N.C. Museum of Art announces March events

Tours
Explore the Collection
Tuesdays through Fridays at 1:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
A daily docent-led tour of Museum highlights. Meet at West Building Information Desk. For individuals and groups smaller than 10.

Meet Your Museum tours
Fridays at 6 and 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m., noon and 2 and 3 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 and 3 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at East Building Information Desk. Guided tour introduces visitors to the Museum buildings, Plaza and related works of art.

Storytelling in the Galleries weekend family-friendly tours
Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Free; sign up that day; first come, first served.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Half-hour tours for kids age 5 to 10 and their adult companions. Join a Museum guide for a lively discussion and activities in the galleries.

Special events
Lunch and lecture
Curator’s Highlights: El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa
Friday, March 23, at 11 a.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$23 for members and $28 for nonmembers
Linda Dougherty, chief curator and curator of contemporary art, explores the five-decade long career of contemporary African artist El Anatsui and his ability to transform simple materials—bottle caps, milk tins, cassava graters, wood trays, clay pots—into stunning works of art that tell both personal and universal stories. The discussion continues over a lunch catered by Iris, the museum restaurant. To register, call (919) 664-6785. Registration and payment for the combined program is required by 4 p.m. on the Wednesday before the event.

Free tour: Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday, March 23, at 6 and 7 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Enjoy a lively introduction to the museum’s collection with 30-minute gallery conversations that take you through a variety of explorations.

Mad about Mad Men spring film series
Film: BUtterfield 8
Friday, March 23, at 8 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$3.50 for museum members, students, Cinema Inc. and Galaxy Cinema members; $5 for all others
A party girl wakes up in a strange bed and “borrows” a mink coat for the taxi ride home, jump-starting this sizzling adaptation of John O’Hara’s novel. Liz won an Oscar for playing restless Gloria Wandrous. Tickets are available online at www.ncartmuseum.org, through the museum box office by phone at (919) 715-5923 and in person (East Building).

Kids at the ncma: family fun Saturday
Family Fun Saturday: Transforming Everyday Materials
Saturday, March 24, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
East Building, Education Studio 2
$3 for members and $5 for nonmembers
Reuse, recycle, repurpose! Come learn how to transform the ordinary into extraordinary. At this gallery tour-plus-studio workshop for families with children ages 5 to 11, kids and adults delight in exploring the museum’s collection, creating projects together and discovering one another’s creativity. For more information or credit card reservations, call the museum box office at (919) 715-5923. Space is limited; advance purchase is strongly suggested.

Sketchbook Saturday
Saturday, March 24, from 10:30 a.m. to noon
$7 for members and $10 for nonmembers
Ages 11 to 14
Teens and tweens are invited for an in-depth exploration of tools and techniques used in keeping an artist sketchbook. We’ll be inspired by work in the galleries and Museum Park, and then head back into the studio to play with a variety of materials. Price includes one sketchbook per participant (not per session). Registration is required; space is limited. For more information or credit card reservations, call the museum box office at (919) 715-5923.

12th annual Abram and Frances Pascher Kanof lecture
Lecture: “John Singer Sargent’s Israel and the Law: The Key to a Missing Keynote”
Dr. Sally Promey, Professor of American Studies and Professor of Religion and Visual Culture, Yale University
Sunday, March 25, at 2 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
Free; ticket from Box Office required
Israel and the Law holds a crucial place in John Singer Sargent's mural cycle at the Boston Public Library. In multiple ways, this one painting exemplifies the artist's hopes for the shape of religion's triumph in secular modernity in a pluralist society. This lecture examines Israel and the Law in the context of its roles in Sargent's larger mural cycle, from this panel's 1916 installation through the controversy that ensued in 1919 and the recent conservation and restoration of the mural cycle.
A reception follows the lecture.

Senior sampler
Senior Sampler: “Taking Shape”
Tuesday, March 27, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Meet in West Building Lobby
$15 for members per session or $80 for all six sessions
$20 for nonmembers per session and $110 for all six sessions
How do artists use positive and negative shapes in a work of art? Explore shapes within a composition and make a collagraph using a printing plate made from collaged materials.

Kids at the ncma: preschool playshop
What’s in the Box?: Seasons and Nature
Thursday, March 29, at 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m.
East Building, Education Studios 1 and 2
Free for members; $3 for nonmembers
Tickets required from Box Office; first come, first served.
It’s spring! Come to the museum to celebrate and explore the seasons. Preschoolers, ages 2 to 4, and their caregivers discover a new adventure in the box each time and experience fun and engaging ways of looking at art together in the museum and at home. Activities are designed to stretch the imagination while children explore materials and make personal connections with art and their world.

Auction preview
Friday, March 30, at 5:30 p.m.
Free
The Auction preview combines live music, tasty bites and beverages with an opportunity to preview the works of art to be auctioned at Art of the Auction benefit on April 14. Enjoy the eclectic stylings of local jazz quintet Peter Lamb and the Wolves and mingle with many of the artists, who will be in attendance to discuss their work. This is your chance to see all the exceptional works of art, many by North Carolina artists, that can be yours to take home from the auction! This event is part of Art of the Auction.

Free tour: Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday, March 30, at 6 and 7 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Enjoy a lively introduction to the museum’s collection with 30-minute gallery conversations that take you through a variety of explorations.

Mad about Mad Men spring film series
Film: Lover Come Back
Friday, March 30, at 8 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$3.50 for museum members, students, Cinema Inc. and Galaxy Cinema members; $5 for all others
A prissy virgin gets ready to sacrifice her virtue to land the advertising account for a mysterious product called VIP. Day frantically woos the virile Jerry, played with great charm and not a little irony by Rock Hudson. Tickets are available online at www.ncartmuseum.org, through the museum box office by phone at (919) 715-5923 and in person (East Building).

N.C. Museum of Art announces March events

Tours
Explore the Collection
Tuesdays through Fridays at 1:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
A daily docent-led tour of Museum highlights. Meet at West Building Information Desk. For individuals and groups smaller than 10.

Meet Your Museum tours
Fridays at 6 and 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m., noon and 2 and 3 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 and 3 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at East Building Information Desk. Guided tour introduces visitors to the Museum buildings, Plaza and related works of art.

Storytelling in the Galleries weekend family-friendly tours
Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Free; sign up that day; first come, first served.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Half-hour tours for kids age 5 to 10 and their adult companions. Join a Museum guide for a lively discussion and activities in the galleries.

Special events
Senior sampler
Senior Sampler: “Drawing the Line”
Tuesday, March 13, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Meet in West Building Lobby
$15 for members per session or $80 for all six sessions
$20 for nonmembers per session or $110 for all six sessions
What does an artist need to consider when arranging a composition? Gain a deeper understanding of the underlying structure of a work of art while sketching selected pieces in the galleries. Each session offers an informal gallery discussion paired with a studio experience exploring subjects in paintings and sculpture. Supplies provided. To register, call the museum box office at (919) 715-5923.

Free tour: Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday, March 16, at 6 and 7 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Enjoy a lively introduction to the museum’s collection with 30-minute gallery conversations that take you through a variety of explorations.

Mad about Mad Men spring film series
Film: The Match King
Friday, March 16, at 8 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$3.50 for museum members, students, Cinema Inc. and Galaxy Cinema members; $5 for all others
Wolfish William plays an industrialist who corners safety match production with epic financial shenanigans. Warner Bros. proclaimed that plots for their films were “torn from today’s headlines”—this one could easily be torn from ours, as well. Tickets are available online at www.ncartmuseum.org, through the museum box office by phone at (919) 715-5923 and in person (East Building).

Lunch and lecture
Lecture: “Edward Durell Stone: American Modernist”
Saturday, March 17, at 11 a.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$23 for members; $28 for nonmembers
Edward Durell Stone, designer of the NCMA’s East Building, was one of the first American architects to experiment with European modernism in the early 1930s with a series of prominent homes in the Northeast and in his design for the Museum of Modern Art. In this slide lecture, Stone’s youngest son and biographer, Hicks Stone—himself a practicing architect—documents the breadth of his father's life and career. The discussion continues over a lunch catered by Iris, the Museum Restaurant. To register, call (919) 664-6785. Registration and payment for the combined program is required by 4 p.m. on the Wednesday before the event.

El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa Members Opening
Saturday, March 17, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
East Building
$30 for members; $40 for all others
Drums! Dance! Costumes! Song! Story! Join other museum members and Durham’s own The Magic of African Rhythm at the first major retrospective of El Anatsui’s work. To celebrate the work of contemporary artist El Anatsui, the museum presents a colorful evening of music and dance spanning many cultures of the African continent. Performances include Balankora, a melodic duo of traditional griot instruments backed by African diasporic percussion instruments and singing, and Djembe Fire!, featuring djembe and dundun drumming, dance choreography, singing and audience participation. African-inspired hors d’oeuvres, South African wines, beer and nonalcoholic beverages included. The exhibition will be open for viewing. Performances take place at 7:30 and 8:15 p.m.

Artist discussion
“Artist to Artist”
Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m.
East Building, Museum Auditorium
Free; ticket from Box Office required
For nearly a year, the NCMA has enjoyed an extended loan from Bennett College of a work by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. Artist Stacy Lynn Waddell leads a discussion about Douglas’s Harriet Tubman that considers Douglas in the context of art history and as an illustrator and master draftsman.

Kids at the ncma: family fun Saturday
Family Fun Saturday: Traveling through Time
Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
East Building, Education Studio 2
$3 for members; $5 for nonmembers
Join us for a workshop that travels through space and time to learn about art from different cultures. At this gallery tour-plus-studio workshop for families with children ages 5-11, kids and adults delight in exploring the museum’s collection, creating projects together and discovering one another’s creativity. For more information or credit card reservations, call the museum box office, (919) 715-5923. Space is limited; advance purchase is strongly suggested.

Sketchbook Saturday
Saturday, March 17, from 10:30 a.m. to noon
$7 for members and $10 for nonmembers
Ages 11 to 14
Teens and tweens are invited for an in-depth exploration of tools and techniques used in keeping an artist sketchbook. We’ll be inspired by work in the galleries and Museum Park, and then head back into the studio to play with a variety of materials. Price includes one sketchbook per participant (not per session). Registration is required; space is limited. For more information or credit card reservations, call the museum box office, (919) 715-5923.

Lecture: “El Anatsui: A Curator’s Perspective”
Dr. Lisa Binder, Curator of Contemporary Art, Museum for African Art
Sunday, March 18, at 2:30 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
Free; ticket from Box Office required
Dr. Lisa Binder discusses the work of artist El Anatsui, highlighting some of the stunning sculpture, paintings, prints and drawings in the retrospective exhibition El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa. The lecture includes a history of the artist’s career and a discussion of his recent projects, including Lines That Link Humanity in the museum’s permanent collection.

N.C. Museum of History presents Cotton Mill Colic

In the early 20th century, Piedmont mill towns were incubators for innovative string bands and musical performers in an emerging genre known as country music. Mill workers sang of their hard fate, protesting living conditions, poor wages and workplace struggles. As tension increased between management and labor, the songs became a rallying cry in labor halls, on strike lines and at protest rallies.
At the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh, musicians Gregg Kimball, Sheryl Warner and Jackie Frost will present Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont, which will draw on commercial recordings by millworkers, such as Dave McCarn, the Dixon Brothers and Wilmer Watts as well as union strike songs—especially those sung by Ella Mae Wiggins, the voice of the 1929 Gastonia strike. This free performance takes place Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m. in Daniels Auditorium. Parking is free on weekends.
With Kimball on guitar, banjo and fiddle, Warner and Frost will add their own distinctive vocal styles. Warner's rich, expressive voice has developed from more than 30 years of singing in the blues and folk traditions.
With two CDs to her credit, Frost’s music is grounded in early-American music traditions, ranging from early country to jazz to blues. She is especially adept at tight, soul-stirring harmonies.
Kimball is a historian and musician who has lectured and written extensively on the South’s musical traditions. He is Director of Public Services and Outreach at the Library of Virginia. He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia.
Don’t miss this performance with an intriguing, historical twist on March 4 at the N.C. Museum of History.

About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Researcher details excavation of ancient port of Constantinople

A unique first-person report on the exploration of the archaeological site Byzantium, or Constantinople, is available to North Carolina residents this week.
Dr. Ufuk Kocabas, director of Istanbul University's Department of Marine Archaeology and Yenikapi Shipwrecks Project, will speak at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Thursday, March 1, the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort on Saturday, March 3, and the N.C. Maritime Museum in Southport on Sunday, March 4.
The lecture and question-and-answer session at each venue will review work and archaeological findings of the ancient harbor beneath the modern Yenikapi neighborhood in present day Istanbul, Turkey. In 2004, workers discovered the silted remains of the 4th century harbor during construction of the world's deepest tunnel for a rail and metro network designed to run under the Bosphorus Sea and link Europe and Asia.
The vast archeological site covers the equivalent of ten city blocks in Istanbul. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of 36 Byzantine ships, cargo boats, gold coins, marble, 8,500 year old skeletons and more.
"This is unquestionably one of the most important archaeological finds in the last 100 years," said Joseph Schwarzer, director of the N.C. Maritime Museums. "This has changed and will continue to change, our understanding of history."
The two-week lecture tour is the first for Kocabas in the United States. The free presentations will be at the N.C. Museum of History, March 1 at 6:30 p.m.; the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort March 3 at 5;30 p.m.; and the N.C. Maritime Museum in Southport March 4 at 2 p.m.
The Division of State History Museums is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For additional information call (919) 807-7389.

North Carolina Museum of Art announces March events

Tours
Explore the Collection
Tuesdays through Fridays at 1:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
A daily docent-led tour of Museum highlights. Meet at West Building Information Desk. For individuals and groups smaller than 10.

Meet Your Museum tours
Fridays at 6 and 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m., noon and 2 and 3 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 and 3 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at East Building Information Desk. Guided tour introduces visitors to the Museum buildings, Plaza and related works of art.

Storytelling in the Galleries weekend family-friendly tours
Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Free; sign up that day; first come, first served.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Half-hour tours for kids age 5 to 10 and their adult companions. Join a Museum guide for a lively discussion and activities in the galleries.

Special events
Kids at the ncma: preschool playshop
What’s in the Box?: Parts of Art
Thursday, March 1, at 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m.
East Building, Education Studios 1 and 2
Free for members; $3 for nonmembers
Tickets required from Box Office; first come, first served.
Come to the museum to explore a part of art. What will be in the box this week? Lines, shapes, colors, textures or patterns? Preschoolers, ages 2 to 4, and their caregivers discover a new adventure in the box each time and experience fun and engaging ways of looking at art together in the museum and at home. Activities are designed to stretch the imagination while children explore materials and make personal connections with art and their world.

free tour: Friday night art encounters
Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday, March 2, at 6 and 7 pm
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Enjoy a lively introduction to the museum’s collection with 30-minute gallery conversations that take you through a variety of explorations.

Mad about Mad Men spring film series
Film: The Mollycoddle
Friday, March 2, at 8 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$3.50 for museum members, students, Cinema Inc. and Galaxy Cinema members; $5 for all others.
An expatriate dandy must reclaim his red-blooded manhood to defeat a gang of diamond smugglers in the last of Fairbanks’s modern adventures before he became a full-time swashbuckler. Silent film with live music by David Drazin. Tickets are available online at www.ncartmuseum.org, through the Museum Box Office by phone at (919) 715-5923 and in person (East Building).

Kids at the ncma: childrens performance
American Dreams with Bright Star Touring Theatre
Saturday, March 3, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
East Building, Museum Auditorium
$3 for members; $5 for nonmembers
Bright Star Touring Theatre welcomes audiences of all ages to this fast-paced introduction to America and the American Dream told through a variety of uniquely American stories. This production touches on patriotism, citizenship, diversity and civic pride. Tickets are available through the museum box office at (919) 715-5923. Children ages 5 and older ( children younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult).

Kids at the ncma
Drop-In Studio
Saturday, March 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
East Building, North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Gallery
Free, all ages welcome.

Free tour: Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday, March 9, at 6 and 7 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Enjoy a lively introduction to the museum’s collection with 30-minute gallery conversations that take you through a variety of explorations.

Art in the evening
Invisible: The New Obsolete
Friday, March 9, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
West Building Lobby
Free
Invisible is the brainchild of Greensboro-based musicians/artists/designers Bart Trotman and Mark Dixon. They’ve created the most amazing sound-and-music machine from old technology and six channels of video. The installation is as much fun to see as it is to hear. Their latest project, The New Obsolete, features their wildest invention yet, Selectric Piano, which allows a typist to become an experimental pianist. Invisible was a highlight of the Museum’s 2010 grand opening celebration; don’t miss this much-anticipated return! Performance art and music sponsored by SignalFest.

Mad about Mad Men spring film series
Film: Vitaphone Varieties
Friday, March 9, at 8 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$3.50 for museum members, students, Cinema Inc. and Galaxy Cinema members; $5 for all others
In early talkie days, many vaudevillians stepped offstage to immortalize their acts on film. Journey back in time as Jay C. Flippen, Dora Maughan, Dick Rich, Al Lyons, Jack White and the Montrealers, Billie “Swede” Hall, and Jason Robards Sr. each have their one reel of immortality. Tickets are available online at www.ncartmuseum.org, through the museum box office by phone at (919) 715-5923 and in person (East Building).

Friends of the Judaic Art Gallery
Purim Madness: An Evening of Fun, Food, and Dancing
Saturday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m.
West Building
$54 General admission
Join the Friends of the Judaic Art Gallery for a colorful evening of food, music and entertainment to celebrate Purim. Designed for adults, this event features tapas-style hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and a specialty cocktail. Masks and other festive attire are encouraged, but costumes are not required. Proceeds benefit the Judaic Art Fund. For information about sponsorships, call (919) 664-6807 or register online at www.ncartmuseum.org/ersvp. Space is limited; advance reservations are required.

N.C. Museum of History offers March programs

Musicians Patrick and Cathy Sky will get you in the mood for Saint Patrick’s Day with Irish reels, jigs and hornpipes. This lively performance and more will take place in March at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. During a special presentation, watch a new Readers’ Theater work about the family life of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist. A cast of four professional actors will present this play that suits all ages. Don’t miss Cotton Mill Colic, a music performance with an intriguing, historical twist: songs from Piedmont cotton mills in the early 20th century. Seasoned musicians Gregg Kimball, Sheryl Warner and Jackie Frost will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs.
Enjoy all this and more in March at the museum. Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends.

First Friday Performance: Sojourner Truth and Her Children
When: Friday, March 2, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person; ages 12 and younger free. You can purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or the night of the event in the Museum Shop.
The local performance group Voices in Concert will dramatize the family life of 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth. This new Readers’ Theater work centers on Truth’s efforts to reunite her family as three of her enslaved children approach their freedom. She is challenged to inspire her children to dream of more for themselves as they await freedom. The play was written by Rudy Wallace, artistic director of Voices in Concert.

Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont
When: Sunday, March 4, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Musician Gregg Kimball and singers Jackie Frost and Sheryl Warner will perform songs from Piedmont cotton mills. The trio will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs. In the early 20th century, Piedmont mill towns were incubators for innovative string bands and musical performers in an emerging genre known as country music. With Kimball on guitar, banjo and fiddle, Frost and Warner will add their own distinctive vocal styles.

Time for Tots: Saint Patrick’s Day
When: Tuesday, March 6, and Tuesday, March 13, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Who: Ages 3 to 5 with an adult
Cost: $1 per person. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
Discover the history, foodways and traditions of Saint Patrick’s Day, a holiday observed by the Irish for 1,000 years. Then make a take-home craft to give you the luck of the Irish.

History Hunters: Greetings from North Carolina!
When: Wednesday, March 7, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Who: Ages 10 to 13
Cost: $1 per person. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
Before Facebook and Skype, how did you say, “Wish you were here!” when you vacationed? Learn about North Carolina holiday spots, get a bit of postcard history and make your own postcard.

Make It, Take It: Blimps
When: Saturday, March 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Discover how blimps protected ships off the North Carolina coast during World War II and make a paper model to take home.

Music of the Carolinas: Patrick and Cathy Sky
When: Sunday, March 11, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Get ready for Saint Patrick’s Day with a program of Irish reels, jigs and hornpipes. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC.FM.

History à la Carte: Variety Vacationland
When: Wednesday, March 14, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.
Extras: Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
Presented by Sandy Webbere, associate curator.
What was a typical family vacation in North Carolina in decades past? Using historic postcards, maps and film, Webbere will identify early tourist destinations from the coast to the mountains and discuss how they have evolved.

Curator’s Choice Tour: The Story Behind The Story of North Carolina
When: Sunday, March 25, from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
How do you cover 14,000 years of history in one exhibit? Join curator RaeLana Poteat for this special tour and hear how staff worked to tell the state’s story through artifacts, multimedia presentations and hands-on interactives.

2012 Women’s History Month Celebration
When: Tuesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m.
To register, call (919) 807-7992 by Friday, March 23.
Presented by Anita Brown-Graham, executive director of the Institute for Emerging Issues at N.C. State University.
Women compose more than half of the U.S. electorate and have influenced electoral outcomes for more than 40 years. Learn about their importance to the 2012 campaigns. The event is sponsored by the N.C. Council for Women.

About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

N.C. Museum of History presents a new Readers' Theater work about Sojourner Truth

A new Readers’ Theater work about the family life of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist, will be presented at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m. Four professional actors in the performance group Voices in Concert will present a play that suits all ages. Begin your weekend with a First Friday performance of Sojourner Truth and Her Children. Tickets cost $5 per person; ages 12 and younger are free. Purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or the night of the event in the Museum Shop.
Written by playwright Rudy Wallace, artistic director of Voices in Concert, the drama begins when Truth and her son, Peter—both of whom are free—visit a farm in upstate New York, where three of her children are enslaved. They will be freed in six months, and Truth is making every effort to reunite her family when they receive their freedom. However, the children have other plans, which are not worthy ones. Truth is challenged to inspire them to dream of more for themselves as they await their freedom.
What is Readers’ Theater?
Like storytelling, Readers’ Theater is a format that stimulates the imagination and often leads to a powerful experience for the audience. Minimal stage props free the performers and the audience from the physical limitations of conventional theater, and narration serves as the framework of the dramatic presentation.
Come learn more about the inspirational life of Sojourner Truth at the Museum of History on March 2.

The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Get close to scales and tails at aquarium event

Make a connection with lizards, gators, snakes and more at Scales and Tails. The wild weekend at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4, allows visitors to come face-to-face with reptiles and amphibians of all kinds in a safe and exciting learning environment.
During the two-day event, regional exhibitors and aquarium staff will show off scaly and exotic creatures from their collections while debunking myths and sharing facts about these amazing animals. This year’s event includes species from around the world, including Burmese pythons, boa constrictors, iguanas, sea turtles and giant tortoises.
“Scales and Tails offers a unique family experience,” said Hap Fatzinger, aquarium curator. “Where else can a child or adult reach out and safely touch a 6-foot python or an American alligator and talk with experts about why these animals matter?”
Author Bob Palmatier will also sign copies of his children’s books, “Stormy's Return” about spotted turtles and “The Tiny Turtle of the Marsh” about diamondback terrapins.
Attend Scales and Tails from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4. Regular Aquarium admission rates apply.
The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located just south of Kure Beach. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $8 for ages 13 to 62; $7 for seniors; and $6 for ages 3to 12. Free admission for children younger than 2, registered groups of North Carolina school children and NC Aquarium Society members. For more information, visit the website.

March 2012 programs at N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher

For more information or to register for a program, call (910) 458-7468 or visit ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher. For all programs, children ages 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult, except for camps. All programs require pre-registration and fees.

Behind the scenes
Aquarist apprentice
When: Saturday, March 10 and 24, at 2 p.m.
Check out a dirty job you’re sure to love. Join staff on a behind-the-scenes tour and learn about aquarium animals, what they eat, how they live and how to care for them. Then, assist aquarists with food preparation and help feed the animals. Participants also observe aquarists during daily care and maintenance tasks. This limited opportunity is only open to 10 participants.
Participants should wear closed-toe shoes and be prepared to smell fishy. For ages 10 and older. Ages 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Fee is $25 for ages 13 and older and $23 for ages 10 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration required.

Behind-the-scenes tour
When: Thursday, March 1 and 15, at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday, March 18, at 1 p.m.
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at an aquarium? Space for animal holding, husbandry, life support systems and access to exhibits is hidden behind the aquarium walls. If you have ever cared for a home aquarium, you may have some idea of what it takes to operate a collection of salt and freshwater exhibits with hundreds of animals. Accompany aquarium staff on a guided tour of animal quarantine, life support, food preparation and access areas. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes. Children younger than 8 are not permitted. Children between 8 and 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fee is $15 for ages 13 and older and $13 for ages 8 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration required.

Extended behind-the-scenes tour
When: Friday, March 9 and 23, at 2 p.m.
It’s feeding time, and you’re invited to watch. Visit the top of our largest exhibit, the Cape Fear Shoals, during an expanded tour behind the scenes. Get a birds-eye view of this 235,000 gallon tank as sharks, stingrays, moray eels and other fish swim below! Aquarists feed the animals during the tour, offering a unique opportunity for close-up viewing. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes. Children younger than 8 are not permitted. Children between ages 8 and 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fee is $20 for ages 13 and older and $18 for ages 8 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration required.

Green behind-the-scenes tour
When: Saturday, March 17, at 11:00 a.m. at 2 p.m.
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the aquarium with our inaugural Green Behind-the-Scenes Tour. Come view the inner workings of various departments and witness firsthand our sustainability action plan. Check out where the animals are held and how we assist endangered species. See how our operations department uses eco-friendly products and maintains low-energy and water consumption and so much more! Accompany aquarium staff on this guided tour of animal quarantine, life support, food preparation and access areas. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes. Children younger than 8 are not permitted. Children between ages 8 and 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fee is $15 for ages 13 and older and $13 for ages 8 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration required.

For children and parents
Children's discovery time
When: Thursday, March 1, at 10 a.m.—Sharks
Thursday, March 15, at 10 a.m.—Amphibians
Creatures come alive in this story-telling and critter-creating program. For ages 3 to 5. Fee is $11 per child. Aquarium admission is included.
Parents pay admission only. Pre-registration required.

Special programs
Alligator egg hunt
When: Saturday, March 31, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Friday, April 6, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 7, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Come join the fun on our Alligator Egg Hunt. Kids get to see a live baby alligator and learn about these fascinating animals. They create their own special alligator egg basket and then search for candy filled “alligator eggs.” Recommended for kids ages 3 to 10, however all ages are welcome. Limited space is available. Ages 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Fee is $17 per child and includes admission to the Aquarium. Cost is $11 for NC Aquarium Members. Adults will need to pay admission to Aquarium.
Preregistration is required by Wednesday, March 28, for the Saturday, March 31, programs. Preregistration is required by Wednesday, April 4, for the Friday and Saturday, April 6 and 7, programs.

The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located just south of Kure Beach on U.S. 421. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $8 for ages 13 to 61, $7 for seniors and $6 for ages 3 to 12. Children 2 and younger, registered groups of N.C. school children and N.C. Aquarium Society members receive free admission. For more information, visit the website.

Aquarium Science Café kicks off

A new discussion series introduced by the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher offers the community an opportunity to dine with purpose.
William McLellan—research associate of biology and marine biology at UNC—Wilmington and North Carolina’s State Stranding Coordinator—kicks off the Aquarium’s Science Café series with a discussion of North Atlantic right whales from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Surf House Café at 250 Racine Dr., Suite 1, in Wilmington.
“The Science Café brings the community together to learn and talk with experts,” said aquarium Director Peggy Sloan. “It’s about introducing important topics and starting conversations in a relaxed atmosphere.”
The free series, which will run the third Tuesday of each month, begins with McLellan speaking on “The right time for Right whales—is it now?” As one of the key players in right whale research and recovery, McLellan, lives here in Wilmington and works through UNCW to study and protect these unique—and quite amazing—whales.
North Atlantic right whales are among the most endangered species on the planet, and North Carolina plays a critical role in their continued survival. In 1935, the last intentionally killed right whale died off of Jacksonville, Fla. Since then, the species has struggled to recover. They are called the urban whale because of their dependence on near-shore coastal waters heavily trafficked by boats and littered with fishing gear. Right whales survive today due to the dedicated efforts of researchers and rescuers all along the eastern seaboard.
Science Cafe kick-off
WHEN: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28; discussion begins at 7 p.m. followed by Q&A
WHERE: Surf House Café, 250 Racine Dr. Suite 1, in Wilmington
RSVP: Joanna.Zazzali@ncaquariums.com, (910) 458-7468

Program focuses on people of color in the American Revolution

During Black History Month, the N.C. Museum of History and the Sons of the American Revolution will present the program Return to Tradition highlighting a lesser-known fact about the American Revolution: significant numbers of people of color fought for the Patriots during the war.
This free program on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon in Raleigh features keynote speaker Brig. Gen. James Gorham, the first African American general in the N.C. Army National Guard. His talk will focus on these soldiers who served in integrated troops during the war for independence.
“Though nearly lost to history, these Patriots of color served as equals in the typical regiment of Continental soldiers,” said Earl Ijames, Curator at the N.C. Museum of History.

First African American in North Carolina Will Be Inducted Into SAR
Another program highlight will center on Raleigh resident Chaz Moore, whose enslaved ancestor, Tobias “Toby” Gilmore, fought for the Patriots in the American Revolution. During a brief installation ceremony, Moore will be the first African American in North Carolina inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution. He is a firefighter with the Raleigh Fire Department.
Moore’s ancestor was born in coastal West Africa as Shibodee Turrey Wurry. At age 16, around 1758, this son of a chieftain was kidnapped by slave traders and sent to Rhode Island aboard the slave ship Dove. He was purchased by Capt. John Gilmore of Massachusetts and became known as Tobias Gilmore. He enlisted in the Continental Army and fought in several major battles.
Learn more about this lesser-known, yet important, part of our nation’s history during Return to Tradition on Feb. 25 at the Museum of History.

Call for nominations for AASLH Leadership History Awards

The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is seeking nominations of North Carolinians or North Carolina historical organizations that have excelled in the collection, preservation or interpretation of state and local history. Nominees will be considered for the Leadership in HistoryAwards, offered each year by the American Association for State and Local History.
The association bestows these awards annually to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards recognize exemplary work by federal, state or local historical societies, museums, institutions or agencies, or specialized societies in the areas of oral history, genealogy, folklore, archaeology, business history or others. Privately owned museums or foundations, individuals, junior historical societies and related agencies also may apply.
Winning North Carolina organizations in 2011 included the Greensboro Historical Museum, the University Library at UNC-Chapel Hill, the State Archives in Raleigh, the Outer Banks History Center in Manteo and the N.C. Museum of History.
Nominees do not have to be members of AASLH, and self-nominations are encouraged. Visit AASLH awards to download a nomination form and to learn more about the award guidelines and the documentation that must accompany the forms. Send nomination forms and other required information by March 1 to: Laura Ketcham, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, 4610 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4610.
The American Association for State and Local History is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history.

Basket weaving workshop at Aycock birthplace

If you have ever admired hand woven baskets at craft shows and wanted to learn how to make one, the Governor Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site has a class for you. At the Basket Weaving Workshop Saturday, Feb. 18, from 10 .a.m. to 3 p.m., you can make your own basket.
Local artist Ingrid Quick will teach participants how to make a simple open weave napkin basket. Participants will work on baskets from 10.a.m to noon then break for lunch. Guests may bring lunch or visit a local restaurant. The weaving will resume at 1 p.m.
Space is limited, and registration is required. There is a fee of $10 to for materials, which must be prepaid by Feb. 13. Call (919) 242-5581 or email aycock@ncdcr.gov to register.
The Charles B. Aycock Birthplace, located at 264 Governor Aycock Road in Fremont, interprets the life of a rural 1870s farm family in eastern North Carolina. Born is 1859, Aycock was elected North Carolina's governor in 1900. He was dedicated to education and the site features a one room schoolhouse moved there in 1961. It is part of the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Learn about Charles Darwin and his legacy at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Why do oystercatchers have long, sharp bills? Why are chili peppers spicy? Why do servals (a kind of African wild cat) have such long legs? Come explore the answers to these questions and more at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Darwin Day, Saturday, Feb. 11. The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will span the first three floors of the museum as well as outside in the Bicentennial Plaza. Visitors will learn more about Charles Darwin and his research as well as the legacy that he has left behind.
On the plaza, staff from the Conservators’ Center of Mebane will show off a serval and discuss the advantages that the cat has gained through evolutionary adaptations. Inside the museum, on the first through third floors, museum and visiting educators will be available to explain more about Darwinism, natural selection and research that has stemmed from Darwin’s original theories.
At 11:30 a.m. in the auditorium on the first floor, don’t miss keynote speaker Dr. Roland Kays, the museum’s new biodiversity and earth observation research lab director, at the new Nature Research Center and Chef Josh DeCarolis, from Jujube in Chapel Hill, in their combination lecture and cooking demo. Kays will discuss the evolution of chili peppers while DeCarolis demonstrates cooking methods incorporating those chilies. There will be samples provided for visitors to taste.
Windows on the World on the third floor will host two more speakers. At 2 p.m., Dr. William Kimler will discuss the “Discovery of Evolution.” At 3:30 p.m., Ted Simons will present “Adapting to Dynamic Environments: American Oystercatchers on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.”
There will also be several fun activities for kids, including arts and crafts, button making and interactive exhibits about Darwin. For more information about Darwin Day, contact Bonnie Eamick at (919) 733-7450, ext. 554, or by email at bonnie.eamick@ncdenr.gov.

Sir Walter Wally makes official weather prediction Thursday, Feb. 2

Newly elected Mayor Nancy McFarlane makes her official debut as Groundhog Whisperer

Weather in North Carolina is certainly unpredictable, but Sir Walter Wally is almost always right. Come tothe North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for the 15th annual Groundhog Day celebration. The free event is Thursday, Feb. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the shadow ceremony beginning promptly at noon on Bicentennial plaza in front of the museum. The ceremony will be held in the museum’s auditorium in case of inclement weather. Newly elected Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane will join museum educator John Connors—who will be outfitted in top hat and tails—to assist Wally with the forecast.
Each year, crowds wait in anticipation to see if Wally sees his shadow. If he does, we're in for six more weeks of winter. Although not as well-known nationally as Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania, Wally has gained nationwide recognition for his amazing accuracy and is regularly featured on The Weather Channel's list of national representatives. Following the ceremony, Wally moves inside to his special station where those with cameras can pose for pictures alongside the famous weather predictor.
Visitors can also take advantage of educational stations on the first floor of the museum. There will be information on animal hibernation, signs of spring, the history of Groundhog Day and more, as well as fun games and activities including the hog toss. For kids 6 and younger, there will be special programs about animals in winter at 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Windows on the World theater on the third floor.
Students and teachers across North Carolina will also be keeping a close eye on Wally’s prediction. Anyone can download a free Groundhog Day Kit from naturalsciences.org, which includes a Weather Watch Activity Guide for grades K-8. For more information about Groundhog Day, contact Miranda Wood at Miranda.Wood@ncdenr.gov or (919) 733-7450, ext. 523.

N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher February events

For more information or to register for a program, call (910) 458-7468 or visit ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher. For all programs, children ages 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult, except for camps. All programs require pre-registration and fees.

Behind the scenes
Aquarist apprentice runs Saturday, Feb. 11 and 25, at 2 p.m. Check out a dirty job you’re sure to love. Join staff on a behind-the-scenes tour and learn about aquarium animals, what they eat, how they live and how to care for them. Then, assist aquarists with food preparation and help feed the animals. Participants also observe aquarists during daily care and maintenance tasks. This limited opportunity is only open to 10 participants.
Participants should wear closed-toe shoes and be prepared to smell fishy. For ages 10 and older. Ages 14 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Fee is $25 for ages 13 and older and $23 for ages 10 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration is required.

Behind-the-scenes tour runs Thursday, Feb. 9 and 23, at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday, Feb.12 and 26, at 1 p.m. Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at an aquarium? Space for animal holding, husbandry, life support systems and access to exhibits is hidden behind the aquarium walls. If you have ever cared for a home aquarium, you may have some idea of what it takes to operate a collection of salt and freshwater exhibits with hundreds of animals. Accompany aquarium staff on a guided tour of animal quarantine, life support, food preparation and access areas. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes. Children younger than 8 are not permitted. Children ages 8 to 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fee is $15 for ages 13 and older and $13 for ages 8 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration is required.

Extended behind-the-scenes tours will run Friday, Feb. 10 and 24, at 2:00 p.m. It’s feeding time, and you’re invited to watch. Visit the top of our largest exhibit, the Cape Fear Shoals, during an expanded tour behind the scenes. Get a birds-eye view of this 235,000 gallon tank as sharks, stingrays, moray eels and other fish swim below. Aquarists feed the animals during the tour, offering a unique opportunity for close-up viewing. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes. Children under 8 are not permitted. Children ages 8 to 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fee is $20 for ages 13 and older and $18 for ages 8 to 12. Aquarium admission is included. Pre-registration is required.

For children and parents
Children's discovery time will be held
• Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m. featuring spiny-skinned animals
• Thursday, Feb. 9, at 10 a.m. featuring crabs
• Thursday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. featuring reptiles
Creatures come alive in this story-telling and critter-creating program for ages 3 to 5. Fee is $11 per child. Aquarium admission is included. Parents pay admission only. Pre-registration is required.

Daddy and me will run Saturday, Feb. 11, at 9 a.m. Dads and their children interact and learn together about aquarium animals. Afterwards, you can enjoy free playtime in our Freshwater Wonders Room, which will be reserved just for program participants. The program is for adults and kids ages 1-2. Fee is $13 for one adult and one child ($1 for each additional child) Admission to the aquarium is included. Pre-registration is required.

The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington, on U.S. 421. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $8 for ages 13-61; $7 for seniors; $6 for ages 3-12. Free admission for children 2 and younger, registered groups of N.C. school children and N.C. Aquarium Society members. General information can be found online.

February programs at the N.C. Museum of History

February is Black History Month, and several programs at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh will highlight the experiences of African Americans in North Carolina and beyond. From a children’s program about educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown to a lively performance by blues musician Boo Hanks, there is something for all ages.
During another February program, watch out when the notorious pirate Blackbeard and his crew take the stage. Don’t miss the wild pirate dance, sea chanteys and more in the participatory play A Rollicking Tale of Blackbeard, Pirate of the Carolina Coast.
Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends. Take advantage of February programs at the Museum of History.

History Corner: The Correct Thing
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Ages: 6 to 9 with an adult
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown taught not only the basics—reading, writing and arithmetic—but also polite behavior. Learn how knowing the proper etiquette benefited her students. The program is presented with Cameron Village Regional Library.

History Hunters: The Whirligig Man
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Ages: 10-13
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Learn about Wilson County craftsman Vollis Simpson and the park that is being created to show off his giant whirligigs. Make a small whirligig of your own.

African American History Tour
When: Saturday, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Explore the lives and accomplishments of African American North Carolinians from the antebellum period to the Civil Rights era. For example, in the exhibit Behind the Veneer: Thomas Day, Master Cabinetmaker. Learn about this free man of color who owned and operated one of North Carolina’s largest cabinet shops prior to the Civil War. See approximately 70 pieces of furniture crafted by this accomplished artisan and entrepreneur from Milton, Caswell County.

A Rollicking Tale of Blackbeard, Pirate of the Carolina Coast
When: Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Presented by Raleigh Little Theatre’s Storytellers to Go!
Join the adventure with Blackbeard and his crew. A wild pirate dance, storytelling, a sea chantey and puppets will draw you into this participatory play that is appropriate for all ages. Help the notorious Blackbeard search for his hidden treasure and the crew of his flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge. Along the way, meet interesting people that he knew and learn about North Carolina’s 18th-century coastal history. Judy M. Dove created the play.

Time for Tots: Clay Creations
When: Tuesday, Feb. 7 or Feb. 14, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Ages: 3 to 5 with adult
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
People have been making items out of clay for thousands of years. Find out about North Carolina’s pottery traditions and make your own clay creation.

History à la Carte: Operation Dixie
When: Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
James Wrenn, Phoenix Historical Society
Nearly 10 years before the Montgomery bus boycott, black workers in eastern North Carolina campaigned for civil rights in tobacco warehouses. Discover how thousands organized and secured union contracts in nearly 30 leaf houses.

Music of the Carolinas: Boo Hanks
When: Sunday, Feb. 12, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Drawing from a deep musical well, Hanks showcases his virtuosity in the delicate finger-style guitar of classic Piedmont blues. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM.

N.C. Sports Hall of Fame announces 2012 inductees

The 2012 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame honorees chronicled sports; played high school, college and professional football; played and coached basketball in college and in the pros; coached and played baseball and basketball in college; officiated college football; water-skied; played basketball for a NCAA championship team; and coached high school football.
The eight new members are Wilt Browning, Wray Carlton, M. L. Carr, Sam Esposito, Dr. Jerry McGee, Kristi Overton Johnson, Lennie Rosenbluth and Henry Trevathan.
They will be enshrined at the 49th annual induction banquet on the evening of Thursday, May 10, in the main ballroom of the North Raleigh Hilton.
“The achievements of this year’s class of inductees enrich our state’s remarkable sports heritage, and they certainly earned the honor of joining the 281 men and women previously enshrined,” said Dr. Janie Brown, president of the hall.
Banquet ticket information is available at www.ncsportshalloffame.org or by calling (919) 845-3455.
The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1962. The permanent exhibit is located on the third floor of the North Carolina Museum of History on Jones Street in downtown Raleigh. The exhibit features significant artifacts donated by all the inductees. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

WILT BROWNING
Five times Browning was honored as Sportswriter of the Year in North Carolina (1982, 1985, 1988, 1990and 1993). He is a former sports editor and longtime sports columnist for the Greensboro News & Record. During his newspaper career, he was the first major league beat writer for the Atlanta Journal, covering the Atlanta Braves through the team’s first six seasons in the South. He wrote the first story in which Hank Aaron said that he had set his sights on the Babe Ruth home run record, thus sparking a nationwide watch that lasted for more than two years. He also spent five years as the public relations director for the Atlanta Falcons and one year in the same capacity for the Baltimore Colts before returning to the newspaper business in Greensboro. Browning ended his newspaper career as the sports editor and columnist for the Asheville Citizen-Times. He is a member of the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame and the author of seven books.

WRAY CARLTON
Carlton made a name for himself as a high school star in Wallace, NC, before entering Duke University in 1955. As a running back at Duke, he shattered the legendary Ace Parker’s rushing and scoring records and set the ACC single-game scoring record of 26 points against Virginia — and he only played a half. He also scored all of Duke’s points against Rice, Clemson and Carolina while leading the Blue Devils into the Orange Bowl and a date with Oklahoma. As a high school star, Carlton turned down a chance to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates to play shortstop. He had scored 48 points in a basketball game and six touchdowns in a football game. As a pro, the two-time All-ACC performer also was a two-time All-AFL selection. As part of a rushing tandem with Cookie Gilchrist, Carlton played a key role in the Bills’ 1964 and 1965 AFL titles. As a pro, Carlton had 3,368 yards rushing, 1,329 yards receiving and scored 34 touchdowns.

M.L. CARR
At Wallace-Rose Hill High School, Carr ran track barefooted because he could afford only one pair of shoes — basketball shoes. Before his playing career ended, Carr had run to the top levels of the sport and, along the way, had played a key role in winning a storybook national championship for Guilford College. Carr became a pro star, playing a dozen years in the NBA and the ABA, and is best-known for his years with the Boston Celtics, the team he would later serve as general manager and, briefly, as coach. He was a key element in the Celtics’ 1980-81 and 1983-84 NBA championship teams. If one moment can capsulize a long career, for Carr that moment came in Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, when he made a steal and cashed it in with a thundering dunk that sealed the victory for the Celtics and became the key to the title.

SAM ESPOSITO
Esposito played in the major leagues for 10 years with the Chicago White Sox including 1959 when the South Siders won the American League pennant and played in the World Series. In 1967, he was named baseball coach at N.C. State, where the team had won 20 games just one time since 1908. For 21 years under Esposito’s direction, the Wolfpack never suffered a losing season. His team won a program-record 513 games and he coached 69 All-ACC players and seven All-Americans. At N.C. State, he also coached 12 players who made it to the major leagues, including four who played in the big leagues for at least ten years. His 1968 team won the ACC championship and the NCAA District III title and finished third in the College World Series. His teams also took three straight league titles in 1973-1975. He was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1986.

Dr. JERRY McGEE
In a football officiating career that lasted more than 40 years, Dr. McGee ascended to the pinnacle of the college game. In fact, Jerry was the referee in the 2009 BCS championship game between Oklahoma and Florida, the last game at which he wore both the white hat and the striped shirt. When he retired after that game, Jerry had worked 405 games in his career and was awarded the “300 Games” plaque, the only such award ever presented by the Atlantic Coast Conference. More than 300 of his assignments came at the Division 1-A level, a number believed to be a record for NCAA referees. A former four-sport letterman at Rockingham High School (Class of 1961), Jerry began his officiating career at the high school level in 1967 and earned state playoff assignments every season before moving to the Carolinas Conference and the South Atlantic Conference. He worked 20 post-season bowl games including three with bearings on the national championship. He was a college baseball player at East Carolina University and was a golf and basketball coach at Richmond County Community College. Since 1992, he has been president of Wingate University. He has served on a number of national committees dealing with college athletics. He is a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON
The Greenville native has been a competitive water skier for more than 30 years. She began to compete at age 5 and captured state, regional and national records before turning pro at 13. As a pro, she has been the World Record Holder since 1992. In women’s slalom, she has 80 professional victories and has captured the No. 1 world ranking in the event, which is more than any other woman. Kristi won the U.S. Masters eight times and the U.S. Open four times. She traveled throughout the world setting records as a World Champion, World Cup Champion, Pan American and U.S. Pro Tour championships and also won the British, French, Italian, Australian and Austrian Masters titles. She was away from competitive skiing for five years while she underwent 10 major surgeries to repair a congenital hip deformity, and she stunned the skiing world by returning as a competitor in 2008 in the U.S. Masters.

LENNIE ROSENBLUTH
Rosenbluth now lives in Chapel Hill, where in the mid-1950s he and the University of North Carolina basketball team made history with an undefeated season and a national championship victory over Kansas and Wilt Chamberlain. The New York City native led the Tar Heels in scoring in his first varsity season and still holds the school record for points in a season (895) and scoring average in a single season (28.0). He averaged 28 points a game in the 1957 NCAA Tournament and got 20 against Chamberlain’s Jayhawks. He was named in 2002 to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary men’s team and was selected to the “All-Decade Final Four” team for the 1950s. Rosenbluth is a member of the Helms College Basketball Hall of Fame and is regarded by many as one of the 100 greatest college basketball players of all time. He is a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

HENRY TREVATHAN
Trevathan coached Wilson Fike to three consecutive 4-A state football championships in 1967-69. He also was head coach at Rocky Mount High School and an assistant coach at N.C. State. He coached at every level of competition, including midget, junior high, junior varsity, varsity, college freshmen, college varsity and professional, and only missed one practice (for a family funeral) in more than a half century of work. He coached quarterbacks, offensive backs, defensive backs, wide receivers and special team members in 10 years on the staff at East Carolina University, then spent nine years on Dick Sheridan’s staff at N.C. State. There, as the special teams coach, Trevathan developed five All-ACC kickers and punters, two All-Americans and one Lou Groza Award winner, all of them originally walk-ons at N.C. State. In retirement, Henry became a valued volunteer assistant at Bridgewater College in Virginia and was the school’s first recipient of the Soaring Eagle Award. He is a three-time North Carolina Coach of the Year Award winner at the 4-A level.

For further details about the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame, call (919) 845-3455 or go to www.ncsportshalloffame.org. For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, call 919-807-7900 or visit www.ncmuseumofhistory.org.
The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Lecture at the state capitol explores decorative arts of the Executive Mansion

On Saturday, Jan. 21, learn the stories behind some of the Executive Mansion's furniture and artifacts with Maria Shevzov, acting curator of decorative arts at the N.C. Museum of History and North Carolina's Executive Mansion. The free lecture takes place at 1 p.m. in the old House Chamber.
In this multimedia presentation, Shevzov will introduce several objects from the collection to discuss the medium, the use of the object and the private lives of the public families who used these items.
When the Executive Mansion was completed in 1891, high construction costs limited the amount of money that remained for the purchase of furnishings. Daniel Fowle, the first governor to inhabit the residence, brought his own furniture and thus set a precedent for future First Families until adequate furnishings could be acquired. Over the next 70 years, the mansion was furnished with a mix of personal pieces and furniture purchased by the state as funding allowed.
In 1965, First Lady Jeanelle C. Moore appointed an Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee to raise funds for Mansion furnishings. EMFAC is tasked with preserving and maintaining the mansion as a unique architectural treasure—a historic house and home. It also is responsible for acquiring historical and artistic objects for use in the mansion. It works with the First Family and the Secretary of Cultural Resources to ensure the continued use of this historic treasure by and for the people of North Carolina.
The State Capitol's mission is to preserve and interpret the history, architecture and functions of the 1840 building and Union Square. The capitol is bounded by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington Streets. For more information, visit www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol or call (919) 733-4994.

N.C. Transportation Museum offers behind-the-scenes tours

For the first time in 25 years of operation, the N.C. Transportation Museum is offering a look behind closed doors. Those taking advantage of the museum’s new behind-the-scenes tours will see automotive and rail cars not currently on display, stroll through the enormous Back Shop, view the Roundhouse Restoration bays, and enjoy a tour through the private rail car of James Duke.
Behind-the-scenes tours open new areas of the historic Spencer Shops, while providing a unique view of museum artifacts and restoration projects.
A stroll through the awe-inspiring Back Shop starts the tour. Visitors can marvel at how such a massive structure was built in the waning years of the 1800s. Visitors will also get an up-close look at the Piedmont Airlines DC-3 Potomac Pacemaker, undergoing renovation in the Back Shop.
Visitors will see the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Combine Car No. 15, better known as the “Tweetsie” Combine Car. Undergoing a complete restoration in the museum’s Paint Shop, this 1917 railroad car consisted of a white passenger area, railway post office with black passenger seats and a baggage section. A wooden car with pot-bellied stoves for winter heating, it’s a unique piece of rail history that can only be seen during the museum’s behind-the-scenes tours.
Those who like their wheels on the road will be treated to classic automobiles not currently on display. A stop by Warehouse 3 will highlight the museum’s 1930 AA Truck, 1969 Jeep Wagoneer and Honda motorcycles, including a 1985 Goldwing GL 1200.
Restoration of classic rail equipment is a constant process for museum volunteers. Behind-the-scenes tours will show the work in progress with a walk through the Roundhouse Restoration Bays in the Bob Julian Roundhouse.
Regular visitors to the museum often take a look through the windows of the museum’s luxury private rail cars. Behind-the-scenes tours provide the opportunity to step inside, taking a walk through the private rail car of industrialist and tobacco magnate James Buchanan Duke. The “Doris,” named for Duke’s daughter, is an example of the luxury rail travel enjoyed by the wealthy in the early 1900s.
Behind-the-scenes tours are by reservation only and offered each Tuesday through Friday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Tours last about 90 minutes. Groups are limited to 20 participants. The cost is $15 per person. Tours do not include a train ride. To schedule a behind-the-scenes tour, call (704) 636-2889, ext. 258, or email Kathryn.l.johnson@ncdcr.gov.