North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill

Happy Birthday to Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known as Nina Simone. Born in Tryon, North Carolina in 1933, she wowed with her contralto voice, masterful piano playing, and stinging lyrics decrying racism. Check out our holdings on Simone. go.unc.edu/k6PEq

in 1878, Tabitha Ann Holton became the first woman to be granted a law license in NC - the first licensed female lawyer in the South. The Farmer and Mechanic reported she caused a scene by applying “not to marry, but to study law.” More on :

The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, January 10, 1878, Image 1 The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, January 10, 1878, Image 1, brought to you by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC, and the National Digital Newspaper Program.

On January 8, 1955, UNC-TV, then WUNC-TV, began broadcasting and presented their first live airing of a UNC basketball game. Then operated by the University, it was the second non-commercial educational TV station to begin broadcasting south of Washington DC. Read more on

The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, January 07, 1955, Image 1 The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, January 07, 1955, Image 1, brought to you by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC, and the National Digital Newspaper Program.

in 1898, Warren Coleman opened the first Black-owned and -operated cotton mill in the world in Concord. The Semi-Weekly Messenger said it opened on Dec. 27th while the Watauga Democrat reported it opened on the 31st. Find more on : https://bit.ly/37OfFvp https://bit.ly/39Y9qb4

On Christmas Eve 1941, actor Mickey Rooney proposed to Ava Gardner, the North Carolina native who had recently moved to Hollywood to work with MGM. You can find an announcement of their engagement in The Wilmington Morning Star on : https://bit.ly/2KnQgR3

Also in 1928, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first flight, a cornerstone and historical marker was laid at Kitty Hawk. It was expected that members of the National Aeronautics Association would attend, along with 200-300 distinguished aviators and “friends of aviation.” More on : https://bit.ly/36ZHotG

in 1903, the first sustained flight was made at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, by Wilbur and Orville Wright. The Goldsboro Weekly Argus reported that the flight lasted over 3 miles (actually around 852 feet), but it survived winds of over 20 mph! Find more on : https://bit.ly/3gwlaTf

For 9 years, Roanoke Rapids disputed their 1930 census count of 3,404 residents. The town’s area was enlarged in 1931, increasing the population by almost 3 times the number counted in the federal census! By 1937, there were almost 12,000 residents, but locals couldn’t get that number recognized until the 1940 census. Read more at : https://bit.ly/34Btrzj

In 1920, the people of Elizabeth City, NC, found the federal census “not at all satisfactory.” It recorded 531 new residents, but a local newspaper, The Independent, believed numbers should be far higher, citing hundreds of new families and new homes in town. Read more at : https://bit.ly/2XA1gzl

This month’s is all about the ! Did you know that the Census of 1860 cost less than $2,000,000? The 1890 Census cost $11,200,000, and the 2020 Census is estimated to cost $15.6 billion dollars! Though it seems like a high price tag, the Census is invaluable for helping the federal government know how to fairly allocate government spending to different states and regions. Learn more about the historic cost of the Census at : https://bit.ly/2VuU3hg

In honor of . This map of tribal nations in NC is available in the NCC. Did you know that NC has the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi?

Fascinating article published by ProPublica and The New Yorker on effects of heirs' property law in North Carolina.

Noted NC historian David Cecelski quoted: “You can’t talk to an African-American family who owned land in those counties and not find a story where they feel like land was taken from them against their will, through legal trickery.”

Their Family Bought Land One Generation After Slavery. The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It. Their Family Bought Land One Generation After Slavery. Licurtis Reels, left, and Melvin Davis. The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It. By Lizzie Presser Photography by Wayne Lawrence July 15, 2019This story was co-published with The New Yorker. ProPublica is a nonprofi...