A panel discussion hosted by Davidson Historical Society (NC) about Race & Slavery at Davidson College. Panelists Hilary Green and Martha Gimson with moderator David Boraks.  

102625 DHS Race Slavery panel

Author and poet Clint Smith reads a poem he wrote for the dedication of a new memorial at Davidson College - "With These Hands" by Hank Willis Thomas. 

Clint Smith on the dedication of "With These Hands"

Published December 23, 2010, DavidsonNews.net  

By BRENDA BARGER and DAVID BORAKS
   
As is customary for Around Davidson at the holidays, your correspondent is taking time off to be with family. Tradition dictates that someone who has lived in our community for a long time is asked to be a special “guest” in our Christmas column. Today’s guests are two well-known sisters, Evelyn Carr and Annie Mildred Lowery, who agreed to share their memories of Christmas through a DavidsonNews.net audio interview. 

The oldest of eight children of the late Minnie and Johnny Mayhew, Annie Mildred, 82, and Evelyn, 79, grew up in Davidson with the values of hard work, a good education and giving back to your community instilled in them from an early age. Their giving back to our town over the years through neighborhood involvement earned these sisters recognition as recipients of the 2006 G. Jackson Burney Community Service Award.

Between them Annie Mildred and Evelyn have 17 children and more grandchildren, great grans, and great-great grans than we could count. To sit down and talk with these delightful ladies meant hours of stories, laughter, reminiscing and wonderful fellowship over coffee and cake. Hats off to David Boraks for his expert condensation of our visit as Annie Mildred’s and Evelyn’s Christmas memories are shared in their own words.

(That’s B.B. King’s version of “Merry Christmas Baby” in the background – chosen by Evelyn Carr, who says it’s her favorite Christmas song.)

Audio postcard: Davidson Christmas memories 2010

Here's my favorite audio cut from the NFC Championship post-game interviews, Carolina quarterback Cam Newton comparing his team's development to cooking collards - not quick grits. How's that for a colorful quote?   

Cam Newton: Panthers' growth has been like cooking collards

Ed Dickson, describing the importance of the Carolina Panthers' home crowds, and how it pumps up quarterback Cam Newton. Recorded in the Panthers' locker room, 1/19/16, for WFAE News. 

Panthers' Ed Dickson: Fans are an 'advantage'

The Carolina Panthers and the Leicester City Football Club are both at the top of their leagues this year, having their best seasons in years. That's prompted a bit of camaraderie between the two sides, including an exchange of jerseys, and a fascination "The Dab."  I did a 5 1/2 minute interview on local station BBC Leicester just after midnight this morning (2/5/16), taped for airing on their Breakfast Show. The presenter is Jo Haywood. 

Interview with BBC Leicester on the Panthers and the Foxes

For the past two years, The Conservation Fund of Arlington, Virginia, has been buying privately-owned property north and west of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi.  The property includes land along the Cane River as well as Cattail Peak - the fifth highest in the East at nearly 6600 feet.

Bill Holman, North Carolina director of The Conservation Fund, talks with WFAE about the deal and the private donors who made it possible. 

Listen to the news story on WFAE-FM http://wfae.org/post/mt-mitchell-state-park-double-size

The land deal that will double the area of Mt. Mitchell State Park

Courtney Stokes of Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC, recites her poem about black identity, "Dear Black Community ... " This happened during a protest of professionals and students in downtown Charlotte on 9/21/16 over the police killing of Keith Scott. @David Boraks/WFAE

Protest poem for #keithscott: Courtney Stokes

A plan to redevelop an old mill in downtown Davidson has led to the discovery - or re-discovery - of disease-causing asbestos on the site and around the neighborhood. As officials figure out how to clean it up, historical fears and concerns have surfaced as well. 
Original link: http://wfae.org/post/davidson-mill-redevelopment-unearths-asbestos-old-tensions

01/18/17 - Davidson mill redevelopment unearths asbestos, old tensions

05/24/17 - It’s Race Week in Charlotte - sandwiched between the NASCAR All-Star Race one weekend and the Coca-Cola 600 the next at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Drivers had the night off Tuesday - so what were they doing? Racing, of course, at a go-kart track in Mooresville, NC. Listen to my report on WFAE-FM, Charlotte's NPR station.

Between races, NASCAR drivers take a night off - racing go-karts

December 2017 is the 20th anniversary of a sad incident in Davidson, NC - the Christmas 1997 altercation that resulted in the deaths of Davidson resident Damon Kerns and police officer Mark Swaney. On Nov. 30, Davidson College students presented findings from interviews and other research about Swaney and Kerns, race relations in Davidson, journalism, and current Davidson politics. The course was taught by visiting professor Issac Bailey.

David Boraks

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