In 2017, National Day Calendar® began celebrating each state in the order they entered the union starting the week of Independence Day and ending with Hawaii. We highlight a small part of each states’ history, foods and the people who make up the state. Many states have their own state celebrations, and National Day Calendar’s observances in no way replace them.
There’s so much more to explore, we can’t help but celebrate our beautiful country even more!
NATIONAL NORTH CAROLINA DAY
As we near the last of the original 13 colonies, National North Carolina Day recognizes the 12th state to join the Union.
#NorthCarolinaDay
The Tar Heel state was the first state to vote for independence from the British at the first Continental Congress. Before the Civil War, North Carolina resisted secession from the Union. As a whole, the state was vehemently against dividing the nation even after other states had signed agreements to secede. Eventually, public opinion changed and the state was swayed to join the Confederacy.
The state is filled with beauty from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Cape Fear and up to Kitty Hawk. Along with the beauty, you will find mystery buried in history and nature. Explore the sites of the first powered flight, the disappearance of the Roanoke colonists and with them the first English child born in the New World.
North Carolina is also home to the 82nd Airborne, blue fireflies, and the lavish Biltmore Estate. Studios find the state ideal for filming on location, so don’t be surprised if you recognize places from TV shows or films you have seen. And don’t forget, both the Carolinas are home to NASCAR.
HOW TO OBSERVE NORTH CAROLINA DAY
Join National Day Calendar as we celebrate North Carolina’s mysteries and history. Explore all the epic vistas and ocean views. There is an adventure in every corner! Use #NorthCarolinaDay to share on social media.
For a complete list of North Carolina State and National Parks visit www.ncparks.gov and www.nps.gov. Check out a few of the featured sites around the state below.
NATURE and HISTORY
Hanging Rock State Park – Danbury
Raven Rock State Park – Lillington
Merchants Millpond State Park – Gatesville
Fort Macon State Park – Atlantic Beach
Dismal Swamp State Park – South Mills
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Resource – Hillsborough
Cape Hatteras National Seashore – Greensboro – Nags Head
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park – Greensboro
Moores Creek National Battlefield – Currie
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area – Asheville
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Bryson City
HISTORY and ART
North Carolina Museum of History – Raleigh
City of Raleigh Museum – Raleigh
Airborne & Special Operations Museum – Fayetteville
82 Airborn Division War Memorial Museum – Ft. Bragg
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center – Old Fort
Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art – Winston-Salem
Levine Museum of the New South – Charlotte
Carolina Aviation Museum – Charlotte
Wright Brothers National Museum – Kill Devil Hills
Folk Art Center – Asheville
Cape Fear Museum – Wilmington
Museum of the Cherokee Indian – Cherokee
Greensboro Historical Museum – Greensboro
Cloud Chamber – Raleigh
Whirligig Park – Wilson
Blue Ghost Fireflies – Asheville
Judaculla Rock – Jackson County
Mayberry RFD – Mount Airy
The daughter of Ananias and Eleanor Dare, Virginia Dare became the first English child born in the New World soon after the colonists’ arrival near Roanoke Island. As Virginia’s grandfather, the Governor John White was urged by the colony to return to England for supplies. He reluctantly did so, but war with Spain delayed his return by three years. When the governor returned to the island, the colonists were gone and so was his granddaughter.
The 11th President of the United States, James Polk pursued westward expansion. He served from 1845 to 1849 and succeeded in annexing Texas and acquiring California and New Mexico. Overall, U.S. territory grew by more than 1/3 during his time in the White House.
Born into slavery, Harriet Ann Jacobs learned to read and write within her mistresses home. It was after her escape from slavery years later that she wrote Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
Despite being the only Southern senator to remain loyal to the Union, President Andrew Johnson would end his only term in office as the first president impeached by Congress. Johnson took the oath of office after President Lincoln’s death. He had been Vice President just six weeks. His restoration policies and actions toward the Secretary of War led the House to a vote on impeachment.
Founder of the Palmer Memorial Institute, Charlotte Hawkins Brown became a noted activist, educator, speaker and author.
In his short life, Thomas Wolfe published three autobiographical novels. His first and best-known work, Look Homeward, Angel, introduces a young, moody Harvard graduate student named Eugene Gant and explores his coming of age.
Noted radio and television news broadcast pioneer, Edward R. Murrow brought the world into people’s living rooms by allowing them to hear the action as it happened. Murrow was respected for his integrity in journalism. The Radio Television Digital News Association has awarded journalists in the field with the Edward R. Murrow Award since 1971.
Known as The King in the NASCAR world, Richard Petty began racing when he was 21 years old. Petty, along with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson, has won the NASCAR championship seven times. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
The 1976 Olympic gold medalist, Sugar Ray Leonard, turned to professional boxing the following year. In 1987 he defeated “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler for the middleweight title. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997 after his retirement.