The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, in partnership with the Ernie Barnes Family Trust, Museum of Durham History, Empower Dance Studio, The Repertory Dance Company at NCCU and Thomas DeFrantz + SLIPPAGE, will celebrate the life and legacy of North Carolina artist Ernie Barnes (1938-2009) with events exploring and celebrating his famous painting, “The Sugar Shack,” Oct. 6 and 11 in Durham.
The heritage demonstrations and activities will capture daily life on a farm in the 1900s. The Hauser family lived here and such important skills as spinning, quilting, cornshuck doll making, basket weaving, and cornshucking will be demonstrated. Blacksmithing, tobacco curing, crosscut sawing and plowing will be reviewed. Apple butter and sorghum syrup demonstrations, fried pie demonstrations and a grist mill demonstration are in store.
The demands of life for soldiers and civilians in the 1750s will be on view at the “Frontier Life Recreated” program at Fort Dobbs State Historic Site Saturday, Sept. 29. Re-enactors dressed as soldiers and settlers will demonstrate what daily life was like at the French and Indian War site 260 years ago.
How did civilians learn the art of war? Well, not in a classroom. Many long and tedious hours turned green recruits into soldiers. Bennett Place State Historic Site will offer a “School of the Soldier,” program Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29-30, that illustrates the transition.
The North Carolina Poet Laureate Ceremony, scheduled for Wed., Sept. 19 in Raleigh, has been postponed due to the uncertainty of Hurricane Florence and its aftermath.
A limited number of tickets remain for “Two Weeks of Fury: A Carolina’s Campaign Tour and Symposium.” Hosted by the Friends of Bentonville, the event takes place Sept. 28-29 at various sites in eastern North Carolina. It will include scholarly presentations and battlefield tours.
This October, come and join the State Capitol Foundation for their annual Oyster Roast fundraiser, held at the State Capitol Friday, Oct. 12 from 7-11 p.m.
The evening's festivities will include live music from The Embers, featuring Craig Woolard and local emcee “Big John,” as well as shagging demonstrations. The event will also feature local N.C. beer, wine, plenty of great food, including raw and steamed oysters, and a silent auction with a wide variety of items.
The State Capitol is seeking volunteers interested in training as Capitol docents. Volunteers are the public face of the Capitol and are relied upon for tours, leading both adult and children’s groups. Volunteers also assist with special programming. The Capitol will hold a volunteer docent training and information session, Monday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. Docents will be trained to give tours of the 1840 Capitol and will learn much about local and state history.
Join us in the House Chamber of the N.C. State Capitol Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 7-9 p.m. for a screening of "The American South As We Know It" by Fredrick Murphy.
Share a captivating evening of African folk tales of the sun, moon and stars at the program, “Stagville Under the Stars,” Friday, Aug. 24, 8 to 10 p.m., at Historic Stagville. This is a new summer presentation of the popular winter event.