Federation bulletin

              D iscover ways to uncover your community’s history at the
Federation’s spring workshops. Each workshop will feature a session led by Bob Crowley, curator of the N.C. Rail-way Museum, focusing on the basics of good research and on the resources available to research business and
industrial history. The workshops will also feature different, additional speakers at each location, offering
examples of local history research.
The April 19 workshop, which will be held in Wilmington, will include a session by professor Kate Amerson of Craven County Community College; she and her students will talk about how they conducted research into New Bern’s 300 years of history to highlight indi-
Federation Spring Workshops to Focus on Discovering Community History
The Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the pursuit of local history in North Carolina through existing and future local and regional historical organizations, societies, and commissions; to foster cooperation between such organizations, societies, and commissions and the Office of Archives and History to the mutual benefit of all; and to promote and support history education through sponsorship of the National History Day program and other appro-priate activities.
The Federation Bulletin is published quarterly. Submis-sions for the Bulletin should be sent to the address at the bottom of this page and should be received by May 1, August 1, November 1, and February 1.
Federation News
2
Member News
11
Grant Opportunities
15
History Help
16
Calendar of Events
18
Exhibits
29
Workshops and
Conferences
31
New Publications
35
Inside this issue:
Federation Bulletin
Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies
March 2012
Volume 32, no. 1
Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies, 4610 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4610, (919) 807-7280
Web page: www.fnchs.org Editor’s email: Laura.Ketcham@ncdcr.gov
vidual stories in a documentary. Also in Wilmington, Beverly Tetterton will talk about the historical resources available at the New Hanover County Public Library. At the May 10 workshop, which will be held in Hickory, Leslie Keller will describe her research that led to the book Lost Hickory, an explo-ration of historic buildings that were lost over time. And during the May 17 workshop in Rocky Mount, Monika Fleming and staff from the city of Rocky Mount will talk about the research they did into the city’s political history and the history of some of the city’s buildings. Participants will have a chance to tour several restored buildings at the end of this workshop. A workshop brochure and registration form will be sent to Federation members later in March.
Don’t Forget: It’s Time to Renew!
W ith the start of 2012, we invite you to renew your membership in the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies. Your dues help fund services that directly benefit Federation members, such as the Federation Bulletin, workshops, and the loan fund which helps members publish historical books. In addition, $5 of every institution’s dues goes to support the National History Day program, an important educational initiative that encourages middle and high school students to study and
appreciate history.
Many of you have already renewed, and we send you our sincere thanks.
We know that the economy continues to pose challenges to many organiza-tions, and we appreciate your contin-ued support.
If you haven’t yet renewed, please send a $25 check made out to FNCHS to Vivian McDuffie, Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies, 4610 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4610.
We value your membership and appreciate all that you do to preserve and promote our state’s history. Thank you so much for your continued support of the Federation.
Dr. Benjamin Speller
Historic Stagville
Leigh Strickland
Gov. Charles B. Aycock Birthplace
John Woodard
Historic Murfreesboro
Monika Fleming
Edgecombe County Community College
Beverly Tetterton
New Hanover County Public Library
Patricia Hughey
Onslow County Museum
Through 2012
C. Rudolph Knight
Perry-Weston Institute
Jeff Pruett
Gaston County Museum of Art and History
Through 2013
Ernest Dollar
Preservation Society of Chapel Hill
January Porter
Lincoln County Historical Association
Through 2014
Bob Crowley
North Carolina Railroad Museum
Betsy Shaw
Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation Group
Federation Bulletin
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MARCH 2012
T he Federation of North Caro-lina Historical Societies is a coalition of societies, associations, and commissions throughout the state that are dedicated to preserving and promoting history in North Carolina. An advisory board made up of members of historical organizations oversees the work of the Federation.
The Federation sponsors work-shops and meetings; offers loans to members for the creation of historical publications, historical/educational videos or cds, and special events; offers technical assistance to members who contact the Federation with questions; and more. For more information,
visit the Federation’s Web page at www.fnchs.org.
Members of the Federation Advisory Board
FEDERATION NEWS
About the Federation
Make History! Be a Judge for History Day
previous judging experience to be a judge, just an understanding of historical inquiry and sources. Judges work in teams, and instruction is provided to judges in advance and on competition day. The time commitment is approximately from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; lunch is provided.
More than 70 judges are needed each year to make the state competition a success. We hope you will
consider volunteering!
To volunteer to be a judge, please email Laura Ketcham by mid-March at laura.ketcham@ncdcr.gov, or call her at (919) 807-7395. Please rank which categories (exhibits, documentaries, and performances) you would prefer to judge, in order of preference.
Thank you for your support of this important
educational program.
J udges are needed for the state competition of National History Day in North Carolina. In addition to evaluating student projects and offering constructive comments, judges choose the top projects to represent North Carolina at the national conference in Maryland. This year, National History Day in North Carolina will be held on Saturday, April 28, at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh.
The Federation is one of the co-sponsors of National History Day, a program designed to promote interest in history among students and to assist teachers in teaching history more effectively. Students in middle and high school conduct in-depth research into a topic and create papers, exhibits, documentaries, web pag-es, and performances to present their findings. Stu-dents are required to use both primary and secondary sources in their research and to make a compelling historical argument based on a review of these sources.
Volunteering to be a judge gives you an opportunity to meet students who love history and to be inspired by their hard work and dedication. You do not need Learn about Conservation and Archival Management at
Connecting to Collections Spring Workshops
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
T he Department of Cultural Resources’ Connect-ing to Collections program invites you to learn about conservation and archival management at its spring workshops, which will be held across the state.
On Monday, April 23, Perry Hurt will lead the work-shop “Preventative Conservation for Visual Arts,” focusing on hands-on training in backing paintings, installing new frame hardware, and frame padding. Hurt is an associate conservator at the N.C. Museum of Art. Workshop participants will also learn when to try to do preventative conservation themselves and when to contact a conservator. The workshop will take place at Duke Homestead State Historic Site in Durham and will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regis-tration costs $20 and includes a boxed lunch. To register, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/
conservationforvisualarts.
On Thursday, April 26, at the State Archives Building in Raleigh, Paige Myers will offer a “Textiles Intensive” workshop. Myers, a textile conservator at the N.C. Museum of History, will lead participants in practicing the four types of stitches commonly used in conserva-tion. Under her guidance, attendees will fabricate their own padded hangers for costume storage and create ethafoam-based hat mounts. The group will tour the conservation studio at N.C. Museum of History, as well as textile storage and relevant exhibition spaces. Instruction will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 3:30 p.m. A $20 registration fee will cover materials, morning refreshments, and a boxed lunch. To register, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/textilesintensive.
C2C is also offering a session at the North Carolina Museums Council upcoming annual conference, which will be held in Asheville. This “Connecting to Collections Hands-On Sampler” workshop will offer a taste of the various hands-on activities and theories found in C2C’s day-long workshops, in “bite-sized” portions for a Sunday afternoon workshop. For more information, visit www.ncmuseums.org.
On March 28, C2C is partnering with the Society of North Carolina Archivists to offer “Archival Boot Camp” as part of SNCA’s annual meeting in Greens-
boro. If you are responsible for historical records at your institution and don’t know what to do with them, this workshop is for you. Archival Boot Camp has five main modules: records (what are “records” and what are “archives”); collecting; arrangement and description; preservation; and reference and outreach. The goal of Archival Boot Camp is to introduce basic archival education to people who are on the front lines of caring for historical records but have not had the benefit of formal training. Past Boot Camp partic-ipants have included librarians, museum curators, and public historians associated with various clubs, religious institutions, businesses, and social organiza-tions.
Please note that the Archival Boot Camp is a pre-conference workshop, and registrants for the Archival Boot Camp are not expected to pay the SNCA confer-ence registration fee unless they also plan on attend-ing the conference, which starts Thursday March 29. The fee for the Archival Boot Camp alone is $20. Lunch is included. To register, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SNCAGreensboro. To learn more about SNCA’s annual conference, visit www.ncarchivists.org/meetings/2012-annual-conference-greensboro.
“If you are responsible for historical records at your institution and don’t know what to do with them, the
Archival Boot Camp workshop is for you.” National History Day Is Awarded National Humanities Medal
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
N ational History Day, a year-long academic program focused on historical research for 6th to 12th grade students, was awarded the prestigious 2011 National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony on Mon-day, February 13. Dr. Cathy Gorn, executive director of NHD, accepted the award on behalf of the NHD staff, board, and honorary advisory council.
The National Humanities medals honor achievements in history, literature, education and cultural policy. For the first time ever, a K-12 education program received the National Humanities Medal. The citation for National History Day was for being “a program that inspires in American students a passion for history. Each year more than half a million children from across the country compete in this event, conducting research and producing websites, papers, performances, and documentaries to tell the human story.”
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the President and your peers for doing work that you love – helping students understand and appreciate history,” said Gorn. “NHD represents the most ambitious humanities learning model for middle and high school students in the United States today. I have witnessed firsthand that the study of history can change the life of a young person far beyond this program. These students achieve not only academically but are also prepared for life.”
What began as a series of contests operating out of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, is today an international, year-long academic program for 6th to 12th graders focused on historical research. NHD operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and is expanding internationally in Europe, China, Indonesia and South Korea, serving more than half a million children annually with its unique approach to the hands-on learning of history.
In North Carolina, National History Day is adminis-tered through the Office of Archives and History, with sponsorship and support from the Federation of N.C. Historical Societies, the North Caroliniana Society, and the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati.
The impact of National History Day goes far beyond the annual contest. A recent comprehensive study by
the research company Rockman et al found that students who participate in NHD develop a range of college and career-ready skills, and outperform their peers on state standardized tests across all subjects, including science and math.
“NHD works because it applies a research-based methodology, specifically engaging students in rigorous research, connecting teacher practice and instruction to student achievement, and providing students and teachers career-ready skills they can use outside the classroom,” Gorn said.
“Students have always told us how their NHD experi-ence has changed their life, both in their academics and their careers. History not only teaches students about the stories of our past, but is vital to creating a generation of young people who can apply these les-sons to the future,” said author and journalist Cokie Roberts, a member of the NHD Honorary Cabinet.
In addition to National History Day, this year’s
honorees included Kwame Anthony Appiah, John Ashbery, Robert Darnton, Andrew Delbanco, Charles Rosen, Teofilo Ruiz, Ramón Saldívar, and Amartya. In 1990, the late historian Dr. David Van Tassel won the predecessor to the National Humanities Medal– the Charles Frankel Prize–for his role as founder and president of National History Day.
“National History Day represents the most ambitious humanities learning model for middle and high school students in the United States today,” said Dr. Cathy Gorn, executive direc-tor of NHD. “I have witnessed firsthand that the study of history can change the life of a young person far beyond this program. These students achieve not only academically but are also prepared for life.” Come to Asheville for North Carolina Museums Council’s
Annual Conference in March
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
T he North Carolina Museums Council announces its 2012 conference will be held in Asheville, on March 18 and 19.
Registration is in process and can be done online or by mail; NCMC Individual Members as well as staff and associates of Institutional Members can register at a discounted price.
The conference theme is “Elevating Expectations.” Despite decreasing funding, many museums success-fully meet today’s challenges and are able to reach new and diverse audiences, provide engaging visitor experiences, and reclaim significance within their communities. Sessions will focus on how museums are improving their prospects for the future and will address topics which are adaptable across museum types and sizes. Sample session titles include “Creative Conservation Funding,” “Proposal Writing & Research: Making Your Message Relevant to the Right Funders,” “Museum Exhibits in the Digital Age,” “Making Your Museum Gift Shop Successful” and “The Power of Partnerships for Small Museums.”
The preliminary program is available on the Museums Council website, http://www.ncmuseums.org/conf_program.asp.
Besides the sessions, the conference will provide many opportunities for networking and for learning through special tours, workshops, and social events. Workshops cover important topics related to museum exhibits and museum stores, as well as conservation and artifact preservation presented by the N.C.
Connecting to Collections staff. Many Asheville-area museums will offer behind-the-scenes tours just for attendees. As a bonus for NCMC conference attendees, Biltmore Estate is offering a special day ticket rate. Check the schedule and sign-up early; space is limited for many activities.
Hotel accommodations are with the host hotel, Renais-sance Asheville. Conference congregations, workshops and other activities will take place in the host museums; the sessions, networking breakfasts, vendor hall, and business luncheon will take place on Monday at the Renaissance.
For more information on the activities, program, vendor/sponsor information, special Biltmore Estate promotion, and other information related to the 2012 conference, please visit the NCMC website www. ncmuseums.org/.
Volunteers Needed to Transcribe Oral Histories of World War I Veterans
T he Military Collection of the North Carolina State Archives is seeking volunteers to assist in the transcription of forty-three oral histories of World War I veterans in the collection.
The Archives wishes to make these invaluable remi-niscences more readily accessible to historians and other researchers, in time for the commemoration of the centennial of the war that commences in 2014. All necessary equipment and training will be provided by the Archives staff. To volunteer or to obtain further information about the project, contact Kenrick N. Simpson, Military Collection Archivist, at (919) 807-7314, or by e-mail at kenny.simpson@ncdcr.gov.
This transcription project is part of the N.C. Depart-ment of Cultural Resources’ efforts to commemorate the centennial of World War I. Over the next several years, the Department will launch a website, digitize images and documents related to the war, plan edu-cational programs and publications, and more. More information will appear in the Bulletin and on the DCR website (www.ncdcr.gov) as the centennial approaches. State Library to Make 24,000 Articles On North Carolina
History and Culture Available Online at NCPedia.org
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
I n February, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle unveiled a partnership between the State Library of North Caro-lina and UNC Press to make the six volumes of the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography and the Encyclopedia of North Carolina, some 24,000 articles in all, available as part of the Web site NCPedia.org.
The free online encyclopedia features articles and
resources about North Carolina culture and history.
Joining Carlisle for the announcement were new State Librarian Caroline (Cal) Shepard, UNC Press Editorial Director Mark Simpson-Vos, and Encyclopedia of North Carolina Associate Editor and UNC Press staff member Jay Mazzocchi.
“The goal of NCPedia has always been to make cultural information available for a wide range of users—teachers, students, business and civic organizations, cultural groups, and decision makers,” said Carlisle.
“The Department of Cultural Resources is committed to digitization, and this exciting partnership with UNC Press is a great leap forward as we continue to record and interpret North Carolina’s rich history and culture.”
The Encyclopedia of North Carolina and the multi-volume Dictionary of North Carolina Biography were edited by William S. Powell, professor emeritus of history at UNC-Chapel Hill, and published by UNC Press. Founded in 1922, UNC Press is the oldest university press in the South and one of the oldest in the United States.
“This is a moment William Powell, all of us at UNC Press, and our many friends around the state have dreamed about for years,” said Simpson-Vos. “The Encyclopedia of North Carolina and the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography are veritable treasure troves of information about our state, and UNC Press is delighted to be partnering with the State Library of North Carolina to bring these articles to the public as part of NCPedia.”
The State Library has already received the files digitally, and has begun the process of integrating content and making it available online. The project is expected to take three years.
O n Jan. 26 the Coca-Cola Foundation presented a $100,000 grant to the N.C. Museum of History Foundation. The grant, titled Educational Outreach Programs for North Carolina Students, will enable the N.C. Museum of History to expand its outreach services, including live, two-way videoconference
classes, to students and educators across the state.
The Museum of History’s outreach services provide learning opportunities and resources to students and teachers in all 100 North Carolina counties. With the $100,000 grant, the museum will:
 double its capacity to provide distance-learning videoconferencing classes for grades K-12;
 develop a new distance-learning class about human ecology in North Carolina;
 publish four issues of the award-winning maga-zine Tar Heel Junior Historian;
 expand multidisciplinary History-in-a-Box teaching kits; and
 initiate the Tar Heel Junior Historian Community Preservation Project and service award.
In other news, the North Carolina Museum of History announced it will open its first exhibit focusing on the history of Latinos in North Carolina. Running from May 5, 2012, to April 29, 2013, Al Norte al Norte: Latino Life in North Carolina will feature images by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer José Galvez. Al Norte al Norte received generous support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, and the project is made possible by funding from the North Carolina Humani-ties Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
N.C. Museum of History Foundation Receives Coca-Cola Grant Museum Assessment Program Offers Guidance for Small and Mid-Sized Museums
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
D o you want the answers to help your museum move forward? Would you like a roadmap for future success? Consider participating in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP), which assists all types of small and mid-size museums. While engaging in guided self study, your museum will be matched with an expert peer reviewer who will provide a customized site visit and report. In less than a year, MAP will help you develop strategies for improved operations, planning, staff and board education, and fundraising.
Dozens of North Carolina museums have completed the program in the past few years including the
Carolina Raptor Center, Inc., Appalachian State
University, Lincoln County Museum of History, Poplar Grove Plantation, North Carolina Pottery Center, Waterworks Visual Arts Center, Wilkes Heritage Museum, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Caldwell Heritage Museum, Bladenboro Historical Society, North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, North Carolina Maritime Museum, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture, and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.
MAP has been designed to accommodate museums of all types and sizes, from history museums to natural history museums to cultural centers. There are three types of assessments each designed to answer specific needs:
Organization Assessment: Reviews all areas of a museum’s operations. This assessment places signifi-cant emphasis on strategic planning as well as ensur-ing operations and resources align with the museum’s mission.
Collections Stewardship Assessment: Focuses on collections policies, planning, access, and documenta-tion within the context of the museum’s total opera-tions. The scope of the assessment includes collections care and use, acquisitions and deaccessioning, legal, ethical, and safety issues, documentation, inventory, and emergency planning.
Community Engagement Assessment: Assesses the museum’s understanding of and relationship with its
various communities and conversely examines their perception of and experience with the museum. It helps museums gather better input from their
constituents, develop a more nuanced view about the community’s demographics and needs, respond to
the changing nature of its audiences, and incorporate
these findings into planning and operational
decisions.
The program is free for the smallest museums. Other museums pay a very small fee scaled to their operating expenses. Participation includes over $4000 worth of services and resources including:
 MAP Self-Study Workbook
 Peer Reviewer travel expenses and honorarium
 MAP Bookshelf from the AAM Bookstore
 Access to the AAM Museum Essentials Webinar
Series
 Access to the AAM Information Center
 Access to a special online MAP Community
 MAP staff guidance and feedback
 National recognition
 Certificate of completion
Museums go through MAP for different reasons and derive many benefits from the program. Whether you are preparing for strategic planning, trying to develop new funding sources, considering expansion, preparing to change staff leadership or just experienced a major staff change, or preparing for Accreditation, MAP can be a great program to help you. “MAP brought new energy and enthusiasm to our staff” said Nancy Simon, Director, Poplar Grove Plantation.
By Jill Connors-Joyner, Assistant Director, Museum Assessment Program
“MAP has confirmed our strengths and weaknesses and helped us to
better recognize the areas that need focus, as well as given us resources to help our weaknesses become strengths.” — Jennifer Furr, Director, Wilkes Heritage Museum Museum Assessment Program (continued)
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Federation Bulletin
Other benefits of MAP include:
 an increased level of professionalism among museum staff;
 improved communications between staff, board, and other constituencies;
 a clearer focus on the museum’s mission and planning;
 greater credibility with potential funders and donors;
 national recognition of the museum’s desire to achieve excellence through self-improvement.
Since 1981, over 4,300 organizations have participated in MAP as a low-cost method of becoming more sustainable. Become the next museum in North Caro-lina to take advantage of MAP. The next application deadline is July 1.
Visit www.aam-us.org/map for more information about MAP. MAP staff are happy to answer your questions and can be reached at (202) 289-9118 or map@aam-us.org. MAP is administered by the Ameri-can Association of Museums and supported through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
W hat newspapers were published in or near Brevard, North Carolina, in 1910? The
Government & Heritage Library at the State Library of North Carolina is making that question, and others like it, easier to answer.
The North Carolina Newspaper Locator database, reflecting the microfilm holdings of the Government & Heritage Library, contains listings for nearly 2,000 unique newspaper titles dating from 1751 to today. Free to all, and of particular interest to North Carolina genealogists and historians, this database locates newspapers in time and geographic space. Users can search for titles by specific counties or those
surrounding them; by city, date or date range; or by a newspaper title itself. Once a newspaper has been located, users may request the microfilm reels through their local library's interlibrary loan service. The State Library lends newspaper microfilm to libraries throughout the continental United States.
The power in the database lies in the ability to expand a county search to neighboring counties. For example, genealogists looking for marriage and death newspaper announcements may know where an ancestor lived, but that doesn't mean finding the announcements is straightforward. The NC Newspaper
Locator searches not only by city, but also auto-matically by county. And, it gives users the option to expand their search to all surrounding counties. This gives a researcher more time to spend perusing appropriate newspapers for family information.
So what about 1910 Brevard, North Carolina, newspapers? A quick search of the NC Newspaper Locator finds that the Sylvan Valley News was published in Brevard, in Transylvania County, from 1900 to 1916. Even better, at least five other newspapers were published in the North Carolina counties surrounding Transylvania in that same year (Asheville Gazette-News, French Broad Hustler, Waynesville Courier, Western Carolina Enterprise, and Western North Carolina Times).
You can find the Newspaper Locator database at http://cinch.nclive.org/newspaper.
N.C. Newspaper Locator Makes Newspaper Research Easier Honor Military Families by Becoming a Blue Star Museum
Please submit text and images as an email attach-ment to NCPC newsletter editor Beth Doyle at b.doyle@duke.edu. Text must be in a Word document. Images should be jpeg format with a printable quality of 250 dpi or more. Please include a caption for photo credit. Deadline is March 30.
T he North Carolina Preservation Consortium is seeking articles for its next electronic newsletter. Have you completed an interesting preservation project? Have an artifact needing conservation you would like someone to adopt? Planning an event for national Preservation Week in April? Share your story with collections colleagues.
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
T he National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families invite museums to join them for the Blue Star Museums program, which provides free admission to active duty military personnel and their immediate families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The program is now in its third year.
As noted in a 2011 letter from Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts,
“Over a million Americans have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, over 900,000 children have said goodbye to a parent at least once since the fighting began, many have endured 2, 3, 4 or more deployments. These families often feel that their sacrifices may seem to go unnoticed. The Blue Star Museum program says to our nation’s military families that the history community recognizes and honors their contribution, by opening the doors to our nation’s treasures to those who have been serving so long and so faithfully.”
This year, Blue Star Museums will begin on Memorial Day, May 28, and extend through Labor Day,
September 3, 2012.
To sign up your museum, please visit http://apps.nea.gov/BlueStarSignUp/MainPage.aspx. The information provided will be used to promote your institution’s participation in this program through the Blue Star Museums web site and other program materials. Note: For past registrants, the form will display the information you provided last year. You can simply update this information as necessary for this year’s registration. According to the Frequently Asked Questions page (www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/faq.html), museums that already offer free admission are also welcome to add their name to the Blue Star list.
Once your registration is complete, you will receive a welcome email with a link to the Blue Star webpage where you will find information on admissions eligi-bility and promotional resources to help you share news about this summer program. Please note that you must have the permission of your Director to
register.
Call for Articles: North Carolina Preservation Consortium
N CLIVE recently announced that it has made a number of historic North Carolina films available on its website. The collection includes silent, black-and-white Depression-era footage of the state taken by H. L. Waters; these films capture North Carolina towns and communities and reflect the social order of the times. Other films include “Mr. Williams Wakes Up,” from 1944, focusing on the function of local and state health agencies; “Tar Heel Family,” a 1951 color film that explores the balance of natural resources, farmlands and the burgeoning industrial economy; and “Jockey’s Ridge for All the People,” a 1976 film by
a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student warning against coastal development. These films are part of the Non-Textual Materials Collection of the North Carolina State Archives.
NCLIVE offers free electronic access to resources for all ages on topics including career, business, investing, auto repair, health, history, and genealogy. The service is available to North Carolinians through their local public, community college or academic library. Contact your local library for free access to NCLIVE.
North Carolina Films Available on NCLIVE resources at www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alcts/confevents/preswk/index.cfm.
On May 1 of each year, Heritage Preservation encourages museums, libraries, archives, and other organizations to participate in May Day, a national effort to prepare for disasters. Heritage Preservation offers a list of sample steps to help your organization prepare for disasters. Ideas include updating a disaster plan; inviting local fire-fighters and police to tour your facility; identifying the three biggest risks to your collection; conducting a building evacuation drill; identi-fying and labeling priority collect ions and objects for evacuation during emergencies; and more.
You can find ideas for May Day at www.heritagepreservation.org/programs/tflessons/MayDay Acts.html. Be sure to also visit the “Resources” section of the web page for useful links and free downloads.
In May, the National Trust for Historic Preservation invites organizations and communities to celebrate National Preservation Month. Though this year’s theme has not yet been announced, the National Trust does offer a list of sample activities at www.
preservation nation.org/take-action/preservation-month/activities.html.
E ach spring, several national organizations encourage cultural organizations to develop programs or conduct activities related to preservation.
The American Library Association sponsors Preservation Week, which will be held from April 22 to April 28. ALA encourages
organizations to hold such activities as creating a display about
preserving and collecting personal, family, or community heritage or offering a preservation workshop or event. The ALA offers useful resources on its website, including toolkits for planning and promoting your event; sample press releases; and information on preservation resources. You can find these
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FEDERATION NEWS
Federation Bulletin
Take Part in Preservation Activities this Spring
T he Seminar for Historical Administration will soon be accepting applications for its 2012 program, which will take place from October 27 to November 17, 2012, at the Indiana Historical Society. Applications are due by May 21. Please note that the program is now known as “Developing History Leaders @ SHA” and that it has a new website, http://historyleadership.org.
Sponsored by AASLH, AAM, Colonial Williamsburg, the Indiana Historical Society, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Developing History Leaders @ SHA is the longest-running profes-sional development seminar in the country and is focused on helping future leaders in history organiza-tions of all types and sizes. As noted on the website, “The program is distinctive because it combines depth: three weeks of engagement in deep discussion about issues facing our field; with breadth: discussions led by fifteen or more nationally recognized leaders from around the country. It brings together current and future leaders to learn in an intimate, collegiate atmosphere.” The program uses case studies, work-
shops, forums, and field trips to present best practices and ideas in history organization leadership and management.
The program is specifically targeted to full-time, paid staff of history institutions with a minimum of three years of challenging work experience in the history field and who are now in a position of administrative responsibility or are preparing for such a position.
Registration costs $2,600, which includes training, lodging, and breakfast. Please note that a diversity fellowship is available, thanks to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Applicants must represent a racial or ethnic minority group in the U.S. The scholarship covers the SHA registration fee and lodging. To apply, complete the Diversity Fellowship application as part of the SHA application.
The application form is not yet available. Be sure to visit the website (http://historyleadership.org) often for more information and to access the application form when it is posted online.
Applications Due in May for Seminar for Historical Administration Phoenix Historical Society Partners with Benjamin and Edith Spaulding Descendants Foundation to Raise Awareness
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MEMBER NEWS
Federation Bulletin
O n Saturday, January 28, 2012, members of the Phoenix Historical Society, Inc. and representa-tives from the Benjamin and Edith Spaulding
Descendants Foundation, Inc., launched efforts to mutu-ally support each other in their respective undertakings to promote public knowledge of the record and unique history of Congressman George Henry White.
“It is significant that our two organizations have converged today, based on the legacy of one great and almost forgotten hero, Congressman George Henry White,” noted Vincent Spaulding, President/COO of the BESDF, Inc. He went on to say that by establishing a mutually beneficial relationships with such allied non-profit organizations as the Phoenix Historical Society and other groups, we can expect to bring greater attention to the life and legacy of George Henry White, including his political achievements, and in other loca-tions important to White’s life and his political career.
The Phoenix Historical Society was formed in 2001, inspired by the historical research of Benjamin Justesen, biographer of George Henry White, and Dr. Robert Hinton of New York University, who wrote about the Black Reconstruction in Edgecombe County. The society’s name refers to George White’s celebrated “Farewell Speech to Congress” on January 29, 1901, when White said, “This Mr. Chairman, is perhaps the Negroes’ temporary farewell to the American Congress; but let me say, Phoenix-like, he will rise up some day and come again.” Each year Tarboro observes George Henry White Day in January to honor his legacy.
It took until 1929 for George White’s prophetic words to be realized with the election of Oscar De Priest to represent Chicago in the halls of Congress.
As part of the festivities of this year’s George Henry White Day, the Spaulding Descendants have commis-sioned a plaque that reads: “Presented to the Phoenix Historical Society, Inc., in appreciation of your dili-gent and ongoing efforts to promote public knowledge of the life and enduring legacy of a landmark person and political figure, and our esteemed family mem-ber, U.S. Congressman George Henry White (1852-1918, Edgecombe County, Tarboro, North Carolina– January 28, 2012.”
The Benjamin and Edith Spaulding Descendants Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit group established for educational, literary, and charitable purposes, among other functions. One of their foundation’s projects includes the promotion of public knowledge of the life of and accomplishments of esteemed family member, George Henry White (1852-1918), whose stepmother was Mary Anna Spaulding White. As the wife of Wiley Franklin White, she played a key role in raising George White and instilling in him the values which led him to enter public service. The members of the Benjamin and Edith Spaulding Descendants Founda-tion were represented at this years GHW day event, by Vincent M. Spaulding, President/CCO and by Stephen Spaulding, family spokesperson.
During the meeting, representatives of the PHS and the BESDF shared information regarding each organ-ization’s respective efforts to promote public knowledge of George Henry White and discussed opportunities to mutually support each other. On November 10, 2001, the Phoenix Historical Society first honored George White and since has hung a portrait drawn by local artist Richard Wilson, in the Edgecombe County Courthouse. The Tarboro-based group also worked with Congress to have the Tarboro Post Office re-named “The George Henry White Post Office Building.”
White’s pre-eminent biographer, Ben Justesen, has pointed out that, “In the era of the nation’s first elected African American president, George White’s legacy should be remembered as a beacon, as having helped pave the way for the resumption of black political power on a national level from 1929 to the present.”
Those interested in joining the effort to uncover the unique history of Edgecombe County as experienced by its African American community, please contact the Phoenix Historical Society. The late Helen G. Quigless, Jr., was the Founding President of the Phoenix Historical Society. The Society meets monthly at 11am at the Historic Quigless Clinic Building, 99 Main Street in Tarboro. Membership dues are $40 per year. For more information, contact Stephen Spaulding at (919) 257-3923 or at Stephen.Spaulding@duke.edu. New Bern Historical Society to Commemorate Civil War Battle
PAGE 12
MARCH 2012
MEMBER NEWS
Federation Bulletin
T he New Bern Historical Society is hosting a vari-ety of events in March to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the important Civil War battle that took place in New Bern.
The Historical Society is partnering with Tryon Palace to hold the symposium “Thunder in the East: The Civil War in Eastern North Carolina.” Renowned Civil War experts will speak on the Civil War in eastern North Carolina and its aftermath. Speakers include historian Ed Bearss, speaking on “The Civil War in North Carolina;” author Richard Sauers speaking on “The Burnside Expedition with an Emphasis on New Bern;” author Mark Bradley discussing “Reconstruction in North Carolina;” Jari Jones, curator of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, speaking on a topic to be announced; Josh Howard, research historian with the Office of Archives and History, speaking on “North Carolina Soldiers Killed During the Civil War;” and Chris Fonvielle, professor of his-tory at UNC-Wilmington, speaking on “Wilmington and the Blockade Runners.”
This symposium will be held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, at the Cullman Performance Hall at the N.C. History Center. Please note that the symposium also offers a chance to meet and greet the speakers on Friday evening, March 9.
In addition to the symposium, the Historical Society is offering a memorial service at the New Bern Battlefield Park at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 11. Following the service a number of New Bern’s Civil War venues will be open to the public, including a living history encampment at the battlefield.
On March 14, the Society is offering a “The Battle of New Bern: Who Would Have Thought That?...A Journey through Time,” with speaker Skip Riddle. This “Lunch and Learn” program, held at the Chelsea Restaurant, will present an unusual story about the participants in the battle. Prepaid reservations are required and cost $15 for Historical Society members, $17 for non-members. Also on this day, battlefield tours will be offered at New Bern Battlefield Park.
Finally, on Saturday, March 17, the annual children’s event “Civil War Adventure Day,” will feature living history and learning activities for children and their adult family members.
For more information about any of these events, please visit the website http://newbernhistorical.org
or call the Historical Society at (252) 638-8558.
P reservation North Carolina (PNC) and Preserva-tion Durham announced that they have launched Project RED to spur efforts to revitalize East Durham. As Preservation North Carolina noted on its website, “The East Durham National Register Historic District, just a few blocks east of Downtown, is an ideally located neighborhood providing an excellent mix of quality historic homes that are affordable for working families and first-time homeowners. But the neighbor-hood has been plagued with absentee landlords and years of disinvestment, resulting in poorly maintained and vacant buildings and wanton demolitions that have fractured the community’s cohesiveness. Existing homeowners have seen property values fall and crime rates rise.”
PNC and Preservation Durham have committed to renovating and selling several vacant historic houses
and encouraging the private construction of new houses. The houses will be affordable for service workers, public employees, and first-time homeowners. The two organizations hope that by preserving and rehabilitating the neighborhood’s wealth of early-20th-century homes, they will increase the number of owner-occupants, encourage investments in amenities and infrastructure, and bring back pride in the community.
All of the historic Project RED homes will be sold with protective covenants and be eligible for historic rehabilitation tax credits as well as other financial incentives. PNC and Preservation Durham expect to invest more than $1.2 million to acquire and rehabilitate these historic properties.
For more information, visit www.presnc.org/Property/East-Durham-Revitalization.
Preservation North Carolina Launches Project RED Perry-Weston Institute Offers Program on Rosenwald Schools
PAGE 13
MARCH 2012
MEMBER NEWS
Federation Bulletin
O n February 4 the Perry-Weston Institute and the Edgecombe County Extension Center
presented a program on collecting the history of Edgecombe County’s 26 Rosenwald Schools and the stories of its teachers and students.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation says, “The Rosenwald School Building Program has been called the ‘most influential philanthropic force that came to the aid of Negroes at that time.’ It began in 1912 and eventually provided seed grants for the contruction of more than 5,300 buildings in 15 states, including schools, shops, and teachers’ houses which were built by and for African Americans.”
Dr. Florence A. Armstrong, Vice-Chair of the Perry-Weston Institute, welcomed guests and introduced the featured speaker, Ms. Bettie Murchison, who spoke on “The Rosenwald National School Movement.” This was followed by the “Edgecombe County Rosen-wald Story,” by Dr. Lawrence Auld and C. Rudolph Knight. Ms. Jamilla Hawkins talked about “Oral History Collection: Digital Storytelling.”
Each of the speakers emphasized the importance of collecting the local history of the Rosenwald Schools. Persons with photographs, certificates, report cards, medals, ribbons, and other artifacts are encouraged to share them by having them scanned. The scanning process does not harm the originals, and the owners keep their originals. To have items scanned, contact C. Rudolph Knight at (252) 823-0275.
Ms. Jamilla Hawkins talked about digital storytelling, a process with which individuals can record their experiences so they can be shared. To facilitate the collection of oral histories through digital storytelling, she will conduct two series of training sessions. The first series was held in February, and the second `series will meet on March 8, 15, and 22. For further information about these sessions, call (252) 614-7820.
T he Historic Preservation Trades program at Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro is offering its 4th annual Preservation Trade School on Saturday, March 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Plans for the day include demonstrations in masonry, roofing (metal, slate, and wood), carpentry, painting, window repair, timber framing, blacksmithing, furniture repair, and others. There will also a lectures on tax credits, weather concerns, and other topics, and special guest Roy Underhill, of PBS’s long-running series The Woodwright’s Shop, will be on hand to sign books after his presentation.
In addition, participants will be able to tour the Norfleet House, which is under restoration by students in the Historic Preservation Program. A boxed lunch will be provided. Registration costs $65 and is due before March 20. For more information, contact Monika Fleming at (252) 823-5166 x 241 or at flemingm@ edgecombe.edu.
In addition to offering an annual Preservation Trade School, the college also offers classes in the spring,
summer, and fall focused on preservation issues. The college is offering “Researching Historic Property” on March 3; “Historic Roof Repair”” on March 17 and 18; and “Preservation of Farm Structures” on March 17 and 18 and March 24 and 25. In April, the college is offering “Cemetery Preservation” on April 20 and April 21; “Intro to Blacksmithing” on April 21; and “Intro to Historic Preservation” on April 28. Other courses, focused on repairing millwork and on studying religious architecture and history, are in the planning stages.
Participants can earn a certificate from the college by taking six weekend classes; the college also offers a one-year diploma and a two-year degree in historic preservation. Edgecombe is one of only five community colleges in the nation that offers a program in historic preservation and the only one in North Carolina.
You can find more information about these classes by looking at the “Workshops” section of this issue of the Bulletin or by contacting Monika Fleming at (252) 823-5166 x 241 or at flemingm@edgecombe.edu.
Edgecombe Community College Offers Preservation Trade School PAGE 14
MARCH 2012
Federation Bulletin
MEMBER NEWS
The ASHE COUNTY MUSEUM OF HISTORY had a successful opening of its Train Room, which features a diorama of the Virginia Creeper. More than 500 visitors attended the grand opening to see the diorama, which had been built by members of the Ashe County Historical Society. Volunteers contributed more than 2,000 hours to the project.
The BELMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY reports that it will be included in the Gaston County Museum’s virtual tour of Gaston County. The tour will feature QR codes that can be read by mobile phones and that will give tourists information about the Society and its buildings.
The CARTERET COUNTY HISTORI-CAL SOCIETY reports that its Traveling Trunk program is a success. Education Director Carol Smith developed trunks with a Native American theme and trunks with a Civil War theme; each trunk features reproduc-tions, books, games, worksheets, artifacts, and hands-on activities that teachers can use.
The FEDERAL POINT HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY is seeking historic and modern-day images of the buildings and people of the Seabreeze area. The pictures will be used in a brochure and upcom-ing exhibit. For more information, contact the society at (910) 458-0502.
The GOVERNOR CHARLES B.
AYCOCK BIRTHPLACE Advisory Committee received $700 from the Rotary Foundation’s District Simplified Grant (DSG) program to help fund living history programs
at Aycock Birthplace. The DSG supports service activities and humanitarian endeavors in which Rotary Districts wish to be involved. The Advisory Committee applied for this grant through the Fremont Rotary Club, which also has granted the Historic Site an additional $500.
In a review of its operations for 2011, the JOEL LANE MUSEUM HOUSE reported numerous accom-plishments, such as a 65% increase in visitation in November and December; a large donation of reproduction items that can be used in its educational programs; the cataloging of 300 artifacts; and more.
At its annual Patrons Appreciation Dinner, the JOHNSTON COUNTY HERITAGE CENTER raised more than $24,000 for its operations. The evening featured a talk by novelist Lee Smith and a musical performance by the singing group Ragged Company. One unique door prize offered each year at this event is a chance to be named as a fictional character in a book by mystery novelist Margaret Maron. Maron offers this annual “donation” in memory of her mother, who was one of the Heritage Center’s early volunteer genealogists.
OPERATION NORTH STATE announced that it had a very successful year in 2011 with its program to send Christmas gift boxes to military service members deployed away from home. The volunteer-run organization shipped more than 1,400 gift boxes, which was up from 500 in 2010. The gift boxes include North Carolina- related items as well as letters of
support from the governor, North Carolina’s Senators, and Richard Petty. For more information about Operation North State and its Christmas gift program, visit www.operationnorthstate.com.
The RICHMOND COUNTY HISTOR-ICAL SOCIETY has ordered a second printing of its book, Camp Mackall and Its Times in the Sandhills of North Carolina, due to the book’s popularity. For many weeks the book has been listed on the regional best seller list at the Country Book Shop in Southern Pines.
Member News Briefs Federation Bulletin
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
MUSEUMS
Museum Assessment Program
Deadline: July 1
The Museum Assessment Program (MAP) is designed to help small and mid-sized museums assess their strengths and weaknesses and plan for the future. Museums complete a self-study and receive a visit from a peer reviewer who created a customized report. MAP can help museums develop strategies for improved operations, planning, staff and board education, and fundraising. Museums can request one of three assessments: organization, collections steward-ship, and community engagement. The program is free for the smallest museums. Other museums pay a small fee scaled to their operating expenses. Visit www.aam-us.org/map for more information about MAP or call (202) 289-9118.
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
Preservation Assistance Grants
Deadline: May 1, 2012
These grants help small and mid-sized cultural heritage institutions such as libraries, museums, histori-cal societies, archival repositories,
Grants from Public or Museum-Related Organizations
town and county records offices, and colleges and universities improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections. Awards of up to $6,000 support preservation-related collection assessments, consulta-tions, training and workshops, and institutional and collaborative disaster and emergency planning. Preservation Assistance Grants also support education and training in best practices for sustaining digital collections, standards for digital preservation, and the care and handling of collections during digitization. Institutions may request funds for a preservation assessment of digital collections. NEH does not fund digitization or the development of digital programs in this grant category. For more information and an application, visit /www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pag.html. Please note that the Northeast Document Conservation Center will make available a recording of its webinar on writing a Preservation Assis-tance Grant application; check the website at www.nedcc.org on or after March 26 to access this
recorded webinar.
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MARCH 2012
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
VISUAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION
Project Grant
Deadline: March 31, 2012
The VRAF Project Grant is awarded twice a year. Its purpose is to provide support for projects in the field of visual resources and image management that are consonant with the VRA Foundation mission. Up to $1,500 will be awarded per grant. The funds may be used for small, stand-alone projects, pilots or start-up financing for larger projects, or for a component of a larger project. Collaborative projects and those
proposed by groups, whether or not affiliated with an organization or institution, are favored. Recently the Foundation awarded a grant to the N.C. Folklife Institute to help it determine the usage rights of its collection of more than 30,000 images in its collection.
The Foundation reviews and selects projects for funding twice a year, in April and November. Guidelines and an application form can be found at www.vrafoundation.org/forms/ProjectGrantApplication.doc.
Grants from Private Organizations
NORTH CAROLINA HUMANITIES COUNCIL
Programming Grants
The Humanities Council offers a variety of grants, including $750 planning grants, $1,200 mini-grants, and large grants of more than $1,200. These matching grants are intended to support free, public programs that explore North Caroli-na’s diversity by examining the culture and traditions of specific groups as well as programs that foster cross-cultural understanding. Over the years the Council has funded a variety of projects, such as exhibits, lectures, conferences, teacher workshops, and more. There is no deadline for planning grants, and applications for mini-grants must arrive at the Human-ities Council office by the first day of the month and must be submit-ted eight weeks in advance of the program. For large grants for programs beginning after July 15, draft proposals are due March 15 and final proposals are due April 15; for large grants for programs beginning after December 15, draft proposals are due August 15 and final proposals are due September 15. For more infor-mation, visit www.nchumanities. org or call (336) 334-5723. One of the first issues that was addressed was where and how to display the artwork. We decided to use our auditorium as the display area. Since we did not have a way to mount the art, I contacted the school board for suggestions. They offered to let us borrow their display boards. They also offered to deliver them to and pick them up from the site.
We decided to open the show to all 33 Wayne County Public Schools, but limited the number of pieces to five per school. We also decided to make it both a show and a compe-tition. Any piece of artwork using any type of medium was welcome, but to be eligible for the competi-tion, the artwork had to be related to the site or Governor Aycock in some way. To help with this, photos of the site and of the former Governor were emailed to the art teachers. We also encouraged participants to visit the site prior to the show to develop their own ideas. Ms. Frederick took advantage of this by enlisting the help of the photography club who came to the site and took photos.
Then we had to determine who to invite as judges and how to judge the artwork. We invited Torey Romero, Art Instructor at Wayne Community College; Sarah Merritt, Director of the Arts Council of Wayne County; and Cheryl H. Hooks, Chairperson of the Depart-ment of Art and Visual Communi-
HISTORY HELP
A t the Governor Charles B. Aycock Birthplace we were trying to develop ideas to reach an audience that would not normally visit a historic site. One idea that we came up with was to have an art show. Being historians, not artists, we did not know where to start. I made an appointment to meet with Ms. Carol Frederick, the art teacher at a nearby high school. She was very enthusiastic about finding a new place to display students’ talents and felt that the other teachers in Wayne County would as well. Ms. Frederick offered many helpful tips, including the best way to contact all the art teachers. They have a meeting at the county office once every couple of months, and she suggested that I call and ask to be put on the next meeting’s agenda. I followed her suggestion and was able to meet with all the art teachers,
who were just as excited about the idea as Ms. Frederick. The show was held during the last week
of January 2011. The event
began with an opening reception for teachers, participating
students, and their immediate families.
In developing the art show there were many things to consider, such as how to fund the art show; how to display the art; how many pieces of art would each school be allowed to show; should all elemen-tary schools, middle schools, and high schools be invited to partici-pate or should only one of these groups be allowed to do so; what criteria would the art work have to meet; and should it be just a show, a competition, or both.
Lessons Learned from an Art Show
PAGE 16
MARCH 2012
Federation Bulletin
cation at Mount Olive College to be the judges and to help develop the criteria for judging the artwork.
We also developed a budget outlining the cost for the opening reception, prize money, and partici-pation ribbons. This budget was used to apply for Wal-Mart’s Community Grant and a grant from the Fremont Rotary Club, both of which we received.
A month after the art show, I met with the art teachers to discuss how we could improve upon it in the future. Some of the ideas that we came up with were to (1) have either just a show or just a compe-tition because trying to incorpo-rate both was confusing; (2) if the future event is a competition, have the judging first and then the reception, so that the awards can be presented at that time; (3) group judging in the follow manner – K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grades instead of by elementary, middle, and high school; and (4) have all art work delivered to the school board office and have an Aycock staff member pick it up instead of having all the teachers deliver it individually to the site.
This was a very enjoyable project to work on! It not only attracted a new audience to Aycock Birthplace, but it was a lesson in “thinking outside the box” as well.
“The art show not only attracted a new audience to Aycock Birthplace, but it was a lesson in ‘thinking outside the box’ as well.”
By Leigh Strickland, Site Manager, Gov. Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site Federation Bulletin
PAGE 17
MARCH 2012
HISTORY HELP
Useful Resources
In this section, we review museum or history-related sites that might interest you. We welcome your suggestions as well.
SMALL MUSEUMS ONLINE COMMUNITY
www.smallmuseumcommunity.org
AASLH, with the help of the Small Museums Committee and Learning Times, is launching an online community for small museums. The website is currently in a beta testing mode but will officially launch on March 30. The site will feature a list of resources; a blog with rotating authors presenting a variety of topics; and a discussion board for talking about the many aspects of operating small museums.
STATE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS COLLECTION
www.ncgovdocs.org
In its December 2011 newsletter, the State Library announced that the Resource Management Services Branch of the Government & Heritage Library has made it easier than ever to use the NC State Govern-ment Publications Collection with a new web site
featuring improved searching and new Research Guides. On the home page, visitors can use the “Search Our Collection” box to begin exploring the Collection, which now holds more than 8,000 born-digital and digitized NC state publications. Or visi-tors can use themed searches in the “Browse the Col-lection” menu to retrieve all state publications about education, transportation, African-American history, or other subjects. On the “State Agencies” page, every NC state agency is described. With a single click, us-ers can retrieve all publications of a specific agency such as the NC Department of Insurance or the Gen-eral Assembly. The “Research Guides” page links to informative pathfinders on digitized historical publi-cations such as the Session Laws and the Public Doc-uments, or on state publications on a specific subject such as the State Budget or women in North Carolina. The home page at www.ncgovdocs.org also has a
rotating section that highlights features of the
Collection.
O n April 2, the National Archives will release the 1940 U.S. census online; this will be the first time that the National Archives has released a census online. Users will be able to search, browse, and download the 1940 Census schedules from their own computers or from the public computers at National Archives locations nationwide through the new 1940 Census web site, free of charge.
Please note that a name index will not exist when the information is first released in April. The National Archives has indexed the schedules by state, county, city, township or minor civil division, and enumera-tion district. Researchers can prepare for the launch by searching the 1940 Census maps and enumeration district descriptions in the National Archives’ Online Public Access catalog (www.archives.gov/research/search), then browse the 1940 Census population schedules for that enumeration district.
For the release of the 1940 Census online, the National Archives has digitized the entire census, creating more than 3.8 million digital images of
census schedules, maps, and enumeration district descriptions.
Questions on the 1940 Census include standard ones such as: name, age, gender, race, education, and place of birth. It also asks new questions, reflecting concerns of the Great Depression. The instructions ask the enumerator to enter an X after the name of the person furnishing the information about the family; to note whether the person worked for the CCC, WPA, or NYA the week of March 24-30, 1940; and to list where they lived on April 1, 1935. The 1940 Census also has a supplemental schedule for preselected lines on each page. This schedule asks the place of birth of the person’s father and mother, and the person’s usual occupation, not just what they were doing the week of March 24-30, 1940. All women included in the supplemental form were asked if they had ever been married, how many times, and at what age did the first marriage take place.
For more information, visit www.archives.gov/research/census/1940.
National Archives to Release 1940 U.S. Census Online CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Site. Anyone interested in historic
preservation and research, student
educational programs, driving a
double-decker bus, leading tours,
retail sales in the gift shop, or
helping with the many commit-tees
that are the backbone of the
Association are welcomed to
attend.
Annual Easter Egg
Hunt
Saturday, April 7, 11 a.m.
Children ages seven and
younger are welcome to
join the fun! Enjoy prizes,
refreshments, and lots
and lots of eggs. It’s all
free—just bring a basket!
Publick Day
Saturday, April 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Enjoy this old-fashioned flea market
on the Beaufort Historic Site with
vendors selling antiques and
collectables, art, crafts, handmade
jewelry, books, food, and much
more! No admission charge.
Beaufort Wine and Food
Weekend
Wednesday-Sunday, April 25-29
Great wines plus the food of
coastal Carolina’s finest restau-rants
are a perfect pairing. Visit
the quaint seaport town of Beau-fort
in grand style while attending
tastings, seminars, dinners, wine
and cheese pairings, and much
more. Visit the Beaufort Wine and
Food website (www.Beaufort
WineandFood.com) for more infor-mation
on tickets, event details,
personalities, and more!
Carteret County Arts & Crafts
Coalition Spring Show
Saturday-Sunday, May 26-27
Enjoy this juried sale of arts and
crafts of coastal artisans. Held at
the Beaufort Historic Site, this is
the perfect occasion to browse and
buy the work of coastal artists
and craftsmen.
* * * * * * *
BELMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
www.belmontnc-hs.org
(704) 825-4848
Book Signing: A Hobo Odyssey
Saturday, March 17, 1:30-3:30
Larry Nichols will sign his book, A
Hobo Odyssey, a novel of suspense
set during the Great Depression
in the South. The event will be
held at the Stowe House.
Belmont Citizen of the Year
Banquet
Tuesday, March 27, 7 p.m.
Come to the Park Street UMC
Family Life Center for this banquet,
which is sponsored by the Historical
Society. The banquet will honor
the citizen of the year and will
recognize several accomplished
citizens such as Girls State/Boys
State winners, accomplished
Athletes, and Eagle Scouts. Tickets
cost $20 and can be purchased at
the Society and around town.
Fish Fry
Thursday, April 26, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Stop by the Belmont Historical
Society for some delicious take-out
food catered by Catfish Cove.
Taste of Belmont
Friday, April 27
Enjoy live music and food by local
restaurants at this annual event,
sponsored by the Belmont Rotary
Club and held at Stowe Manor. All
proceeds benefit local charities,
and this year the Belmont Historical
Society has been chosen as one of
the recipients. The Society plans
to use the money it receives for
Project 1899, an effort to restore
the Stowe family’s 1899 free-standing
kitchen.
MARCH 2012 PAGE 18 Federation Bulletin
AYCOCK BIRTHPLACE (Fremont)
www.nchistoricsites.org/aycock/
aycock.htm, (919) 252-5581
Let’s Go Fly a Kite!
Saturday, March 17,
1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Visitors are welcome
to come out and fly
their kites. No regis-tration
necessary.
Living History Wednesday
Wednesdays, March 21, April 4
and 18, May 2, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
In March, visitors can see demon-strations
of spinning and natural
dyeing, and children will enjoy
playing with 19th-century toys. On
April 4, interpreters will demon-strate
butter making, lye soap
making, and candle making, and
on April 18 interpreters will
demonstrate butter making, open
hearth cooking, and corn shelling
and grinding. On May 2, learn
about quill pen-and-ink writing
and townball.
* * * * * * *
BEAUFORT HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION (Beaufort)
www.beauforthistoricsite.org
(800) 575-7483
Living History
Saturday, March 10, 2 p.m.
The first program of the 2012
Living History Series will celebrate
Black History and will discuss the
life and work of Pierre and Annie
Henry, leaders in the education of
emancipated slaves. The Henrys
are buried in the Old Burying
Ground in Beaufort.
Volunteer Training
Thursday, March 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Attendees are invited for an orien-tation
for those interested in volun-teering
at the Beaufort Historic
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Federation Bulletin
BENTONVILLE BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE (Four Oaks)
www.nchistoricsites.org/bentonvi/bentonvi.htm, (910) 594-0789
War So Terrible
Saturday-Sunday, March 17-18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
This free program will demonstrate the trauma of wartime injury and will offer numerous medical care comparisons of the death and injury surrounding the Civil War to what is now experienced on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. Modern day military repre-sentatives will be on hand throughout the weekend, along with numerous historic site staff and Civil War re-enactors, to answer questions and showcase the advances in combat medicine. Sailors and marines from the 2nd Medical Battalion of Camp Lejeune, airmen from the 43rd Aero-medical Evacuation Squadron, and soldiers from the 3274th U.S. Army Hospital at Fort Bragg will be available. An additional program on the evening of March 17, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., will graphically reflect the hospital care one might expe-rience during the Civil War era. Discretion is advised for younger guests, and the cost to attend is $5.
* * * * * * *
BROAD RIVER GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (Shelby)
www.rootsweb.com/~ncbrgs/ancestry/index.htm
Membership Meetings
Sundays, March 11, April 8,
May 13, 3 p.m.
Come to the monthly meeting of the Genealogical Society to hear interesting speakers about local history. Meetings are free and open to the public.
CALDWELL HERITAGE MUSEUM (Lenoir)
www.caldwellheritagemuseum.org
(828) 758-4004
Open House
Sunday, April 29, 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
Enjoy refreshments and tour the museum during this open house.
* * * * * * *
CAPE FEAR MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND SCIENCE (Wilmington)
www.capefearmuseum.com
(910) 798-4362
Learning Center: Explore the Civil War
Saturdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
What was life like in the 1860’s? Investigate the contents of a Civil War soldier’s haversack and consider how the items compare to your own daily life needs. Learn how to create and crack secret codes. Try on reproduction Civil War clothing and play a Blockade Runner board game.
Cape Fear 101: Downtown
Wilmington, Past and Present
Tuesday, March 20, 6:30 p.m.-
8:30 p.m.
Explore the history of Wilmington’s downtown with City of Wilming-ton’s Historic Preservation Planner, Maggie O’Connor, as she looks at how shopping in the downtown has changed through the years. Bring your own stories of
Wilmington’s downtown to share at the conclusion of the talk.
Tickets: $5 for members, $7 for non-members. For tickets, call (910) 798-4362. Join us for a mix and mingle before and after the
7 p.m. presentation.
* * * * * * *
CARTERET COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Morehead City)
www.thehistoryplace.org
(252) 247-7533
Lunch with a Dash of History
Fridays, March 2 and March 30, noon
Join historian Rodney Kemp for these informative talks. The topic for March 2 will be Dr. Benjamin F. Royal, and the topic for March 30 will be the Taylor Brothers of Sea Level. Tickets cost $12 for lunch, $4 without lunch. Reserva-tions must be made and paid for by the Wednesday before each lecture. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (252) 247-7533, ext. 106.
* * * * * * *
C. GRIER BEAM TRUCK MUSEUM (Cherryville)
www.beamtruckmuseum.com/
(704)435-3072
Antique and Classic Cars
Saturday, April 28, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Come see
antique and
classic cars, both original and modified. This program is being held
in conjunction with the Cherry
Blossom Festival.
* * * * * * *
DUKE HOMESTEAD STATE HISTORIC SITE (Durham)
www.nchistoricsites.org/duke/duke.htm, (919) 477-5498
History Bites: Historic Cookery
Saturday, March 17, 2 p.m.
Come to this free lecture on
historic cookery.
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MARCH 2012 Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Community Yard Sale
Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m.-noon
Buy and sell secondhand items in
the site’s parking lot at our annual
Community Yard Sale! This event
is free to buyers. Contact us if
you’d like to be a vendor.
Tobacco Planting Day
Thursday, May 3, 9 a.m.-noon
Come learn how to transplant
tobacco seedlings and help the site
start its yearly tobacco field! Free.
* * * * * * *
FEDERAL POINT HISTORIC
PRESERVATION SOCIETY
(Carolina Beach)
www.FederalPointHistory.org
(910) 458-0502
Membership Meeting:
Fort Fisher
Monday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.-
9 p.m.
Come to the Federal Point Histo-ry
Center for this free meeting,
which is open to the public. Jim
Steele, manager of Fort Fisher
State Historic Site, and Paul
Laird of the Friends of Fort Fisher,
will talk about the history of the
historic site and report on the
outcome of the Strategic Planning
project completed in 2011.
Walking Tour of “The Sugar
Loaf Line of Defense”
Saturday, March 24, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Parts of the Civil War Battle of
Fort Fisher were fought across the
Federal Point peninsula well
north of the fort itself. If you know
where to look, you can still see
remnants of the trenches and
embankments today. You can learn
more about this battle when you
join historian Dr. Chris Fonvielle
for an informative walk from the
Federal Point History Center
through Carolina Beach State
Park to Sugarloaf, a landmark on
the banks of the Cape Fear River.
Please note that participation is
limited to 25 people; reservations
can be made starting on March 1
by calling (910) 458-0502. A $5
donation is requested.
Membership Meeting:
Beach Resort
Monday, April 26, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Devon Kelly, a senior in public
history at UNC-Wilmington, will
report on her research on the
history and the development of
local beaches as tourist destina-tions.
This event will also open
the History Center’s new exhibit,
developed by Kelly. This meeting
is free and open to the public.
History Cruise
Sunday, May 20, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
This annual,
four-hour
cruise will
feature
talks by
historians Jack Fryar, Chris
Fonvielle, Richard Lawrence, and
Leslie Bright. Passengers will be
able to see Bald Head and Fort
Caswell from the boat but will not
disembark at either. Tickets cost
$35 and will go on sale on March
15. Please contact the Society for
more information.
Membership Meeting: Carolina
Beach
Monday, May 21, 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
Lois Wheatley, author of Images
of America: Carolina Beach, will
share stories about the vintage
photographs she has collected in
this newly published book. This
free meeting is open to the public.
* * * * * * *
FRIENDS OF THE PAGE-WALKER
HOTEL (Cary)
www.friendsofpagewalker.org,
(919) 460-4963
Where Did I Come From?
A Genealogy Primer
Tuesday, March 27, 7:30 p.m.
Who are our ancestors and how do
we discover our family lineage?
The study of genealogy will solve
these mysteries. Join the Friends
of the Page-Walker Hotel as they
present a panel discussion on the
experiences, lessons, and challenges
of genealogical research. Learn
how to explore your family history
by hearing what has worked for
others like you. Free.
Herbal Remedies from The
People's Pharmacy®
Friday, May 4, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Join the Friends of the Page-
Walker for a very special evening
in conjunction with Herbfest, as
they welcome Terry and Joe Grae-don
of The People’s Pharmacy®
for a lively discussion on herbal
remedies. Guests will have an
opportunity to meet the Graedons
at a reception following the
program. A limited number of
tickets are available to this event
and a sellout is anticipated. All
proceeds will benefit the Friends’
Garden Program. Tickets for this
event are $35.00 each, and may be
purchased at the Cary Arts Center
box office Monday through Friday
from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Satur-day
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; online
at eTix.com; or by calling (800)
514-3849.
Herbfest
Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Come to the beautiful grounds of
the Page-Walker Hotel
for the annual Herbfest,
which will be held rain
or shine. Visitors will
have many opportunities
to find out all they need
MARCH 2012 PAGE 20
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MARCH 2012
Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
to know about starting an herb garden by touring the Page Edu-cational Garden, including a close-up look at the historic 1850’s Page smokehouse. In addition to touring the Garden, festival-goers can watch herb cooking demonstrations and stroll through booths selling a wide variety of herbs, crafts and garden products. Lunch will be available for purchase from some of our vendors. There will be activities for the kids, too! New this year will be a special folk concert featuring the Charles Pettee Duo, who will perform from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. And be sure to enter our raffle for a chance to win a beautiful painting of the Page smokehouse. Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5 and will benefit the Friends’ garden projects. In addition to showcasing the Page-Walker Arts & History Center and its beautiful grounds, the annual event also raises visibility of the Friends organization and its mission. While there is no charge to attend the event, any proceeds from the sale of Page-Walker memorabilia will benefit the Friends’
ongoing historic preservation, educational, and archival efforts.
What Have We Got to Lose? An Annual Inventory and Report to the Community on the Status of Historic Treasures In and Around Cary
Tuesday, May 22, 7:30 p.m.
Each May, the Friends examine Cary’s historic properties and report their status to the greater community in this popular program. A slide show tour showcases properties in Cary’s three historic districts, as well as familiar and distinctive homes and buildings that stand alone, and structures built in the 1940’s not included in the previous year’s report. Narra-tion by members of the Friends’
Historic Preservation Committee describes the historic and architec-tural significance of the properties and includes interesting tidbits about former owners and their place in Cary’s history.
* * * * * * *
GASTON COUNTY MUSEUM (Dallas)
www.gastoncountymuseum.org
(704) 922-7681
Coffee with the Curator
Wednesday, March 7, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Curator Stephanie Haiar identifies
objects and provides preservation
assistance on pieces brought to the
museum. If objects are too large, please bring photographs. Object donations to the museum will also be considered. No appointment is needed for this free program. Please note that there is a three-item limit per person and that no monetary appraisals will be given.
Music at the Depot: Winter Acoustic Series
Thursday, March 9, 6:30 p.m.-
8:30 p.m.
Join the David Childers Trio for this night of music. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $15 at the door, and can be bought at www.brown papertickets.com/event/216387. Please note that an RSVP is required by calling the museum.
Bryan Grimes: Soldier & Citizen with Dr. John R. Peacock
Saturday, March 17, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
In a people’s war, such as the American Civil War, many men with no professional military training rose to positions of high command. Many of these so-called
citizen soldiers did not measure up to the challenges of command. One who did was Bryan Grimes of North Carolina. Grimes rose from the rank of major to major general and fought with distinction in many of the foremost battles in the Eastern theatre of war. This program highlights the evolving leadership of Bryan Grimes. Reservations are suggested to ensure seating by calling (704) 922-7681 x101
Eggs! Eggs! And More Eggs!
Tuesday, March 27, 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
With Easter just around the corner, children can come learn all about decorative eggs. The children will
explore eggs from the
museum’s Edith Poston Egg Collection and make their own decorative eggs. Egg games will be played and we will sing egg songs. This program is geared towards pre-schoolers ages 1 to 4 and costs $2 per child; free for museum Family Members.
* * * * * * *
GREENSBORO HISTORICAL
MUSEUM
http://greensborohistory.org
(336) 373-3681
North Carolina Passenger Rail: Past, Present and Future
Saturday, March 3, 11 a.m.
Journalist Jim Schlosser will moderate this panel discussion on the history of North Carolina passenger rail.
Blackbeard: The North
Carolinian Nobody Knows
Tuesday, June 19, 5:30 pm
Popular author and speaker Dr. Elliot Engel will offer this talk, which is open to museum members Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
only. To become a museum
member, visit the website or call
(336) 373-2982.
* * * * * * *
HICKORY LANDMARKS SOCIETY
www.hickorylandmarks.org
(828) 322-4731
Home and Garden Tour
Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tour a variety of historic homes in
this annual fundraiser for the
Society. Tickets: $20 in advance,
$25 the day of the tour.
* * * * * * *
HIGH POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
www.highpointmuseum.org
(336) 885-1859
North Carolina Schools of
Longrifles Seminar
Saturday, March 3, time TBA
To coincide with our exhibit, the
High Point Museum will host a
seminar featuring William Ivey,
C. Michael Briggs, Joseph Byerly
and Kenneth Orr. Registration
required. Send an email to
teresa.loflin@highpointnc.gov
for more information.
Blacksmithing Demonstration
in the Historical Park
Saturdays, March 3, 10, and 24,
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Come watch our costumed black-smith
in action as he crafts various
iron pieces. All ages are welcome
to this free, drop-in program.
Moccasin Making Workshop
Saturday, March 24, 10:30 am-
4 p.m.
Greg Hudson, a well-known artisan
and leather worker that has been
perfecting his trade for 30 years,
will be conducting the workshop.
Each participant will receive a
completed or almost completed set
of moccasins. The moccasins are
made of split elk, with an insole of
split elk. All tools and materials
will be provided during the seminar.
Space is limited. Please register in
advance by calling (336) 885-1859.
Cost: $65 per person.
Natural Dyeing
Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Get ready for the Easter Bunny!
During this
drop-in pro-gram,
we’ll
provide eggs
you can dip in
dyes made
from plant
material, like
onion skins and blueberries. All
ages welcome. Cost: $1 per egg,
free for members. Please note
there is a limit of 2 eggs per person.
* * * * * * *
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE
LOWER CAPE FEAR (Wilmington)
http://hslcf.org, (910) 762-0492
Jumble Sale
Saturday, March 3, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
The jumble sale is back again this
year! You can clear out your attic
and basement and help the
Historical Society of the Lower
Cape Fear at the same time. Drop
off your gently used items, books,
antiques, glassware, and more at
the Latimer House. We will provide
price labels, but you should
suggest a price. Not only does
the Society benefit, but you get
more room for storage and a tax
donation receipt for your next
year’s taxes. Please try to help
with this FUN fundraiser.
Book Talk: In a Magnolia
Minute
Thursday, March 22
Nan Graham’s second collection of
humorous essays, In a Magnolia
Minute, introduces her notes and
observations to those unfortu-nates
who live outside the south.
From the fellow who eats Vicks
Vapor Rub for dessert to her
mother’s refusal to acknowledge
time zones, Graham’s anecdotes
display a keen eye and a finely
tuned ear for the absurd and the
amusing. In a Magnolia Minute
offers a tour of the South unlike
any you will find in a travel guide.
Come to the Latimer House Tea
Room for this program.
Book Talk: Into the Sound
Country & The Coasts of
Carolina
Thursday, April 26
Into the Sound Country is a story
of rediscovery—of two North
Carolinians returning to seek
their roots in the state’s eastern
provinces. It is an affectionate,
impressionistic, and personal
portrait of the coastal plain by two
natives of the region, writer Bland
Simpson and his wife, photographer
Ann Cary Simpson. The Coasts of
Carolina captures the vibrancy of
the North Carolina oceanfront,
sound country, and interior shores
behind the barrier islands. Scott
Taylor, who has been photo-graphing
the coast for almost
thirty years, and Bland Simpson,
whose many coastal books have
delighted readers for two decades,
come together to offer an inviting
visual and textual portrait orga-nized
around coastal themes such
as nature, fishing, and community
life. Come to the Latimer House
Tea Room for this program.
* * * * * * *
JOEL LANE MUSEUM HOUSE
(Raleigh)
www.joellane.org, (919) 833-3431
MARCH 2012 PAGE 22
Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The Book in Colonial America and Caring for Your Books
Sunday, April 1, 2 p.m.
Join Jane Bultman, retired book conservator, for this informative talk. Admission is $15 per person for the general public and $10 for members of the Joel Lane Histori-cal Society. Refreshments will be served. Advanced purchase of tickets is required, and seating is very limited. For more infor-mation, please visit the website
* * * * * * *
LINCOLN COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION (Lincolnton)
www.lincolncountyhistory.com (704) 477-0987
Genealogical, Historical, and Preservation Seminar
Saturday, April 21
The Lincoln County Historical Association and Gaston-Lincoln Genealogical Society are hosting the third annual genealogical, historical, and preservation seminar at the Lincoln Cultural Center in downtown Lincolnton on Satur-day, April 21, 2012. This year marks the Gaston-Lincoln Genea-logical Society’s 25th Anniversary, and we are celebrating this year with an architectural tour of downtown Lincolnton and a wine and cheese social at historic Woodside Plantation. Woodside was built in 1798, and was the home of James Pinkney Henderson, the first governor of Texas. The presentation titles include “Portrait of the Civil War: 1863 Gaston County Tax List,” “Who Goes There: Historic Cemeteries as Solemn Final Resting Places, Historic Resources, and Timeless Seats of Wisdom,” and “Where They Walked: Tracking A Home-stead Title History.” Registration costs $25 for the seminar and
includes lunch; $15 for the archi-tectural tour of Woodside; or $40 for the full registration. For more information, call the association or visit their Facebook page to download a brochure.
* * * * * * *
MOORE COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION (Southern Pines)
www.moorehistory.com
(910) 692-2051
Palustris Festival Event: 19th- Century Needlework Exhibit
Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Palustris Festival is an area-wide celebration of the arts and culture of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen area.
Authentic 19th-
century needlework will be on display at the Shaw House property as the Moore County Historical Association’s participation in the Palustris Festival. The display includes vintage quilts, samplers, clothing, and needlework tools such as gold and silver thimbles, thimble cases, and wooden darners. All of these articles will be on loan from private collections for this one day only. A $2 donation is requested from each guest to defray expenses. Also during the festival, tours will be given of the Shaw House property from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, March 22 and 23.
Seventh Annual Clenny Creek Day
Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Come to the Bryant House and McLendon Cabin in Carthage for this free festival and fundraiser.
In the past jewelry, heritage tomato and other plants, baked goods, carved furniture, toys, and many
other displays have attracted visitors to the fair to buy while their children are entertained by various games organized by the Clenny Creek Day Committee. Visitors can also see costumed historical interpreters and enjoy live music and food. Money raised through Clenny Creek Day is used to defray maintenance and resto-ration costs for the aging dwellings that are open for tours year-round. In case of rain Saturday, the fund-raiser will move to Sunday, April 22, noon to 5 p.m.
Tour Eastern North Carolina
Tuesday-Wednesday, April 24-25
This tour includes a visit to Bath, the oldest town in the state, with stops including the Palmer-Marsh House, built in 1751, as well as the oldest church in North Carolina, St. Thomas Episcopal, built in 1734. We will also tour Historic Somerset Plantation to learn about antebellum plantation life; visit the N.C. Estuarium in Wash-ington; and tour the Waynes-borough Historical Village. The tour costs $250 per person for members of the Historical Associ-ation, $275 for non-members; the reservation deadline is April 10. Please call (910) 692-2051.
* * * * * * *
MOUNT AIRY MUSEUM OF REGIONAL HISTORY
www.northcarolinamuseum.org (336) 786-4478
Storybook Museum
Fridays, March 2, April 6, May 4, 10 a.m. Join your Museum the first Friday of every month for fun and fantasy as we explore history and nature through books, activities, and more! This free program is
intended for preschool age children.
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MARCH 2012 Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
St. Patrick’s Day Party
Saturday, March 17, 8 p.m.-11 p.m.
Join the Mount Airy
Museum of Regional
History and Old
North State Winery
for a St. Patrick’s
Day Party. This
event will be held at
the Old North State
Winery, 308 N. Main
Street. Tickets are $15 and can be
purchased at either the Museum
or the Winery or by calling the
Museum at (336) 786-4478, or the
Winery at (336) 789-9463. Music
will be by Evan and Dana. All
ticket proceeds will benefit the
Mount Airy Museum of Regional
History.
* * * * * * *
MURFREESBORO HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION
http://www.murfreesboronc.org/
Grab N’ Go Fish Fry
Friday, March 2, 11:30 a.m.-
1:30 p.m.
Enjoy fried fish, boiled potatoes,
slaw, and corn sticks. Tickets: $7.
Pork Fest
Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Come to the grounds of the Brady
C. Jefcoat Museum for this annual
event and enjoy BBQ, craft
displays, antiques, games for
children, music, and more. In the
morning, participants can stroll
down “Pork Alley” to watch teams
of cooks compete for prizes as they
barbecue pork. Advance tickets
cost $10 and include all events
and a BBQ meal. Tickets can be
purchased at the Murfeesboro
Historical Association office or by
mail; to order tickets by mail,
make checks payable to Murfrees-boro
Historical Association and
indicate the number of tickets
needed. Mail to Pork-Fest Tickets,
512 Woodridge Drive, Murfreesbo-ro,
NC 27855.
* * * * * * *
NEW BERN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
(New Bern)
www.newbernhistorical.org
(252) 638-8558
ABC (Attic, Basement, Closet)
Sale
Saturday, March 3, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Come to the Knights of Columbus
at 1125 Pinetree Drive for this
annual sale. Throughout the year
the Historical Society collects
items from New Bern residents
who are cleaning out their attics,
basements, and closets. This sale
benefits the Historical Society and
gives you a chance to discover
fascinating or useful objects donated
by community members.
Thunder in the East: The Civil
War in Eastern North Carolina
Saturday, March 10, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
The New Bern Historical Society
is partnering with Tryon Palace to
offer this symposium, which will
examine the Civil War in eastern
North Carolina and its aftermath.
See the article on page 12 of this
issue of the Bulletin for more in-formation
or visit the Society’s
website.
Memorial Service and Living
History Activities
Sunday, March 11
Come to the New Bern Battlefield
Park at 9:30 a.m. for this memorial
service, offered in commemoration
of the 150th anniversary of the
Battle of New Bern. After the
service, many of New Bern’s Civil
War venues will be open, and a
living history encampment will
occur at the Battlefield Park.
The Battle of New Bern: Who
Would Have Thought That?...A
Journey through Time
Wednesday, March 14
Come to the Chelsea Restaurant
for this program, which will
present an unusual story about
the participants in the Battle of
New Bern. Skip Riddle presents
this program. Prepaid reserva-tions
are required and cost $15 for
Historical Society members, $17
for non-members. Please call the
Historical Society for reserva-tions.
Also on this day battlefield
tours will be offered at the New
Bern Battlefield Park.
Civil War Adventure Day
Saturday, March 17, 10:30 a.m.-
2 p.m.
This annual event is open for up
to 70 children, ages 6 to 12, and
their adult family members. The
program features living history
and learning activities, and
costumed re-enactors will interact
with participants. Please contact
the society to pre-register.
2012 Spring Historic Homes &
Gardens Tour
Friday-Saturday, April 13-14,
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Spring Historic
Homes & Gardens
Tour is a major
fundraiser for the
New Bern Historical
Society and New Bern
Preservation Founda-tion.
Each year,
owners of historic homes open
their homes so that ticket holders
may explore and appreciate the
exquisite gardens and architectural
history of houses on tour. Patrons
will tour the living quarters of
these homes, learning about the
original architecture, renovations,
and furnishings. Most downtown
historic churches are also open on
MARCH 2012 PAGE 24
Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
tour days, with some offering musical performances. Among the gardens open to the public is the Tryon Palace garden, which should be in full bloom. Tryon Palace’s Annual Heritage Plant Sale will also be held on the Palace grounds during the tour. That weekend, Spring Homes Tour ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase discounted admission passes to Tryon Palace and the North Carolina History Center. Be sure to grab a homemade bagged lunch to go or enjoy it in a quaint porch setting. Bagged lunches are $5 and include a sandwich, chips, and beverage. You may reserve a lunch in advance by calling (252) 636-6280. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day of the tour, and $13 for active duty military and dependents with ID. There is also a special rate of $13 for groups of 12 or more. Tickets are good for both tour days, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
* * * * * * *
NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF HISTORY (Raleigh)
www.ncmuseumofhistory.org (919) 807-7900
(All programs are free, unless
otherwise noted. For a complete list of events, please call or visit the website.)
First Friday Performance:
Sojourner Truth and Her
Children
Friday, March 2, 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
This new readers’ theater work by local performance group Voices in Concert dramatizes the family life of 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth. Tickets: $5 per person, free for ages 12 and under. You can purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or on the
night of the event in the Museum Shop.
Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of
Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont
Sunday, March 4, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Historian and musician Gregg Kimball and singers Jackie Frost and Sheryl Warner will perform songs from Piedmont cotton mills. The trio will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs.
2012 Women’s History Month Celebration
Tuesday, March 27, 6:30 p.m.
Women compose more than half of the U.S. electorate and have influ-enced electoral outcomes for over 40 years. Learn about their importance to the 2012 campaigns during this talk by Anita Brown-Graham, executive director of N.C. State’s Institute for Emerging Issues. The program is sponsored by the N.C. Council for Women. To register, call (919) 807-7992 by March 23.
Civil War Sesquicentennial Lecture: When Will This Cruel War Be Over?
Sunday, April 29, 2 p.m.
James M. McPherson, author of numerous best-selling books on the American Civil War, will discuss the failed attempts at peace negotiations during the war and consider why the conflict could only have ended with an uncondi-tional military victory. Cost: $5 per person, free to Associates members and full-time students. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
* * * * * * *
NORTH CAROLINA PRESBYTERIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
www.ncphsociety.org
Spring Tour of
Historic Churches, 2012
Friday–Saturday, April 13-14
This year our Spring Tour will be in the Charlotte area. Events will begin Friday afternoon with a guided tour of the new Billy Graham Library, which also honors Ruth Bell Graham, the daughter of Presbyterian missionaries to China. Friday evening and Saturday will include dinner and a speaker on the history of the area and visits to the historic churches of Steele Creek (organized in 1760), Providence (org. 1767), Philadelphia (org. 1770), and Pleasant Hill (org. 1836), as well as the birthplace of James K. Polk. For more information, visit www.ncphsociety.org or email abrewer8091 @windstream.net or call Tony Brewer at (919) 776-8091.
* * * * * * *
N.C. RAILWAY MUSEUM
(New Hope)
www.nhvry.org, (919) 362-5416
Train Rides
Sundays, April 22 and May 6,
11 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 4 p.m.
Come experience the thrill of riding the rails—see, hear, and feel rail-road history. Tickets cost $10 for adults and for children age 13 and up, $7 for children 2 to 12.
* * * * * * *
NORTH CAROLINA STATE CAPITOL (Raleigh)
www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol/default.htm, (919) 733-4994
Between Heaven & Hell:
PAGE 25
MARCH 2012 Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Raleigh at the End of the Civil War
Saturday, March 24, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. In April of 1865, Raleigh was an occupied city. Joyous federal soldiers, despondent Confederates, and terrified civilians all experi-enced the dramatic end of the Civil War together in North Caro-lina’s capital. Historian Ernest Dollar will speak on the people and events that shaped their experiences as America began to reunite after a long and bloody war. Admission is free and open to the public. Donations are welcomed and appreciated.
* * * * * * *
OLD SALEM (Winston-Salem)
www.oldsalem.org, (888) 653-7253
(For a complete listing of events, please visit the website.)
Garden Workshop: Carolina Yards and Neighborhoods
Thursday, March 1, Noon-1 p.m.
Learn the nine steps for creating and maintaining a yard that works with the North Carolina envi-ronment rather than against it. Presented by Wendi Hartup, of the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Service, this lunchtime workshop will last approximately one hour. Please bring a lunch; coffee and iced tea provided. This free workshop is presented by Old Salem Museums & Gardens Department of Horticulture. Non-perishable food items are appreci-ated for Second Harvest Food Bank. Please call (336) 721-7384 for more information or to pre-register. In the event of inclement weather, or if Old Salem is closed, this workshop will be cancelled.
Heirloom Gardening in a
Modern World: The Seed Savers
Story
Tuesday, March 13, 6:30 p.m.
This lecture and book-signing features Diane Ott Whealy,
co-founder and vice president of Seed Savers Exchange, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds. It was a pocket full of morning glory seeds brought to America by Whealy’s Bavarian ancestor that began it all. Those family seeds, handed down over generations, inspired the idea to save our unique agricultural heritage. Learn more about the history of this company and taste local heirlooms. Old Salem
Museums & Gardens is a listed member of Seed Savers Exchange and for years has contributed a variety of saved heirloom seeds from our Gardens. Tickets: $10. Seating will be limited; please call (800) 441-5305 to reserve a space.
Garden Workshop: From Seed to Table
Wednesday, March 14, 11 a.m. (book signing), 11:30 a.m. (workshop and lunch)
Diane Ott Whealy will discuss seeds and gardening and will answer questions. Lunch will be a local feast prepared by Whole Foods Market. Admission: $15. Please note there is limited seating; call (800) 441-5305 to reserve a space.
A War With Many Voices
Thursday, March 29, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Michelle Lanier, Curator of Cultural History, Division of State Historic Sites and Properties, will present a lecture entitled “A War with Many Voices: An Exploration of Diverse and Inclusive Commemo-ration African American Memory and the Civil War.” This free
lecture will be offered at the Afri-can Moravian Log Church and is part of the Department of Cultural Resources Civil War Sesquicen-tennial commemoration (www.nccivilwar150.com). Space is limited, and advance registra-tion is required. Please call (336) 721-7399 or email cdharry@ oldsalem.org to register.
MESDA Furniture Seminar
Friday-Saturday, March 30-31
Sixty years after the first landmark exhibition of southern furniture and fifteen years after the publi-cation of Colonial Williamsburg’s Southern Furniture, the MESDA Furniture Seminar will explore fresh insights, recent discoveries, and expanded boundaries.
Presenters include Ronald L. Hurst, Wendy A. Cooper, Lisa
Minardi, Mack Headley, Martin O’Brien, Robert Leath, and June
Lucas. Please visit the website for more information.
Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 7, 2012, 10:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
Please join us for a fun-filled morning searching for Easter Eggs in Old Salem’s beautiful Miksch Orchard! The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is for children accompanied by an adult who has purchased an All-in-One admis-sion ticket. Children will search for plastic Easter eggs filled with wrapped candy. Please bring your own Easter basket. In the event of heavy rain or other inclement weather, the event may be
cancelled. Activities are included with an All-In-One ticket.
* * * * * * *
THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF CHAPEL HILL
PAGE 26
MARCH 2012 Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
www.chapelhillpreservation.com
(919) 942-7818
Art Openings
Sundays, March 4, April 1, May 6,
2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Meet the artists at these art open-ings.
In March, meet painter
Vienie Pawloskie, whose paintings
will be on display through March
25; in April meet David Zimmer-man,
whose paintings will be on
display through April 29; and in
May meet Elizabeth Matheson,
whose photos will be on display
through June 3.
* * * * * * *
STANLY COUNTY MUSEUM
(Albemarle)
www.stanlycountymuseum.com/
index.html, (704) 986-3777
Geology, Trains, History, and
Today’s Stanly County
April 23, 6:30
p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Local railroad
enthusiast
Tony Hill will
present a
lecture on the
history of the railroad in Stanly
County. The event will take place
at Market Station on West Main
Street in Albemarle. For more
information or to reserve a seat,
please call the Museum at (704)
986-3777. If no one answers,
please leave a message with your
name, telephone number, and the
number in your party. You may
also email Jonathan Underwood
at junderwood@co.stanly.nc.us.
Civil War Stories
May 14, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Local author Nancy Brewer
(author of Carolina Rain and
Beyond Sandy Ridge) will present
a talk on Civil War era culture,
folklore, and stories. The event
will be held at Christ Episcopal
Church on Pee Dee Avenue in
Albemarle. For more information
or to reserve a seat, please call the
Museum at (704) 986-3777. If no
one answers, please leave a mes-sage
with your name, telephone
number, and the number in your
party. You may also email Jona-than
Underwood at junderwood@
co.stanly.nc.us.
* * * * * * *
ST. JOSEPH’S HISTORIC
FOUNDATION (Durham)
www.hayti.org, (919) 683-1709
Family Pictures Opening and
Artist Lecture
Saturday, March 10, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Hear a talk by photographer
Jonathan French during this
opening reception for the exhibit
Family Pictures, which features
French’s pictures that explore the
African Diaspora.
The Frank Matthews Story:
The Rise and Disappearance
of America’s Biggest Kingpin
Friday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. (doors
open), 7 p.m. (movie screening)
This movie explores the story of
Frank “Pee Wee” Matthews of
Durham, who in the early 1970s
became America’s biggest drug
kingpin. Though his headquarters
were based in Brooklyn, he came
back regularly to Durham to
recruit men for his organization.
After being indicted in 1973, he
disappeared with close to $20 mil-lion
in drug profits; despite one of
the largest manhunt’s in US
history, Frank Matthews hasn’t
been seen since. Today, there is no
proof as to whether he is alive or
dead. Admission costs $5; the
movie will be followed by a question
and answer session.
Jackie Robinson:
A Game Apart
Friday, April 20,
7 p.m.
This performance
of A Game Apart
provides a glimpse
of Jackie Robinson’s life during a
bygone era of separate and unequal
locker rooms, of whites-only hotels,
and of restaurants with only a
back door for colored athletes to
enter. Witness the hopeless
humiliation of a star player who
was showered with adulation on
the field and who became a second-hand
citizen when he walked off
the diamond. Meet Jackie’s
compatriots fighting the same
battles between the end zones,
inside the ring and around the
track. A Game Apart is a powerful
lesson of courage through dedica-tion,
perseverance, and leadership.
A Game Apart is by acclaimed
actor and playwright Mike Wiley,
who has spent the last decade
fulfilling his mission to bring edu-cational
theatre to communities
across the country. Wiley has a
Masters of Fine Arts from the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill and is the 2010
Lehman Brady Visiting Joint
Chair Professor in Documentary
Studies and American Studies at
Duke University and the Univer-sity
of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill. Tickets cost $10 for general
admission, $5 for students.
* * * * * * *
WAYNE COUNTRY HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION (Goldsboro)
www.waynecountyhistoricalnc.org
(919) 734-5023
Oliver Nestus Freeman
Tuesday, March 6, 7 p.m.
LuAnn Monson will talk about
Oliver Nestus Freeman (1882-
MARCH 2012 PAGE 27
Federation Bulletin
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
1955), a prolific, creative, and multi-talented craftsman active in Wilson from about 1910 to his death in 1955. He became the community’s pre-eminent brick and stonemason and is best known for his stonework on his own buildings and throughout the community.
Elizabeth Keckly
Tuesday, March 13, 6:30 p.m.
Rebecca Ryan, director of the Burwell School Historic Site in Hillsborough, will talk about Elizabeth Keckly. Keckly was born into slavery, became a talented seamstress, and was able to purchase her freedom and her son’s freedom. She later moved to Washington, D.C., and counted among her clients Mrs. Robert E. Lee, Mrs. Varina Davis (wife of Jefferson Davis), and Mary Todd Lincoln, with whom she become a close friend. In this position, Keckly interacted with the First Family on a very personal basis, traveled with the First Lady, and was an intimate witness to many of the extraordinary events of the Lincoln Presidency.
Plantation Bus Tour
Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m.-
3:30 p.m.
Join this narrated tour of more than 30 plantations in Wayne County. Tickets: $25 per person, with boxed lunches included at the Aycock Birthplace.
Tea Party
Saturday, March 17, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
This tea party celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts and will be held in conjunction with a Girl Scout exhibit at the museum.
African American Craftsmen and Artisans
Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m.
Join Dr. Lamm for this informa-tive talk.
Thomas Day: Behind the Scenes
Tuesday, March 27, 7 p.m.
Curator Earl Ijames of the N.C. Museum of History will talk about Thomas Day, a free man of color and successful businessman in antebellum North Carolina who created unique furniture and
architectural interiors that survive today.
* * * * * * *
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION (Asheville)
www.wnchistory.org
(828) 253-9231
Civil War Lecture
Saturday, March 24, 2 p.m.
Join historian and author John Inscoe for this talk. Inscoe is the author of Mountain Masters: Slavery and the Sectional Crisis in Western North Carolina, and Race, War, and Remembrance in the Appalachian South. He is co-author of The Heart of Confeder-ate Appalachia: The Civil War in Western North Carolina. Seating will be limited, so call (828) 253-9231 or email education@wnc history.org for reservations. The lectures are free to WNCHA members. A $5 contribution to WNCHA is requested for non-members.
Living History Day
Sunday, April 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Smith McDowell House
Museum and grounds will be filled with history during this program, which will feature traditional crafters and reenactors sharing their skills and history and
costumed interpreters sharing the beauty and history of the oldest brick home in Asheville. Visitors will experience “living history” with weavers, spinners, fire-makers, blow-gun demonstrations, and heirloom lace as well as Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactors. Children will be able to participate in a hands-on area with corn shelling and grinding, clothes washing, and butter making. Water and lemonade will be avail-able for sale, and participants are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to have on the grounds. Admission is a suggested donation of $3.50 per person.
Easter Egg Hunt
Sunday, April 1, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Children can enjoy a sing-along program and games before hunting for hundreds of eggs hidden on the grounds of the Smith-McDowell House. There will be a separate egg-hunting area for younger children, and a golden prize egg for each area; some eggs will include a choice of small prizes. Juice and light refreshments will be served. Participants are
encouraged to bring their own baskets for the egg hunt. Admission is $5 per child, adults are free, and reservations are recommended.
PAGE 28
MARCH 2012 NEW EXHIBITS
ALLEGHANY HISTORICAL MUSEUM (Sparta)
www.ahgs.org, (336) 372-2115
Fashions from the Past and the People Who Wore Them
Through March 2012
See dresses, men’s wear, hats, gloves, accessories, and more at this exhibit, and learn how people dressed in daily life and for special events in the past.
* * * * * * *
CAPE FEAR MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND SCIENCE (Wilmington)
www.capefearmuseum.com
(910) 798-4350
Shopping Around Wilmington
March 22, 2012-Feb. 7, 2013 In an era before mega-malls, online ordering, and big box stores, shopping in Wilmington centered around downtown. Shopping Around Wilmington will explore more than 100 years of shopping in Wilmington. Explore the ways in which increasing suburbanization changed people’s retail experiences. View some of the museum’s images and artifacts that tell the Port City’s shopping story. Free with paid museum ad-mission.
* * * * * * *
CARTERET COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Morehead City)
www.thehistoryplace.org,
(252) 247-7533
Warriors of Carteret County
Focusing on the history of the county’s servicemen and women, this exhibit begins in World War I and continues to the present day.
The exhibit tells the story through artifacts, uniforms, images, video interviews with veterans, full-immersion dioramas, personal stories, and more.
African American
Achievements
Through April 15, 2012
Come to the Rodney Kemp Gallery to learn about the historical contributions and influence of African Americans in Carteret County.
Sufficient for Life-Saving
Service
Through April 2012
Learn more about the behind-the-scenes work of the United States Life-Saving Service. There are more than 250 coastal life-saving stations around the country, and within Carteret County the Life-Saving Station at Fort Macon played an important part in the county’s history.
* * * * * * *
GASTON COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY (Dallas)
www.gastoncountymuseum.org
(704) 922-7681
Apparitions: Photography by Paul Culver
January 18 - March 31, 2012
This show includes pieces that have been created using trick photog-raphy and digital art. Culver’s images evoke an eerie sense of wonder from the viewer. As Culver states, “There are photographers everywhere, but one thing I am confident about is that people have never seen anything like this!”
PAGE 29
MARCH 2012
Federation Bulletin
NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF HISTORY (Raleigh)
www.ncmuseumofhistory.org (919) 807-7900
Al Norte al Norte: Latino Life in North Carolina
May 5, 2012-April 29, 2013
Al Norte al Norte: Latino Life in North Carolina, the museum’s first exhibit focusing on the history of Latinos in North Carolina, will feature images by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer José Galvez. He documents individuals in his diverse community, from urban professionals to agricultural laborers, as they work, protest, worship, and celebrate. Bilingual descriptions will accompany each photograph. Al Norte al Norte received generous support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Founda-tion, and the project is made possible by funding from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
* * * * * * *
OLD SALEM (Winston-Salem)
www.oldsalem.org, (888) 653-7253
In-State Exhibits
Children line up to proceed into church before their first Commun-ion. Durham, 2005. ©José Galvez. This image is part of the N.C.
Museum of History’s new exhibit Al Norte al Norte: Latino Life in North Carolina. NEW EXHIBITS
Our Spirited Ancestors: The Decorative Art of Drink
Through September 2012
Early Southerners drank a lot— nearly twenty gallons of alcohol per person—every year. They drank when they woke up in the morning, as they ate and worked during the day, and when they socialized at night. But how people drank was as important as what they drank. From imported Madeira sipped at mahogany tables to local whisky out of redware jugs, this exhibit explores the decorative arts that defined the early Southern drinker. The exhibit is on display at the Museum
of Early Southern Decorative Arts; admission is free with a MESDA or Old Salem ticket.
ST. JOSEPH’S HISTORIC
FOUNDATION (Durham)
www.hayti.org, (919) 683-1709
Family Pictures
March 2-31, 2012 This free exhibit of photographs by Jonathan French explores the African Diaspora and aims to bring visibility to communities around the world. As noted in the artist’s statement on the Founda-tion’s website, “For too long wide watery oceans and barren infor-
PAGE 30
MARCH 2012
Federation Bulletin
mation deserts have kept apart Descendants of Africa in various parts of the world. For too long history has made communities of African people invisible. Invisibil-ity has created little interactions between these communities, yet all these communities have left an indelible mark on the physiogno-my and character of various coun-tries.” By sharing the stories of these communities, the artist seeks to educate and bring about change. There will be an opening reception and formal gallery talk with the artist on Friday, March 10, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In-State Exhibits
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY (Washington, D.C.)
http://si.edu/Museums/american-history-museum
Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty
Through Oct. 14, 2012
This exhibition explores slavery and enslaved people in America through the lens of Jefferson’s Monticello plantation. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence and called slavery an “abominable crime,” yet he was a lifelong slaveholder. In an age inspired by the Declaration of Independence, slavery was pervasive—28% of the American population was enslaved in 1790. The exhibition provides a glimpse into the lives of six slave families—the Hemings, the Gillettes, the Herns, the Fossetts, the Grangers, and the Hubbard brothers—living at Monticello and reveals how the paradox of slavery in Jefferson’s world is relevant for generations beyond Jefferson’s lifetime. Museum objects, works of art, documents, and artifacts found through archaeological excavations at Monticello provide a look at enslaved people as individuals—with names, deep family and marital connections, values, achievements, religious faith, a thirst for literacy and education, and tenacity in the pursuit of freedom. The family stories are brought to the present via
Monticello’s Getting Word oral history project, which interviewed 170 descendants of those who lived in slavery on Jefferson’s plantation.
WOODROW WILSON HOUSE (Washington, D.C.)
www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org
Woodrow Wilson, President Electric: Harnessing the Power of Innovation in the Progressive Era
Through October 2012
Using multimedia content, hands-on interactive
experiences, and authentic artifacts, this traveling exhibition explores scientific and technological advances during the Progressive Era through the eyes of the First Family. The exhibition explores advances in science and technology in the areas of communication, transportation, entertainment, house-hold technology, wartime technology, and medicine. The exhibition also incorporates several interactive components designed to promote hands-on learning. These include a period telephone, which visitors may use to listen to audio recordings of President Wilson’s speeches; a replica Victrola player, which visitors may use to play records from the era; and more. After October, the exhibition will travel to other venues; if you are interested in hosting the exhibition, please con-tact the curator at jpowell@woodrowwilsonhouse.org.
Out-of-State Exhibits WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES
In-State Workshops
CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS, N.C. DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES
Preventative Conservation for Visual Arts
Monday, April 23, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Come to Duke Homestead State Historic Site in Durham for this workshop focusing on hands-on training in backing paintings, installing new frame hardware, and frame padding. Participants will learn when to try to do preventative conservation them-selves and when to call a conser-vator. Perry Hurt, an associate conservator at the N.C. Museum of Art, will lead the workshop. Registration costs $20 and includes a boxed lunch; to register, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/conservationforvisualarts. For more information, call Michelle Vaughn at (919) 807-7422.
Textiles Intensive
Thursday, April 26, 9:30 a.m.-
3:30 p.m.
Paige Myers, textile conservator at the N.C. Museum of History, will lead this workshop, which will be held at the museum in Raleigh. Participants will practice the four types of stitches common-ly used in conservation; fabricate their own padded hangars; and create ethafoam-based hat mounts. The group will also tour the conservation studio at the
museum as well as textile storage and relevant exhibition spaces. Registration costs $20 and
includes supplies and lunch. To register, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/textilesintensive.
Archival Boot Camp
Wednesday, March 28
Learn about collecting, arranging, describing, and preserving records and how to provide access to them during this workshop. This work-shop is geared toward providing basic archival education to people who are on the front lines of caring for collections but who have not had the benefit of formal training. Regis-tration is $20 and includes lunch; to register, visit www.surveymonkey. com/s/SNCAGreensboro. This workshop is being offered before the annual meeting of the Society of North Carolina Archivists; to learn more about this meeting, visit www.ncarchivists.org.
EDGECOMBE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
Historic Preservation Trades Courses
During the Historic Preservation Trade School on Saturday, March 31, you can see demonstrations in masonry, roofing (metal, slate, and wood), carpentry, painting, window repair, timber framing, blacksmithing, furniture repair, and others. Attend lectures on tax credits, weather concerns, and other topics, and meet special guest Roy Underhill, of PBS’s long-running series The Woodwright’s Shop. In addition, participants will be able to tour the Norfleet House, which is under restoration by students in the Historic Preser-vation Program. A boxed lunch will be provided. Registration costs $65 and is due before March 20. For more information, contact Monika Fleming at (252) 823-5166 x 241 or at flemingm@edgecombe. edu.
In addition to the Trade School, the college is offering a variety of
preservation courses this spring. On March 3 Monika Fleming will offer “Researching Historic Prop-erty,” with a $65 registration fee; on March 17 and 18, Joe Arm-strong will offer “Historic Roof Repair,” teaching participants how to install and repair slate roofs, with a $65 fee; and on March 17 and 18 and March 24 and 25, Kevin Wilson and Benja-min Currin will offer “Preservation of Farm Structures,” in which participants will discuss methods of preserving historic dependency buildings, then will visit several structures and work on stabilizing the buildings; regis-tration costs $120. On April 20 and April 21, participants in “Cemetery Preservation” will
review North Carolina laws
concerning cemeteries, will learn ways of cleaning and restoring damaged stones, and will spend time in area cemeteries; $65 fee. On April 28, during “Intro to
Historic Preservation,” partici-pants will learn about historic preservation laws on state and national levels; discuss guidelines for setting up historic districts; gain an overview of National
Register of Historic Places; and learn how structures become eligi-ble for tax credits or National Register nomination; registration costs $65. The college is in the process of planning a course on making and repairing molding, frames, and mantles for historic homes and a course on religious architecture and history. For more information or to register, contact Monika Fleming at flemingm@ edgecombe.edu or call (252) 823-5166, ext. 241.
FEDERATION OF N.C. HISTORICAL SOCIETIES
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MARCH 2012
Federation Bulletin
Workshops WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES
Discovering Community History
April (date TBA), May 10, May 17
Discover ways to uncover your community’s history at these spring workshops. Each workshop will feature a session led by Bob Crowley, curator of the N.C. Rail-way Museum, focusing on the basics of good research and on the resources available to research business and industrial history. Each workshop will also feature different speakers offering exam-ples of local history research in their communities. The April workshop, which will be held in Wilmington, will include a session by professor Kate Amerson of Craven County Community College; she and her students will talk about how they conducted research into New Bern’s 300 years of history to find stories of individuals. They will also show their 30-minute documentary, Voices of New Bern. At the May 10 workshop, which will be held in Hickory, Leslie Keller will talk about the in-depth research she did to create her book Lost Hickory, an exploration of historic buildings that were lost or destroyed over time. Partici-pants will gain ideas of resources and research methods that can help them discover lost history in their community. And during the May 17 workshop in Rocky Mount, Monika Fleming and staff from the city of Rocky Mount will talk about the research they did into the city’s political history when they created an exhibit of all the city’s mayors. They will also discuss the research they conducted in the history of several historic buildings, which have now been restored. Participants will have a chance to tour these restored buildings at the end of the workshop. Registration costs
$20 for members, $25 for non-members, and includes lunch and refreshments. A registration form will be sent to Federation members in mid-March
Online Workshops
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY
Seven Steps to a Successful Volunteer Recruitment Program
April 1-30
We know having volunteers in the wings who can give eight hours a day is no longer the case. Recruit-ment is a process that enables the selection of the right people for the right task. Participants in this workshop will understand what needs to be in place before recruit-ment begins; develop a recruit-ment plan; determine how to
recruit and how long the potential volunteer will serve; identify and overcome barriers to recruitment; understand expectations of volun-teers; and examine various places to recruit volunteers. Please note that this online course is present-ed in partnership with LE@D at the University of North Texas and is designed for the general non-profit and is not specifically for history organizations. The course will take approximately 2.5 hours to complete anytime between April 1 and April 30. Registration is due by March 26 and costs $40 for AASLH members, $115 non-members. For more information, contact Bethany Hawkins, Program Associate, at (615) 320-3203 or by email to hawkins@aaslh.org.
MUSEUMWISE
Climate Control for Small
Institutions
March 5-March 30
Explore the issues that need to be considered when planning for climate controls including moni-toring, testing, environmental analysis assessments, long-range planning, systems design, construc-tion support, and operations train-ing. Low-cost, low-tech solutions will be offered and discussed, providing participants with the background knowledge to assist them in making informed decisions that can be implemented at their own institutions.
Conservation & Preservation of Photographs and Albums April 2-April 27 Learn about the factors affecting the preservation and care of photos; review the various photographic processes; learn techniques for identifying each photograp