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Archive for May, 2007

Biological Warfare in the 18th Century

Posted in From the Stacks, History on May 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment »

I have to admit that I thought biological warfare was a 20th-century invention, but after a little research, I have discovered that it has been around for quite some time. During the Revolutionary War, Brigadier General Jethro Sumner wrote to Major General Horatio Gates to inform him that: “A Woman who passed about 15 days […]

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Olmsted on NC

Posted in From the Stacks, History on May 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment »

There are plenty of fine quotes about North Carolina and its people, but many of the older, negative statements about our state tend to have an impressive staying power, too. In an earlier post I mentioned William Byrd’s amusingly derogatory comment about the pork-eating prowess of North Carolinians. More than a century later, Frederick Law […]

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WPA Office, Beaufort County

Posted in From the Stacks on May 15, 2007 | 1 Comment »

This photograph shows the Works Projects Administration office in Washington, N.C. in the late 1930s. The photo is from the Lee A. Wallace WPA Photo Album, an interesting collection of photographs documenting WPA projects throughout North Carolina in the late 1930s. Note the matching outfits on the office workers here — even the man in […]

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Tar Heel

Posted in History, Tar Heelia on May 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment »

Romantic notions about our state’s nickname abound, many tied to tales of Civil War glory. If you take particular pride in the story that North Carolina earned its nickname from a group of brave soldiers who held off the enemy by refusing to retreat, fighting “as if they had tar on their heels,” then you […]

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May 1972: First Presidential Primary

Posted in 05 - May, From the Stacks, History, Tar Talk, This Month in N.C. History on May 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment »

This Month in North Carolina History North Carolina held its first presidential primary election on May 6, 1972. Prior to 1972, delegates were chosen to represent the state at the national party nominating conventions, but the candidates were not subject to a popular vote in North Carolina until the general election. North Carolina’s primary came […]

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