How a dairy farmer from Alamance County ascended the political ladder to become governor, then senator — never forgetting his rural roots along the way.
decades series
The 1950s: Photographer Hugh Morton & Grandfather Mountain
One of our state’s most magnificent treasures was in danger of being overdeveloped. Instead, with a photographer’s passion for natural beauty, Grandfather Mountain’s new owner opens it to all.
The 1950s: UNC On The Air
The state’s first educational TV station delivers wisdom over the airwaves, from the classroom to viewers’ living rooms.
The 1950s: Justice in Black & White
As the racism of the Jim Crow era comes to a head, the push for equality gains momentum. In North Carolina and across the South, the seeds of the civil rights movement take root.
The 1950s: At The Drive-In
After the war, North Carolinians hit the road on gasoline that’s newly cheap and plentiful. Sleek cars in a kaleidoscope of colors carry families to drive-in theaters and restaurants, where they watch and dine under the stars.
A Man For His Time
North Carolina’s wartime governor takes office with a desire to help the state he loves.
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.
