The Broadside

In 1937, a man claimed to have discovered a rock in eastern North Carolina with a 400-year-old message carved into it from survivors of the Lost Colony of Roanoke. The announcement created an international media circus. And it led to one of the biggest archeological scandals in American history, one that would forever tarnish the artifact’s reputation. But was the Dare Stone authentic? Featuring: David La Vere Links: The 1937 Chowan River “Dare Stone”: A Re-EvaluationDouble Deception: The 1937 Hoaxes of the Chowan River Stone and the Drake Plate of Brass, Cover image: The front of the first Dare Stone, aka the Chowan River stone, courtesy of Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From public syllabi to surveillance, universities across the country are embracing unprecedented policies that professors say are undermining their academic freedom. And North Carolina is front and center. Featuring: Keith WhittingtonLinks: here Cover Image: Liz Schlemmer See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When disaster strikes in the water, we turn to the US Coast Guard. Today, it’s renowned for its fast-moving cutters, skilled helicopter pilots and daring rescue divers. But a hundred and fifty years ago, the Coast Guard's predecessor, the US Life-Saving Service, was in total disarray and in desperate need of reform. In the treacherous waters of North Carolina's Outer Banks, an extraordinary group of Black men answered the call and saved hundreds of lives against all odds. Featuring: Pea Island Preservation SocietyLinks: here Cover image provided by Joan Collins: The US Coast Guard's Herbert M. Collins served at the Pea Island Life-Saving Station in North Carolina's Outer Banks during World War II. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the story goes, hip-hop was born a little over 50 years ago at a house party in the Bronx. But that version of history doesn't account for an entertainer from Durham, North Carolina with the incredible name Pigmeat Markham. In 1968, Markham released a hit song called “Here Comes the Judge.” The tune fused comedy, funk, and what can only be described as an early form of rapping—years before hip-hop officially burst onto the scene. So was this largely forgotten figure actually the first rapper? Featuring: Mark Anthony NealLinks: here Cover image: The album cover art for Pigmeat Markham's 1968 single "Here Comes the Judge” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Other places might have bigger mountains and better powder, but the icy slopes of western North Carolina are currently home to one of the most vibrant snowboarding scenes in the country. And it's produced perhaps the single most creative rider in the world. But is it all just a fluke? Featuring: Josh SullivanMichelle Bruton Cover image: Luke Berger See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Huntsville to Houston, the space industry in the US is rooted in the South. And as NASA works towards returning to the moon with the Artemis program, our space history is inspiring new generations of Americans. But in North Carolina, two important sites from the Space Race of the 1960s remain relatively unknown. Featuring: Links: herehereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From bourbon to chow chow, fermentation is everywhere in Southern food and drink. But how did this "controlled form of rotting" become so prevalent in our regional cuisine and why does it make everything taste so dang delicious? Featuring: Southern Culture on the FizzSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a cold night in January 1958, hundreds of Native American men and women from the Lumbee Tribe showed up to a field in southeast North Carolina with one mission: to boot the KKK out of their community. The skirmish that followed would become an integral part of modern Lumbee identity and lore. Featuring: Links: “The Lumbee Tribe: An American Struggle” by Malinda Maynor LowerySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Buc-ee’s, the mega-sized gas station known for its pristine bathrooms, numerous snack options and cartoon beaver mascot, is expanding across the South. And it’s bringing with it a legion of cultish fans. But what’s with all the hype? And does the world really need a gas station the size of a Walmart with 20 different flavors of beef jerky? Featuring: The News of Orange CountyLinks: hereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This New Year's Day we're revisiting one of our all-time favorite episodes of The Broadside. We'll be back with a new original show next week. On a rainy day in 1979, a photograph was taken of a young girl skateboarding down a street in Fayetteville, North Carolina. 45 years later, that photo went viral with a little help from the most famous skater who ever lived: Tony Hawk. This week, we find out who the mystery girl in the picture was and why the snapshot was so ahead of its time. This episode originally published on December 12, 2024. Featuring: North Carolina Rabbit HoleLinks: Jeremy's articleView photographs of Shaunda skateboardingtranscript of this episode hereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During this holiday break, we're sharing an episode from the podcast series Our Common Nature, produced by our friends at WYNC. When the world stopped in 2020, cellist Yo-Yo Ma started thinking about how music can reconnect people to the natural world, and how story and song can help us grapple with America's complicated history. Our Common Nature is a 7-episode series where Yo-Yo Ma travels around the country to make music and meet people who have deep connections to the earth. In this episode, host Ana González joins Yo-Yo in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, to tell two stories of people who are reclaiming their connections to the land. Episode description: In the Smoky Mountains, traditions layer and intersect. Yo-Yo Ma believes that story and song can help us grapple with America’s complicated history. This episode highlights two stories of people who are reclaiming their connections to the land. The first brings us to Cherokee, North Carolina, where Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe are working to change the name of the tallest mountain in the range back to its original Cherokee name. Then, we go to the other side of the mountains, where musician Eric Mingus meets up with some long-lost family, and grapples with the weight of his family’s history. His performance reconnects him to a lineage he never thought he’d find. Featuring music by Eric Mingus, Rhiannon Giddens and Yo-Yo Ma. “Grinds My Bones/The Mill” was composed and performed by Eric Mingus. Flute and vocal performance in this episode by Jarrett Wildcatt. Additional audio recording provided by Taylor MacKay. Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings And if you want to listen to more music from this series, you can check out the Our Common Nature EP, featuring Yo-Yo playing with Eric Mingus, Jen Kreisberg and an Icelandic choir, now available on all streaming platforms. This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world. Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies. Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On our 100th episode there are no small stories… just short ones. In the past two years, we've crisscrossed the state of North Carolina. From Manteo to Murphy and many points in between. And we’ve done our best to connect you – wherever you live – to the people and places that make our region so fascinating. Along the way, we’ve collected a few stories that, for whatever reason, didn’t fit into a full-length episode. But we thought our 100th episode special was the perfect excuse to break out some of these shorties but goodies. This week, we explore the effort to raise up a beloved hip-hop anthem, learn that much of our fate was randomly drawn on a map and dig into a tale about one of the most infamous crime scenes in American history. Featuring: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s easy to overlook the importance of mini golf. But this tiny game has played a pivotal role in breaking down class barriers to golf. And the story of how a bite sized version of golf made it from one man’s lawn in North Carolina to the rest of the world is utterly fascinating. Featuring: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina are one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The region is home to a whopping 4,000 species of plants and 2,000 species of fungi. And many of them are edible. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, some folks are embracing this nourishing supermarket in the woods by learning how to forage for wild food… and how not to get poisoned in the process. Featuring: Links: article on foraging for The GuardianSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This Thanksgiving we're sharing an interview from our friends and colleagues at Due South, WUNC’s daily talk show. Hosted by Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii, the program is a source for news, information and perspectives from across North Carolina and the South. In this conversation, Leoneda chats with Dr. Brittany Hunt. Hunt is a professor at the Virginia Tech School of Education, where she teaches the teachers about how schooling practices have been rooted in anti-Indigeneity and how to upend that system to center Indigenous stories. Hunt is also co-host of the Red Justice Project podcast, which tells stories of missing and murdered Indigenous people, and is the author of a children’s book Whoz Ya People. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail form the backbone of the eastern portion of the US National Parks system. Together, they welcome 15 million visitors every year. But they likely wouldn't exist as we know them today, if it weren't for the work of a pioneering photographer in North Carolina named George Masa. This week, we find out how an immigrant from Japan became the eyes of the American conservation movement and unearth the dark secrets that motivated his life’s work. Featuring: Links: George Masa documentary film click here See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A little over a hundred years ago, there was an abundance of Black farmers in the U.S., and the vast majority of them farmed in the South. But today, less than 2% of farmers are Black, and what was once a flourishing vocation in Black America has now become something of a novelty. Yet despite decades of decline and documented discrimination, Black farmers are finding ways to thrive as they inspire the next generation of growers. Featuring: Shirlette AmmonsAallyah Wright Links: hereUSDA policy changes Rev. Bennie Brown in Jonestown, MSSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The North Carolina State Fair is the biggest event of its kind in the South. Every October, nearly a million visitors flock to Raleigh in search of fried food and carnival fun. And while everyone loves a good funnel cake… each year, one section of the fair is by far the most popular: the giant pumpkin exhibit. This week, we dig into the mushy guts and glory of competitive giant pumpkin growing and find out what it takes to harvest a champion. Featuring: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Driven by unprecedented energy demand from data centers, the US is in the midst of one of the biggest energy infrastructure expansions of all-time. For many energy companies, the solution to this crisis runs through natural gas pipelines in places like Rockingham County, North Carolina. But does it come with a price? Featuring: Links: herehereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

North Carolina is home to one of the oldest electronic music traditions in the world. From synthesizer builders in Asheville to Grammy-nominated musicians in Durham, the state’s small but influential scene remains healthy. But how did it come to be? This week, we go on a strange trip through the early days of electronic music in America, and find out how the synthesizer became an unlikely Southern instrument. Featuring: Suzi AnalogueBob Moog FoundationMake NoiseSylvan EssoLinks: hereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.