Category: Current Events

November 10, 2008

Today in history: the Wilmington Race Riot

This past Saturday Wilmington, North Carolina, dedicated a new memorial to the victims of the Wilmington Race Riot of 1898. The memorial site includes an installation of six 16-foot-high bronze paddles created by sculptor Ayokunle Odeleye. Today, November 10, is the 110th anniversary of the event. Ten years ago, UNC Press published Democracy Betrayed: The Wilmington Race Riot of 1898… Continue Reading Today in history: the Wilmington Race Riot

African American History/African American Studies/American History/Current Events/History/North Carolina/Politics/The Book Biz/Travel

November 5, 2008

Election digestion

Congratulations to everyone who voted yesterday! There was record turnout nationwide: more than 130 million people voted. North Carolina had 68.37% voter turnout. With more than four million votes cast for president in North Carolina, Obama is ahead by about 12,000 votes. Provisional ballots are still being counted (thus they haven’t called it an Obama victory for NC yet). We… Continue Reading Election digestion

Current Events/North Carolina/Podcasts/Politics/TSoT

October 15, 2008

Guest Blogger Laura Browder: Sarah Palin: A “Pioneer Mother” in Hockey Mom’s Clothes?

Since her first appearance at the Republican National Convention, where she was greeted with rapturous applause by her fans and with astonishment by journalists — she’s a mother of five, and she hunts! — Sarah Palin has seemed to many like a brand-new phenomenon. Actually, she’s not. Sarah Palin is following in a long tradition of women who used their… Continue Reading Guest Blogger Laura Browder: Sarah Palin: A “Pioneer Mother” in Hockey Mom’s Clothes?

American History/American Studies/Current Events/Guest Bloggers/Politics/Women's Studies

October 13, 2008

Books for Understanding the Economic Crisis

Well, on the news that European governments are jumping in to help their banks continue lending to each other, markets seem to be showing some signs of regaining confidence today. We’ll see how long it holds. For the past couple of weeks — and no doubt for some time still to come — we’ve seen what large scale economic crisis… Continue Reading Books for Understanding the Economic Crisis

Business/Current Events/Economics/The Book Biz

October 8, 2008

Banned Books Week Gallery

National Banned Books Week ended on Saturday, but we’re not done! A few readers took me up on the invitation to send in photos of “getting caught reading a banned book.” I also stumbled upon a few other photos of folks around the country gettin’ down with Banned Books Week. The anonymous, the canine (more from Gus!), and the in-your-face,… Continue Reading Banned Books Week Gallery

Current Events/The Book Biz

October 2, 2008

Weekend Roadtrip #9: Grab a Plastic Bib and Head to the NC Seafood Festival

Grab your oyster knives and crab crackers! This weekend, Morehead City will be hosting the 22nd Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival. Friday through Sunday, October 3-5, locals and out-of-towners can enjoy all the Crystal Coast has to offer. Events include the Outer Banks Boat Show, cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs, live music, rides, an open air market with arts and… Continue Reading Weekend Roadtrip #9: Grab a Plastic Bib and Head to the NC Seafood Festival

Cooking / Food/Current Events/North Carolina/Travel

September 9, 2008

Guest Blogger Catherine Rymph on Sarah Palin and Her Role in History

Because I teach a course on U.S. Women’s Political History and wrote a book about women in the Republican Party, a lot of people these days have been popping into my office or popping up on email to ask what I think of Sarah Palin‘s nomination for vice-president. As a citizen, I have my opinions (as, it seems, does everyone).… Continue Reading Guest Blogger Catherine Rymph on Sarah Palin and Her Role in History

American History/American Studies/Current Events/Gender Studies/Guest Bloggers/Politics/Women's Studies

September 4, 2008

Political Conventions: Part II

In some ways it seems difficult to believe that it was only a week ago that the Democratic Convention was taking place. Since then we’ve had a major hurricane seriously threaten New Orleans and the entire Gulf region, a second hurricane forming (one that’s taking aim at our own Carolina coastline) and the start of the Republican Convention. With the… Continue Reading Political Conventions: Part II

American Studies/Current Events/Politics/Women's Studies

August 11, 2008

Gilberto Gil Decides to Stick with Music

Brazilian musician and Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil has decided to leave his government post to focus his attention on his music career. When Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tapped Gil to be Culture Minister in 2003, Gil was only the second black person to serve in Brazil’s cabinet. The government’s loss now, though, is music’s gain. Gil is one… Continue Reading Gilberto Gil Decides to Stick with Music

Current Events/Latin American/Caribbean Hist./Music

International AIDS Conference in Latin America

The XVII International AIDS Conference takes place this week (Aug 3-8) in Mexico City. This is the first time the bi-annual conference has been held in a Latin American city. As we learn from Shawn Smallman, author of The AIDS Pandemic in Latin America, Latin American countries represent a mosaic of policies, cultures, and infection rates that offer some valuable… Continue Reading International AIDS Conference in Latin America

Cuba/Current Events/Gay / Lesbian Studies/Health / Medicine/Public Policy

Wall Street fiction(?)

With the real-life dramas unfolding on Wall Street these days, it’s only a matter of time before we witness a bumper crop of novels and thrillers set in the high-stakes financial world. David Zimmerman has written about the connections between novels and markets in an earlier period of American history

American History/Business/Current Events/Economics/History/Literature

Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Maybe hearing it from retired officers in the armed services will push Congress to reconsider the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy toward gays in the military: “Evidence shows that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is unlikely to pose any significant risk to morale, good order, discipline or cohesion.” A new study points to the British and Israeli armies… Continue Reading Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Current Events/Gay / Lesbian Studies/Military Studies/Politics

On the death of Jesse Helms

There are few North Carolinians more qualified to speak on the passing of Helms than Rob Christensen, longtime political writer for the Raleigh News & Observer and author of The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics: The Personalities, Elections, and Events That Shaped Modern North Carolina.

Biography / Autobiography/Current Events/North Carolina/Politics