Two facts have been swirling in my head since I first heard them: that Chapel Hill’s Black population share plummeted between 1960 and 1980, and there’s been a 32 percent decrease in Black homeownership in Chapel Hill since 2010. Mike Ogle’s Stonewalls blog traces Chapel Hill’s Black population decline, using John K. (Yonni) Chapman’s dissertation […]
Posted inChapel Hill, From the archives, Housing
Northside: How did this historically Black neighborhood in Chapel Hill develop?
The areas of African-American landownership that date furthest back are around Caldwell Street, on the east side of Church Street. That land was bought in 1879 by a man who grew up enslaved, Wilson Caldwell (a well known historical figure whom you can google for more information). His descendants developed the lots in yellow above […]
Posted inOrange County
Tracing the Trading Path
This essay originally appeared on OrangePolitics on February 24, 2014. Long before European settlers came here, Native Americans lived in the area that is now Orange County. Native Americans created a prominent village on the banks of the Eno River—centuries before the place came to be called Hillsborough. Through the village of the Occaneechis ran a […]
Posted inCarrboro, Carrboro Town Council
Thoughts on renaming Carr Street in Carrboro
Julian Carr was a white supremacist and member of the initial Ku Klux Klan. He spoke many times – publicly! – advocating for white supremacy, including at the dedication of Silent Sam, the monument to racism and white supremacy that stood at the center of UNC for decades. But Carr was wealthy and well-connected and […]
Posted inClimate, Events around town, UNC
Come to the UNC Sustainable Strut on February 9
On Friday, February 9th, the Environmental Affairs branch of UNC Undergraduate Student Government will host the second annual Sustainable Strut, a student-based fashion show designed to highlight the importance of ethical, eco-friendly clothing. The goal of the event, which will be held at the Ackland Art Museum at both 6 pm and 7:30 pm, is […]
Posted inCarrboro, Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill
Cat’s Cradle is expanding down Brewer Lane…and other news
We’re trying something new this week with a news roundup of interesting tidbits. And we start with a big one: We’ve confirmed through permitting documents that Cat’s Cradle is opening an expansion space at 107 Brewer Lane, just down the street from the Belltree Cocktail Club and The Cheese Shop, which plans to open at […]