stories of the american south

The Stories of the American South are based on historic artifacts found in the special collections of the Wilson Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You will find links to additional resources, both digital and non-digital throughout each of the Stories.

We invite you to explore, reflect, and think critically about the people, places, and events that have shaped North Carolina and the American South.

Asheville: What's the Parkway Got to Do With It?

Explore the history of Asheville, largely through the lens of its relationship to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge Parkway Experience

Driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a wonderful way to experience a piece of North Carolina's wilderness and history.

Change in the Mountains

While development and change were slow in coming to the North Carolina Mountain Region, the last half a century has seen a surge in both.

Changes in Southern Politics

The political landscape in the South underwent significant change during the twentieth century. Political and social change in Southern states was directly connected to some of the landmark events of American history, particularly the Civil Rights Movement.

Child Labor in the Cotton Mills

Dozens of mills across North and South Carolina drew workers from rural and mountain farms, who traded in farm life for life in the mill village...

Edenton Tea Party

We've all heard about the Boston Tea Party, but do you know that there was an Edenton Tea Party?...

Hurricane Floyd

Hurricane Floyd is considered one of the most damaging hurricanes to hit North Carolina, and what caused the damage may surprise you...

Race in Charlotte Schools

In the 1970s, the public school system of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County in North Carolina was ordered by the federal courts to desegregate. The district then faced busing, lawsuits, protests, and riots during its struggle with the issue of racial quotas...

Slavery in North Carolina

North Carolina, like other Southern states, relied on slavery to build its economy during the 18th and 19th centuries...

Southern Women Trailblazers

The twentieth century was a time of great social change in America. One example of remarkable change was in the role of women in American society.

Tobacco Bag Stringing

Throughout the tobacco-growing regions of the American South during the Great Depression, individuals and families earned much-needed income by sewing drawstrings into small cotton tobacco bags.