An experiment with innovative teachers and a nontraditional curriculum yields a controversial educational experience.
1940s
Celebrating Identity
Mike Crowe Jr. shares the story of his tribe at the Museum of the Cherokee.
Land of Blue Smoke
With the creation of the Qualla Boundary comes conflict — between two men determined to lead the Eastern band of Cherokee and within the tribe itself.
The Deluge of 1940
Mountain communities bear the brunt of the decade’s most deadly Atlantic storm — forever changing our western landscape.
The Home of the Airborne
After the Great War, the army planned to mothball a sandhills airfield. But when the United States is pulled into another conflict, the base is reborn with a new purpose and a new name: Fort Bragg.
The Soundtrack of the Decade
In the 1940s, traditional mountain music gives rise to bluegrass, jazz spreads nationwide, and three North Carolina natives make their mark on American music.
The Liberty Armada
When America went to war in 1941, the Navy turned to Wilmington to provide ships. The city’s response helped secure victory for the allies and left a lasting mark on the North Carolina coast.
The 1940s: The Decade of Transformation
North Carolina began the 1940s as a mainly rural, isolated state hit hard by the Great Depression. But by the end of the decade, it was a different kind of state: one we recognize as our home.
