Topics Related to Living History

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site will commemorate the 155th anniversary of the fall of Fort Anderson Feb. 15 and 16.

The site is offering a free living-history event during the daytime, and a special program Saturday night requiring tickets purchased in advance.

Advance tickets for the country’s largest Civil War re-enactment of 2020, the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville slated for March 21-22, are limited but still available. Other weekend family activities are free. 

Nominations are open for the North Carolina Heritage Award, the state’s highest honor for traditional artists, until Friday, May 1. Artists who are recognized within their communities as keepers of North Carolina’s living traditions may be nominated for the award. Past recipients have included musicians, craftspeople, storytellers, dancers, and practitioners of traditional occupations. The award has honored both professionally acclaimed artists and those who practice their art in family and community settings. 

The origins and impact of slavery in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, 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 – African American Gold Miners in North Carolina” tours Saturdays in February at 1 p.m. and examine the area’s social and economic environment during John Reed’s lifetime. Join us Feb. 8, 15, or 29. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, guaranteeing and protecting the right of women to vote. To honor this historic event, the

RALEIGH, N.C. — African American history in North Carolina involves songs and struggle, triumph and despair, artistry and achievement. Black History Month programming within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources reflects the variety of experiences that is family-friendly and usually free. Find out more here. 

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Make a stop at the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to see the annual Christmas parade and beautiful lights in downtown Kinston. Prior to the 3 p.m. parade, visitors can enjoy cider, cookies, and crafts of a Victorian Christmas in the museum, with no fee. 

“This will be a fun experience for the entire family,” said Program Coordinator Rachel Kennedy. “Enjoy making ornaments, playing games, and learning about the history of Santa Claus. Admission, cookies, cider, and crafts, and all will be free.” 

During the Civil War at Christmas 1862 most people thought the war would be over. Instead, it was at Kinston’s doorsteps. Join volunteers and staff at CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center Friday, Dec. 6, 6 to 8 p.m., for a unique theater presentation, “A Walk Through Christmas Past.” 

Join Gov. Roy Cooper at the State Capitol for the annual tree-lighting tradition on Thursday, Dec. 12! 

The festivities begin on Capitol Square at 5 p.m. with luminaries and holiday music. There will be music performances by the Raleigh Concert Band and dance by Alicia’s School of the Performing Arts. 

North Carolina’s Executive Mansion, the “people’s house,” will open its historic doors again for the beloved annual Holiday Open House from Dec. 12 through Dec. 15.

Visitors are invited to tour the home, take in the decorations, and enjoy seasonal musical entertainment by local performing groups. The first floor of the mansion will be decorated with North Carolina-grown Christmas trees, floral and mixed evergreen arrangements and ornate mantle displays.