Latest news with #NorthCarolinaDepartmentofNaturalandCulturalResources
Axios
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Viral Shaboozey moment shines light on Black country trailblazers
Up-and-coming artist Shaboozey sparked a viral moment at the American Music Awards this week when he appeared with fellow upstart Megan Moroney. Driving the news: During the presentation for favorite country duo or group, while Moroney was reading from the teleprompter, she said the Carter Family "basically invented country music." The Carters are known as "the first family of country music" and participated in the iconic Bristol Sessions. Shaboozey flashed a skeptical expression, paused briefly and chuckled before continuing with the script. Watch the clip. Why it matters: The exchange is reviving impassioned discussions about diversity and inclusion in country music. The show drew attention to Black artists like Lesley Riddle who helped the Carter Family and other legendary acts develop country's bedrock sound. Reality check: Country radio and award shows have skewed mostly white for decades, but Black artists helped shape the genre from the beginning. One of the most quintessentially country instruments, the banjo, is rooted in West African traditions. Enslaved Africans and their descendants created the instrument. Flashback: Riddle befriended the Carters and played a vital role in their development, collaborating on their repertoire and teaching them songs. "Mother Maybelle" Carter credited Riddle with teaching her the guitar picking technique that became known as the "Carter Scratch." Icons like Chet Atkins emulated the same style. Yes, but:"Riddle never recorded with or appeared on stage with the Carters, largely owing to the Jim Crow customs of the day," per the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The big picture: Shaboozey rose to prominence thanks to a recent effort to reaffirm Black artists' place in country music. He was featured twice on Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" album, which drew new attention to inclusivity in the genre. Soon after "Cowboy Carter" came out, Shaboozey hit No. 1 with his record-breaking solo hit"A Bar Song (Tipsy)." Beyoncé collaborated with multiple Black country artists who have struggled to find a commercial foothold and shone a light on trailblazers like Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. The bottom line: The Carters' impact is certainly significant. Mother Maybelle's daughter June Carter Cash is getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Humpback whale deaths increasing on the east coast
COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY) – The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is seeing an uptick in humpback whales washing up on shores. On Thursday, April 10, a dead juvenile humpback whale washed up on Corolla Beach. Previous Coverage: Dead juvenile humpback whale washes up on Corolla Beach Officials with Jennette's Pier said she weighed approximately 60,000 pounds and was 33 feet, 7 inches long. They did a necropsy and they are still working to determine a cause of death. Victoria Thayer, the North Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator, said they found evidence of blunt force trauma on the whale, but they cannot say that was the cause of death until some more tests are processed. Thayer said there has been an increase in humpback whales washing up on shores in recent years and a large number of them have been found to have trauma caused by humans. 'On the average, four to five humpback whales strand a year along the South Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida. This is the seventh humpback that's stranded this year in South and North Carolina combined.' She specified that not every one of those whales were examined due to varying levels of decay, but of the whales that were examined, about 40% had evidence of human interaction, either vessel strike or entanglement. Thayer said humpbacks are under an unusual mortality event, something that NOAA has been tracking since 2016 when the numbers began noticeably increasing. When it comes to preventing incidents such as this, Thayer said the best thing vessels can do is stay away when they spot a whale. 'Some whales, like the North Atlantic Right Whale, don't have dorsal fins so they're very hard to see at the surface. They can be just below the surface,' she said. 'If [vessels] stay under 10 knots in areas where you see whales, if vessels could do that, that would be really helpful and maybe help prevent injury to the whale and injury to the boats also, or ships.' Thayer said one challenge they faced when performing the necropsy on the whale that was found Thursday, was that it was already somewhat decomposed, so there were some organs they could not examine because of the level of decomposition. She said that the sooner people report the finding of a dead animal, the sooner they can respond and the more they can learn. 'The sooner we can get to these individual animals, the more information we can learn from them, and we appreciate public input and interest.' To report marine mammal strandings, injuries and entanglements, depending on where you are, call one of the 24/7 hotline numbers below: OBX Stranding Hotline: 252-455-9654 Central NC Coast Stranding Hotline: 252-241-5119 Southern NC Coast Stranding Hotline: 910-254-5713 For more information about the humpback whale unusual mortality event, click here. The full interview with Victoria Thayer from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is available below: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New bulkhead being reconstructed along the shoreline of the Town of Bath
BATH, N.C. (WNCT) — The Town of Bath is seeing the reconstruction and replacement of the timber bulkheads along the shoreline. Bonner Point is a vital part of the town, but it's also state owned. The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources decided to come in and rehabilitate the bulkhead. They say after hurricane Florence, the docks were damaged and since then has fell apart. 'We're preserving the point so it doesn't erode away, and we had a bulkhead, but the water had come over. Now they've reinforced it to prevent it from washing away and preserve our beautiful town,' said Theresa Lowry, who lives right near Bonner Point. The first phase of this reconstruction will be completed in April, and they will start the second phase in fall 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Explore Wilmington's 1898 history at free screening, discussion in Elizabeth City
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) – On Tuesday, Feb. 25, educators and community members in Elizabeth City have a unique opportunity to uncover a crucial but often overlooked chapter of American history. The is hosting a free screening of American Coup: Wilmington 1898, a documentary that reveals the dark story of the only successful coup d'etat in U.S. history. The screening, set to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the museum's Gaither Auditorium, is part of a statewide initiative led by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, PBS North Carolina, and Working Films to bring attention to the 1898 Wilmington massacre. This pivotal chapter of North Carolina's history tells the story of a violent, racially charged insurrection that overthrew Wilmington's democratically-elected, multi-racial government. White supremacists used terror to erase Black political and economic power, resulting in murders and forced exile. chronicles the lives affected by the tragedy and the ongoing efforts to uncover the truth. 'American Coup: Wilmington 1898 is a cautionary tale about a breakdown of a cornerstone of our democracy: fair and free elections,' said Rachel Raney, PBS North Carolina's director of national productions and co-executive producer of the film. 'When we started researching these events in Wilmington, we quickly discovered that many North Carolinians are not aware of this important history, in part because it was intentionally buried. The more we learned, the more it became clear that all Americans need to know what happened.' Following the screening, a panel discussion with historians from Elizabeth City State University, including Dr. Glen Bowman, Dr. Latif Tarik, Dr. Tomiko Ballentyne, and historian LeRae Umfleet, will offer a deeper look into the film's historical context. Kim Jones, North Carolina's 2024 Teacher of the Year, will also share educational resources to help teachers incorporate the story of Wilmington 1898 into their lessons, including a virtual 'Community of Practice' for ongoing support. The event begins at 5 p.m. with refreshments, followed by the screening and discussion from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information about the event, documentary, and educational resources, visit the event's official page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
