A Father’s Education
When my son was diagnosed with autism, I didn’t want to accept it. Now I’m grateful for all Julian has taught me.
A Disaster No One Saw Coming
We knew Hurricane Helene was going to bring rain. We didn’t foresee it delivering devastation so widespread its impact will be felt for years.
Why I Left Teaching
I taught in public schools for more than two decades, but I just quit—and you need to know why.
Jesse Helms Lives On
The bomb-throwing TV commentator and arch-conservative U.S. senator died 16 years ago, but his legacy is alive and kicking.
My Ancestors Won’t Have the Final Word
While I don’t feel responsible for my ancestor’s role in the Wilmington massacre, I do feel compelled to help repair what he helped destroy.
The Weight of Words
How Davidson College struck a balance between free expression and making sure marginalized voices aren’t drowned out.
Beyond Juneteenth
One hundred and fifty-six years after the first official celebration of Juneteenth, the question remains whether Black Americans can have full freedom without economic emancipation. The fight over the future of Durham’s historic Hayti neighborhood tells that story.
More Essays Coverage
The Afghanistan Papers
Craig Whitlock got his start scouring North Carolina for stories. Today, his seminal work on Afghanistan is a must-read for a nation trying to understand what went wrong in its twenty year war some seven thousand miles away.
The Pain and Joy of Black Fatherhood
Durham-based photographer and father Cornell Watson traveled the state photographing Black dads—capturing the complexity of raising Black kids.
Say His Name: James Cates
A murder 50 years ago rattled Chapel Hill’s Black community, laying bare the college town’s persistent inequality. As the university renames a slate of buildings on campus, it’s time for its historical reckoning to expand to its relationship with the town around it.
A Life of Do
Kel Landis III ’s The Little Book of Do! was published in the summer of 2014 when he was 57 years old. Landis, a former marathoner who became a devoted walker, was healthy and happy. He had every reason to believe there was a long stretch of runway ahead. Landis was good at getting things…
Graves by the Sea
Across two narrow strips of sandy, marshy land, a team of volunteers is making Currituck County unique in answering a statewide call to document lost Black gravesites. What can their efforts teach us about remembrance and memorial?
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