Shows
Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateLetters from Liberia and an Interview with Dr. Claude CleggDuring the 1800s, some free people of color and formerly enslaved people emigrated out of North Carolina. Many went north or to Haiti, and quite a few went to Liberia. Join host John Horan, former intern LaWanda McCullor and podcast regulars, Annabeth Poe and Katie Crickmore on this episode. Listen as the crew focuses on several letters and wills housed at the State Archives of North Carolina recounting the experience of moving out of the country.
The podcast team also speaks to Dr. Claude Clegg, who holds a joint appointment in the Department of History and the De...
2025-02-261h 22Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateConcerning Art: The Black Mountain College ExperienceWhat would you think about a concert that was pure silence? Or an event that hosted four different performances all at once? These sort of avant-garde performance pieces were commonplace at North Carolina’s Black Mountain College. Founded in 1933 by John A. Rice and Theodore Dreier, Black Mountain College operated as an experiment of “education in a democracy,” wherein the creative arts and practical responsibilities were considered equally important as intellectual development. The college closed in 1957, and the records associated with the school, including compositions and other artistic pieces, are held at SANC’s Western Regional Archives.
This...
2025-02-1240 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateFrom Regulators to Revolution: The War of RegulationBefore the Revolutionary War began, a movement unfolded in the backcountry of North Carolina, sparking the short-lived but influential War of Regulation. In the first episode of our series “From Regulators to Revolution,” Annabeth Poe and Katherine Crickmore are joined by Nathan Schultz, the Site Director of Alamance Battleground, as they discuss the Regulators, their grievances, and the War of Regulation. Join us for a riveting interview and hear sounds from the battlefield for yourself, as Annabeth, Katie, and reference archivist Dominique Romero visit Alamance Battleground during a May 2024 battle reenactment.
Warning: This episode contains the so...
2025-01-151h 02Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Mystery BoxHave you ever conducted research at the State Archives of North Carolina, or any other archival institution for that matter? It’s a unique thrill when you discover history in your hands and read the words of the past as written by the people who lived it. Even when you know the basics about what you’re going to research, you never know exactly what you’ll find during an archival research trip.
In this episode, our podcast team dives into the unknown with a trip into the “mystery box.” The team gathered in the Search Room...
2024-12-1151 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateMyth Busters: Unpacking North Carolina LegendsThis week on Connecting the Docs, host John Horan welcomes Reference archivist Katherine Crickmore, former Digitization Archivist Chauna Carr, and Records Description Unit head Joshua Hager to investigate the validity of popular North Carolina legends.
First, Katie tackles the mysterious disappearance of Theodosia Burr, daughter of American Vice President Aaron Burr. Leaving South Carolina by boat to visit her father in New York, Theodosia was never seen or heard from again. She is said to have been abducted by pirates off the coast of the Outer Banks, but is that true? Next, Chauna unpacks the tale of Be...
2024-11-1331 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateClass is in Session: Integration and Busing Controversies, 1969-1972Our final episode in our school-centric series takes us to Charlotte, home to one of the most famous legal cases involving school integration. By the time it reached the U.S. Supreme Court, Swann v. Mecklenburg addressed whether school systems could legally use busing routes to create more integrated school populations (or if they had an obligation to do just that). In this episode, join host John Horan, podcast Intern Olivia Coyne, and producer Josh Hager for a tour through the history of the Swann case and the larger issue of busing in North Carolina. Learn how school systems...
2024-10-3053 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateClass is in Session: American Indian Education Spotlight, Part 2In the second and third episodes in our Class is in Session series, we focus on hearing from American Indian students about how they navigated school segregation and desegregation inside and outside of the classroom. Using a combination of government records and oral histories, join host John Horan and producers Josh Hager and Annabeth Poe for an overview of American Indian public education across the state over time. In the previous episode, we learned about segregated schools through the lens of the Sappony and how students integrated UNC-Chapel Hill’s Medical School. Now, hear the harrowing tale of what it...
2024-10-1634 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateClass is in Session: American Indian Education Spotlight, Part 1In the second and third episodes in our Class is in Session series, we focus on hearing from American Indian students about how they navigated school segregation and desegregation inside and outside of the classroom. Using a combination of government records and oral histories, join host John Horan and producers Josh Hager and Annabeth Poe for an overview of American Indian public education across the state over time. Then, learn about the conditions of American Indian schools prior to the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. Finally, listen to students describe their experiences integrating the University of...
2024-10-021h 04Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateClass is in Session: The Legacy of Rosenwald SchoolsWelcome to Season 5 of Connecting the Docs! We start this season with a trip to the classroom as we focus on three topics relating to North Carolina schools and education history. In our first episode of the series, we take a look at the history of Rosenwald Schools in North Carolina. Join host John Horan, podcast intern Lawanda McCullor, and producer Josh Hager as we learn how the Julius Rosenwald Fund spearheaded the construction of numerous schools across North Carolina for African American students, particularly in rural areas. The Rosenwald Schools became centers of community, starting from their onset...
2024-09-1844 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateUncovered Stories, Episode 3: The Revolutionary Ruthey Jackson LetterWelcome back to the final series of Season 4, “Uncovered Stories.” In this series, you’ll hear about incredible records that archivists uncovered during work assigned for other, sometimes unrelated projects. These discoveries add new significant research topics to collections held by the State Archives for decades and shine a light on people and subjects upon which previous collection guides did not focus.
In the last episode of the series, host John Horan welcomes Digitization Archivist Caitlin Martell and former Connecting the Docs intern and current Assistant Oral Historian Annabeth Poe to discuss an overlooked letter from one o...
2024-03-061h 01Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateUncovered Stories, Episode 2: Marginalized Communities in Early Statehood General Assembly RecordsWelcome back to the final series of Season 4, “Uncovered Stories.” In this series, you’ll hear about incredible records that archivists uncovered during work assigned for other, sometimes unrelated projects. These discoveries add new significant research topics to collections held by the State Archives for decades and shine a light on people and subjects upon which previous collection guides did not focus.
In this second episode, former Connecting the Docs Intern and current Assistant Oral Historian Annabeth Poe takes the hosting stage and interviews Friends of the Archives 2023 Summer Intern Hannah Nicholson about her project, creating a LibGuid...
2024-02-2129 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateUncovered Stories, Episode 1: Finding Enslaved Labor in the Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s PapersWelcome to the final series of Season 4, “Uncovered Stories.” In this series, you’ll hear about incredible records that archivists uncovered during work assigned for other, sometimes unrelated projects. These discoveries add new significant research topics to collections held by the State Archives for decades and shine a light on people and subjects upon which previous collection guides did not focus.
In this first episode, host John Horan and regular panelist Josh Hager are joined by State Agency Description Archivist Alexandra Dowrey and Digital Description Archivist Caroline Waller. Over the past two years, Alexandra and Caroline...
2024-02-0752 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateAsk an Archivist: Fan LettersHave you ever wanted to ask an archivist why your photos are fading away? Or why only some records are digitized? Or whether they actually wear white gloves when handling old records?
Well, good news! In this episode, our archivists will answer questions just like these that have been sent in from listeners like you! Inspired by the annual #AskAnArchivist day on social media and other popular programs, this episode will cover best practices for preserving family records, how archivists decide what to digitize, tips for researching at the State Archives, and more!
Also be sur...
2024-01-2450 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateYear of the Trail: Interview with Special Guest Secretary D. Reid Wilson2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the NC Trails System Act, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is celebrating with the Year of the Trail campaign, where all types of trails are being celebrated across the state. Join us as we conclude our three-part series exploring the “sights, sounds, and people” of North Carolina’s trail system. In this episode, we are joined by Secretary D. Reid Wilson for a special retrospective interview. We learn about the origins of the Year of the Trail Campaign, some of the great trail events that have gone on around the state, and we...
2023-12-1338 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateWe Beg Your Pardon: The Saga of Slow PokeHappy Holidays! We all have heard of presidential pardons for turkeys at Thanksgiving. Of course, we know that since the first state constitution in 1776, North Carolina governors have had the ability to declare executive clemency to people. But have you heard of a governor pardoning a possum? In this episode we are joined by Records Description Archivist Mike Childs to learn about Slow Poke the Possum of Harnett County, the only possum to be officially pardoned from his sentence to be eaten! Slow Poke’s incredible journey begins in 1970, when he was entered into a beauty contest. The winner of...
2023-11-2227 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateYear of the Trail: Indian Trading Paths2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the NC Trails System Act, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is celebrating with the Year of the Trail campaign, where all types of trails are being celebrated across the state. Join us as we continue our three-part series exploring the “sights, sounds, and people” of North Carolina’s trail system. In this episode, we take a look at the oldest trail system in our state – Indian Trading Paths. Long before Europeans arrived in the New World, American Indians utilized a network of trails and pathways across the Southeast for travel, hunting, recreati...
2023-11-0825 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateYear of the Trail: Mountains to Sea Trail2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the NC Trails System Act, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is celebrating with the Year of the Trail campaign, where all types of trails are being celebrated across the state. Join us as we embark on a three-part series where we explore the “sights, sounds, and people” of North Carolina’s trail system. In this episode, we leave the recording studio to take a hike ourselves along the Neuse River Greenway Trail in Raleigh’s own Anderson Point Park. While enjoying the trail, we’ll discuss the beginnings of the North Carolina T...
2023-10-2535 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateResiliency in Records Management: Disaster Preparedness and Protecting Essential RecordsAs the conclusion of our Resiliency series, this episode shifts our focus from stories of the resilience of individual North Carolinians to information on how the State Archives can help government agencies throughout the state remain resilient in the face of disasters. In this episode, Records Description Unit Supervisor Josh Hager welcomes Records Management Consultant for Disaster Preparedness and Essential Records Kayla Leonard and Reference Archivist Katie Crickmore to the show to discuss the essential role that the State Archives has in helping agencies prepare for the effects of disasters on their records. You'll get the chance to play...
2023-10-1151 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateResiliency in the Face of Natural Disasters: Other Storms and Natural DisastersResiliency is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties, or, to put it simply, fortitude. In the previous episode, we heard four stories of North Carolinians showing resiliency in the face of historic hurricanes, but hurricanes aren’t the only type of bad weather our state has faced. This episode showcases four more stories of resiliency shown by North Carolina citizens when facing other major storms and natural disasters. Join us as we discuss the Southern Railway Company’s emergency response to a historic mountain flood, Rebecca B. Cullum’s overcoming her fears to deliver help after...
2023-09-2734 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateResiliency in the Face of Natural Disasters: North Carolina HurricanesNorth Carolina is no stranger to hurricanes. According to the National Hurricane Center, North Carolina is number 4 on the list of states most affected by hurricanes and throughout the state’s recorded history, hurricanes have been responsible for nearly 1,000 total fatalities and over $15 billion in damages. Yet time and time again, the citizens of North Carolina have shown their resilient nature in the face of these storms. This episode showcases four stories of resiliency brought on by four of the strongest hurricanes in our state’s history. Join us as we discuss Jesse Stevens Taylor’s dedication to her storm wa...
2023-09-1325 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateBallads and Banjos and Fiddles, Oh My: Appalachian Music SpotlightAppalachian music has a rich history in western North Carolina. Native American and African American music cultures melded with the ballad-singing traditions of Scots-Irish settlers in the 1700s. In the years that followed, western and piedmont musicians crafted signature styles of banjo picking in old-time and bluegrass music. Today, the sounds of Appalachia can be heard in a range of musical genres, from country to blues and beyond. In this episode, oral history interns Fiona Allen and Bree Dumont introduce the Connecting the Docs crew to some Appalachian music traditions as we listen to Ashe County fiddler Howard Miller...
2023-03-0134 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateCall the Granny Woman: Appalachian Dialect SpotlightThe dialect traditionally spoken in the western parts of North Carolina goes by many names—Smoky Mountain English, Southern Mountain Talk, and Appalachian Dialect, to name a few. In this episode, oral history interns Fiona Allen and Bree Dumont lead host John Horan and guests Brooke Csuka and Josh Hager on a lexicological journey through this most colorful patois. Learn about how this dialect combines influences from surrounding states as well as multiple cultures, including members of the Cherokee Nation, the African diaspora, and immigrants from all over western Europe. Following the lesson, Fiona and Bree quiz John, Brooke, an...
2023-02-1536 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateSearching for a Spy: A Conversation with Dr. David Cecelski on Discovering the Legend of Abraham GallowayFor this episode our HBCU/MIHE summer intern Tyanna West chats with renowned historian and author Dr. David Cecelski about Abraham Hankins Galloway, an abolitionist, union spy, and North Carolina state senator from Brunswick County. Cecelski’s biography, The Fire of Freedom: Abraham Galloway and the Slaves’ Civil War, illuminates a portrait of this little-known hero who ascended from the bondage of slavery to become one of the most important Black leaders during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Cecelski shares his research process, what drew him to the life of Abraham Galloway, and why he thinks many don’t know o...
2023-02-011h 09Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateExploring Island Life in the John Wilson IV Papers: A Summer Internship at the Outer Banks History CenterEach summer the Outer Banks History Center welcomes an intern to its archives on Roanoke Island. Named after the History Center’s founder and legendary Outer Banks historian, David Stick, the annual internship offers students pursuing graduate degrees in library science the opportunity to engage in a range of projects. In this week’s episode, the 2022 summer intern and dual-degree graduate student at Simmons University, Johnna Purchase, shares her experience processing the John Wilson IV Papers, which document the range of contributions Wilson made to the development of the town of Manteo through his many years of service as the...
2023-01-1855 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateTrue Stories Behind Where the Crawdads Sing: Oyster WarsInspired by the bestselling novel and film adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing, Connecting the Docs explores true stories that happened in the wild marshes of eastern North Carolina. This episode dives deep into oysters and oystering, a major industry of the state for more than a century. In 1891, conflict between local fishermen and northern opportunists, who illegally dredged oysters from the coast, erupted into what became known as the Oyster Wars of North Carolina. Though no documentation indicates that either side escalated to violence, legend tells a different story. Outer Banks History Center director Samantha Crisp shares this tale an...
2022-12-1431 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateTrue Stories Behind Where the Crawdads Sing: Education and Truancy in Eastern North CarolinaContent warning: This episode includes potentially sensitive issues including suicide and death. Listener discretion is advised.
Inspired by Where the Crawdads Sing—the bestselling novel by Delia Owens and now-streaming film—Connecting the Docs explores true stories that happened in the coastal communities of eastern North Carolina. In this episode, host John Horan, regular guest Josh Hager, and Samantha Crisp, director of the Outer Banks History Center, examine school records, truancy, and public education. Join in as they investigate the history of Rosenwald schools—more than 800 public schools built for African American students in North Carolina prior to desegr...
2022-11-3031 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateTrue Stories Behind Where the Crawdads Sing: Historic Black Communities of Eastern North CarolinaInspired by Where the Crawdads Sing—the bestselling novel by Delia Owens that is now a major motion picture—Connecting the Docs explores true stories that happened in the wild marshes of eastern North Carolina. This episode, the first of a three-part series, is an examination of the resilient, dynamic Black communities that inhabited this land in the 18th and 19th centuries. Samantha Crisp, director of the Outer Banks History Center, and Morgan Johnson, oral history assistant, lead host John Horan into North Carolina’s maroon communities, like those hidden in the Great Dismal Swamp, as well as post-Civil War vi...
2022-11-1636 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateMurder, Mystery, and Mayhem Revisited: The True Stories behind North Carolina Murder BalladsThe True Crime genre seems to have exploded in popularity in recent years, but, truthfully, people have always had a fascination with sensational crime stories. Long before podcasts, musicians transformed these true crime tales into popular songs that have been sung and passed along for hundreds of years. In this special Halloween episode, reference archivist Katie Crickmore breaks down five popular North Carolina murder ballads and the true stories that inspired them. John, Josh, and Katie also examine archival records found in the State Archives that back up or refute the narrative of these songs. Tune in and make...
2022-10-2654 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Journey of an Archival Record. Part III: Digitization and AccessIn this final episode of our first series for season 3, we reach the end of our journey in the life of an archival record. As you’ve been listening to the past two episodes, you may have asked yourself – but what’s the end goal? Where is all of this work – retention, scheduling, appraisal, processing, imaging – heading?
In today’s episode, Chauna Carr from the Digital Access Branch, Lauren McCoy from the Public Services Branch, and Josh Hager from the Records Description Unit discuss the end goal of everything we do at the State Archives: public access. We’ll talk abo...
2022-10-1238 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Journey of an Archival Record, Part II: Arrangement and DescriptionThose of you who have visited the State Archives may be familiar with the sight of boxes containing processed records in orderly rows of labelled, acid-free folders. But you may wonder: how do these records go from their unprocessed state upon transfer to the arranged and described collections that you encounter in the search room? How do archivists determine what records to process? Do all records get processed to the same level? And why does the State Archives reformat records and continue to use microfilm?
In today’s episode, State Agency Archivist Alex Dowrey and Dig...
2022-09-2838 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Journey of an Archival Record, Part I: AppraisalWelcome back to Connecting the Docs!
In this brand new season, we have several mini-series covering a range of topics including a look west with information about “Mountain Speak” and a series on the true stories of Coastal Carolina inspired by the film, Where the Crawdads Sing. We open season three in Raleigh, with our first series, “The Journey of an Archival Record.” In this three-part series, you’ll hear from archivists who normally work behind the scenes about how a document created by a state agency becomes a part of the collections of the State Archives of North C...
2022-09-1452 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateWhen Are We US? America250: A Look to the Past to Inform Our FutureIn this special hour-long episode and season finale of Connecting the Docs: Unprocessed, State Archivist Sarah Koonts and Becky McGee-Lankford, assistant state records administrator, introduce us to America250, the nationwide commemoration to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. North Carolina’s programming will highlight historical events of the Revolution as well as the ideals of liberty, courage, sacrifice, civic responsibility, and progress that have developed in the years since. To kick off preparations for this momentous occasion, Koonts and McGee-Lankford share inspiring records in the State Archives that embody these ideals and bring history to life: a 17...
2022-01-2854 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateA Peculiar Instrument in Collecting Foreign RecordsIn this episode of Connecting the Docs: Unprocessed, two former editors of , Bob Cain and Joe Beatty, join host John Horan to discuss the foreign collections within the State Archives of North Carolina. They discuss the decision to travel to the United Kingdom and collect these documents, an effort that went through fits and starts throughout the 20th century. Bob Cain shares his experiences doing this work in London in the 1960s and early 1970s and talks about how he found and shipped the collections to the State Archives in Raleigh. He discusses some of his favorite documents and...
2022-01-2135 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateDammed Cities: Bringing an Underwater Story AboveboardIn this episode of Connecting the Docs: Unprocessed, host John Horan and oral history interns Michelle Witt and Madison Riley discuss the history of two dams and the lakes they created. The story of Fontana Dam and Lake as a tourist destination in western North Carolina is well documented, but this episode goes underneath the surface and uncovers the various towns and landmarks that were flooded when the dam was built. In much the same way, Jordan Dam and Lake changed the landscape of Chatham County. It took decades to build, and yet, much less is written and known...
2022-01-1428 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateHighways and History: Archival Documentation of Urban Renewal and ”Black Removal”This episode tells the story of three North Carolinian communities and their intersection with highways and the urban renewal projects of the mid-20th century. The first story we explore is the experience of Durham’s Hayti neighborhood and the dismantling of a self-sustaining Black community. The next act of neighborhood destruction comes to us as Raleigh’s Smoky Hollow community was wiped away for Capital Boulevard and later gentrified. The final story of paving over communities comes from what is historically known as Southside and South Park in downtown Raleigh. This story illustrates how communities fought back and feat...
2021-12-1726 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateYo-Yos and Selfies: Exposing Photographs in the Albert Barden CollectionIn this episode, audiovisual materials archivists Vann Evans and Ian Dunn introduce Raleigh photographer Albert Barden (1888–1953). For almost seventy years, curators and archivists have worked to preserve, catalog, and give meaning to his vast collection of photographs, which offer a snapshot of everyday and extraordinary life in North Carolina from nearly a century ago. Their work continues. Learn about Barden and some of the fascinating discoveries archivists have made, helping to identify previously unnamed or mislabeled photographs and revealing their importance.
Photographs Mentioned:
N_53_15_4313 | Raleigh Linen Supply Co, 3301 Hillsborough St
Raleigh Line...
2021-12-1031 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Great North Carolina Baking ShowLet’s bake history! In this episode, we feature historical recipes from family culinary manuscripts dating to the mid-19th century. Join us as we try cream cakes, blackberry cordial, pickle lily, and tomato catsup. We share our experiences testing these recipes, explore the history behind them, and discuss how culinary manuscripts can offer insights into the tastes and foodways of specific households in North Carolina. Transcripts of these recipes— along with a few suggestions to simplify or modernize them—and links to the full culinary manuscripts are available on our blog.
Culinary Manuscripts Availabl...
2021-12-0334 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateWelcome to our Front Porch: A History of Bynum‘s CommunityThis episode tells the story of Bynum, a former North Carolina mill town reinvented as a lively and welcoming artists’ colony. Residents Martha Collins, Ron Hatley, and Ted Williams tell stories about growing up in Bynum when the mill was still in operation. They discuss the conditions for millworkers and today’s environmental activism. They share their pride in Bynum Front Porch, a vibrant community hub and performance venue. “Artists are artists, so they’re a little eclectic to begin with. All of Bynum is eclectic if you look at it,” Ron Hatley says. “We’re living in a little bubble...
2021-11-1922 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateTelling Fuquay‘s Tobacco StoryThis second episode of the season tells the story of the tobacco industry in Fuquay-Varina, a now booming suburb south of Raleigh. This story is told through the lenses of Morgan Johnson, a former intern at the State Archives and Fuquay native, and Fred Wagstaff, a 94-year-old from Fuquay who worked in the local tobacco fields and markets his whole life. An oral history interview conducted with Wagstaff recounts the entire history of the leaf that made Fuquay a "busy, bustling town," from his relatives who moved to the area in the early 1900s to escape the notorious Granville Wilt...
2021-11-1228 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateTales Around the Campfire | Episode 1, part 2, ”Ghostly Governor”In this second part of episode one, we’ll move to the early 1970s and find a ghost haunting the halls of the Governor’s Mansion. Who reported this ghost to the public? It was none other than the sitting governor himself, Governor Bob Scott. Learn more about the supposed ghost of Governor Fowle, his haunted bed, and the responses from concerned people in North Carolina and across the world.
2021-11-0514 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateTales Around the Campfire | Episode 1, part 1, ”Witches & Werewolves”For the first episode of this season, we tell three of the spookiest stories from the collections held in the State Archives of North Carolina. We’ll first explore the earliest years of colonial North Carolina and find trials for witchcraft in old Albemarle County. You may expect to hear about wrongful convictions and superstition, but instead you’ll learn how the women charged with witchcraft in North Carolina fought back in court and won.
Then, we’ll move to Richmond County in 1799 to learn about a political figure so hated by his rivals that they believed he had...
2021-10-2919 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Murder of Nell Cropsey | Episode 3, part 3, “Jim Wilcox: Guilty or Not?”In episode 3, “Jim Wilcox Guilty or Not?” our archivists ponder the aftermath of the trials and the enduring mysteries surrounding the famous case.
Epilogue at the 25:00 mark: On Nov. 20, 2019, 118 years since Nell's disappearance, archivists Debbi Blake and Chris Meekins visited the Cropsey home in Elizabeth City, NC to see the related artifacts and visit the graves of some of the major players. Hear their impressions.
See the documents referenced in this episode at the State Archives of North Carolina's History For All the People blog.
2019-12-1636 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Murder of Nell Cropsey | Episode 2, part 2, "Charges and Trials"In episode 2, “Charges and Trials”, archivists Debbi Blake and Chris Meekins outline the indictment and testimony in the trials of James Wilcox for the murder of Nell Cropsey. The first trial took place in March 1902 in Elizabeth City and the second in March 1903 in Hertford in Perquimans County. Both verdicts were appealed to the Supreme Court.
See the documents referenced in this episode at the State Archives of North Carolina's History For All the People blog.
2019-12-0925 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateThe Murder of Nell Cropsey | Episode 1, part 1, "Disappearance and Recovery"The story of young Nell Cropsey is one that has been repeated throughout time. A relationship ends and a woman disappears shortly thereafter. Records maintained by the State Archives illustrate the tragedy as it unfolded in turn-of-the-20th-century Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
In episode 1, “Disappearance and Recovery”, our archivists set the stage for the tragedy that unfolds late in the year 1901 when Nell Cropsey disappears from her home. Her sister Olive, Olive’s suitor Roy Crawford, and Nell’s suitor Jim Wilcox were the last people known to see her alive. Her body was found in the Pasquotank R...
2019-12-0223 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North State"Animal Stories"In this episode, archivists Debbie Blake, Ellen Brooks, Randon McCrea, and Chris Meekins delve into animal mayhem in the Old North State. Using government journals, maps, newspaper articles and more they explore the stories of animals wreaking havoc in the General Assembly, the streets of Charlotte, and on a porch near the Pee Dee River.
Special guests: Ask a Ranger podcast hosts, Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askaranger/ | Ask a Ranger podcast: https://www.ncparks.gov/ask-ranger).
See the documents mentioned in the episode at the State Archives of North C...
2019-11-2531 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateGhost Ship: The Mystery of the Carroll A. Deering | Episode 2, part 2, "A Great Maritime Mystery"This episode continues the story of the Carroll A. Deering. Our archivists, Donna Kelly, Stuart Parks, and Chris Meekins explore how newspapers reported the event; how maps helped show the route taken by the ship; what was found onboard the ship; its eventual destruction once it could not be salvaged or refloated; an official worldwide investigation into the crew’s disappearance; numerous theories on the fate of the crew; and what became of the timbers that washed ashore.
See the newspaper articles and photographs referenced in this episode at the State Archives of North Carolina's History For All...
2019-11-1827 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateGhost Ship: The Mystery of the Carroll A. Deering | Episode 1, part 1, "A Ghostly Monument"This episode is about a ship, the Carroll A. Deering, whose crew mysteriously disappeared without a trace off the Outer Banks of North Carolina in late January of 1921. Our archivists, Donna Kelly, Stuart Parks, and Chris Meekins, give background on the ship and her crew; elaborate on the treacherous nature of the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”; and give details about several attempts to board the ship, once it is spotted run aground on Diamond Shoals.
See the documents mentioned in the episode at the State Archives of North Carolina's History For All the People blog.
2019-11-1220 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateFrankie Silver: A Woman Hanged | Episode 3, part 3, "Frankie at Rest"“Frankie Silver: A Woman Hanged” is the story of a gruesome death, prisoner disguise and escape, and the eventual hanging of a young woman found guilty of murdering her husband in 1831. Episode 3, the final in the Frankie Silver series, host Andrea Gabriel talks with archivists Chris Meekins and Debbie Blake about Frankie Silver's escape; pleas for her pardon, her eventual hanging, and ways that her story resonates in contemporary times.
Special guests: Singer/songwriter Joe Newberry (http://joenewberry.me/wordpress/), NY best-seller Sharyn McCrumb (http://www.sharynmccrumb.com/)
See the documents mentioned in the episode at the...
2019-11-0431 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateFrankie Silver: A Woman Hanged | Episode 2, part 2, "Frankie Goes to Trial"“Frankie Silver: A Woman Hanged” is the story of a gruesome death, prisoner disguise and escape, and the eventual hanging of a young woman found guilty of murdering her husband in 1831. Episode 2, host Andrea Gabriel talks with archivists Chris Meekins and Debbie Blake for a recount of Frankie Silver’s trial and appeal.
See the documents mentioned in the episode at the State Archives of North Carolina's History For All the People blog.
2019-10-2823 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateFrankie Silver: A Woman Hanged | Episode 1, part 1, "Charlie Goes Missing"“Frankie Silver: A Woman Hanged” is the story of a gruesome death, prisoner disguise and escape, and the eventual hanging of a young woman found guilty of murdering her husband in 1831. Episode 1, host Andrea Gabriel talks with archivists Chris Meekins and Debbie Blake as they introduce the characters, time and place, and circumstances of the crime.
Special guest: NY Times best-seller, Sharyn McCrumb (http://www.sharynmccrumb.com/)
See the documents mentioned in the episode at the State Archives of North Carolina's History For All the People blog.
2019-10-1726 minConnecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North StateConnecting the Docs TeaserWe are excited to announce a forthcoming podcast from the State Archives of North Carolina. "Connecting the Docs" will use archival materials to introduce listeners to fascinating and true stories from around the Old North State. The theme of our first season is "Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem." Stay tuned!
In the meantime, here's a link to the State Archives Blog, "History for all the People."
2019-08-3000 min