Smile when you say ‘Great White Father’?

“The Corps only reluctantly began accepting African Americans early in World War II…. The commanding officer of the black training facilities at Camp Lejeune was Colonel Samuel A. Woods Jr., a native of South Carolina and an alumnus of that state’s all-white military college, The Citadel.

“According to an official history of black Marines, Colonel Woods ‘cultivated a paternalistic relationship with his men,’ who dubbed him the ‘Great White Father.’ One imagines that this was said with different inflection around the colonel and in the barracks.”

— From “I Am a Man!” by Steve Estes (2005)

 

Putting North Carolina in “Jeopardy!”

Thanks to the fan site J! Archive we know that since 1985 North Carolina has been mentioned on “Jeopardy!” in answers or questions at least 258 times. For instance…

1.  “Hawk” Eyes for $1,200 (Feb. 9, 2011)

“This aircraft carrier named for a North Carolina site has been nicknamed ‘Battle Cat.’ ”

2. The CW for $1,000 (Nov. 10, 2009)

“Chad Michael Murray & Hilarie Burton might be gone, but North Carolina holds plenty of drama on this series.”

3. The Bible Belt for $1,000 (May 9, 2005)

“It’s Jerusalem to Isaiah, a peaceful ‘land’ to John Bunyan & small ‘ville’ in North Carolina.”

4. Stamps for an $1,800 daily double (Feb. 8, 2010)

“The Distinguished Marines series honors the man for whom a North Carolina Marine Corps base was named.”

Answers Questions:

1. What is the USS Kitty Hawk?

2. What is “One Tree Hill”?

3. What is Beulah? [The Duplin County town is spelled “Beulaville.”]

4. Who is John Lejeune?

When contestant Nick ventures “Who is… MacArthur?” Alex Trebek responds, “No.  Who is Lt. Gen. John Lejeune, hence Lejeune Camp.”

“Lejeune Camp”? Alex, we’re consulting the judges on that one.

Midweek link dump: Semper Luh-JERN?

— NPR discovers the struggle over how to pronounce Lejeune.

— Cache of Outer Banks photos, circa 1900, includes rare shot of Kitty Hawk weather bureau.

— Downtown Wilmington landmark is on the move.

— Score one for preservation: New role planned for outmoded but still handsome  Yadkin River bridge, opened in 1924.

— Should a 150-year-old Stokes County country store be allowed to continue its sandwich-making without complying with health department rules? (And if North Carolina had a state cheese, would it be pimiento?)