains Are Calling: At Home in Western North Carolina,” has been postponed due to inclement weather. The Capitol is closed to visitors today.