Press Releases

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.

North Carolina’s New Year tradition of family adventure, exercise and reconnection with nature continues in 2019 with First Day Hikes throughout the state parks system on Jan. 1. More than 40 guided hikes are scheduled for New Year’s Day, ranging from short “leg-stretchers” to multi-mile rambles, most featuring educational programs led by rangers along the way. All state parks will be open on the holiday. In North Carolina, this popular tradition began at Eno River State Park more than 40 years ago. Eno River’s first day hike alone draws more than 800 visitors.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announces that 17 individual properties across the state, including seven shipwrecks, have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The following properties were reviewed by the North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee and were subsequently approved by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer and forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register. 

The State Archives and State Library of North Carolina are seeking volunteers to help make their materials more accessible to researchers by transcribing audio files of oral history interviews of North Carolina veterans. 

The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission will co-host an information session on its N.C. Green Book Project, Jan. 9, 6-7 p.m. at the Greensboro History Museum Auditorium, 130 Summit Ave., Greensboro, N.C.