Harriet Ann Jacob's 206th Birthday

Today, February 11th, is the birthday of abolitionist Harriet Ann Jacobs. She is best known for her moving autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Her book, first published under the name “Linda Brent,” tells the story of the sexual abuse she suffered as the slave of Dr. James Norcom and her life after her escape.

For years after her escape, she hid in the home of her grandmother, Molly Horniblow, before finally fleeing North Carolina in 1842, eventually ending up in New York. She was later reunited with her children, and much of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl recounted her attempts to free them.

Jacobs used her story to promote the abolitionist movement. Her book was one of the first to discuss the plight of female slaves, and was written to sway the hearts of Northern white women. After the publication of her book she continued to advocate for black Americans both in the United States and overseas. During the Civil War she nursed black soldiers by her daughter’s side, and after raised money for refugees from slavery.

More about her story and legacy can be found within the pages of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Visitors to Edenton, North Carolina can tour sites from her early life, including the site where Molly Horniblow's house once stood.

North Carolina Cooking

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, have you decided what you're serving this year? If not, why not consider some North Carolina recipes?

The NC Literary Map has a genre dedicated to Carolina cooking, where you can find special recipes from the mountains to the coast. You could try out Mama Dip's Kitchen, a cookbook written by famed cook Mildred Council. It features over 250 recipes, with everything from old-fashioned Southern chicken pie to traditional desserts. Or consider Victuals: An Appalachian Journey by Ronni Lundi, which features a collection of Appalachian recipes as well as information about the history and culture of the region.

You can find dozens of North Carolina cookbooks at the NC Literary Map which are sure to inspire your inner chef. If one looks promising, check it out at your local bookstore or library. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Haunted North Carolina

Happy Halloween to our NC Literary Map followers!

Regardless of how you spend your Halloween, ghost stories are always an excellent way to get into the Halloween spirit. North Carolina is home to dozens of ghost stories, and one of the most persistent tales is the story of Lydia, the Phantom Hitchhiker. According to local tales, she haunted the stretch of road along the US 70-A south of Jamestown. Legend tells that she would ask for a ride home, and if accepted, would disappear upon reaching her destination.

For years this story has been passed around, and now authors Michael Renegar and Amy Greer explore the truth behind the tale. Uncover the story that lurks behind the legend with Looking for Lydia: The Thirty-Year Search for the Jamestown Hitchhiker today, and discover more ghost stories set in North Carolina at the North Carolina Literary Map.

Happy birthday, Fred Chappell!

Monday, May 28th was the birthday of North Carolina poet of Fred Chappell. He was born in 1936 in the small town of Canton, North Carolina. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees at Duke University, and spent a significant portion of his teaching career at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Fred Chappell is a prolific author, having written over twenty-five books and amassed a collection of local and national awards. He had a five year tenure as the Poet Laureate of North Carolina. Having written everything from Lovecraftian horror to domestic fiction, readers are bound to find a work of his that calls to them.

I Am One of You Forever is a novel about a boy named Jess growing up in Western North Carolina during World War II. It is a coming of age story with an eccentric cast of characters, each with their own story to tell. Another book by Chappell, Dagon, is also set in North Carolina, but could not be more different a tale. It is a Southern Gothic horror that plays on the Cthulhu mythos. Dagon follows the story of Peter Leland, a preacher who inherits his grandparents' farmhouse and soon finds dark secrets hidden in the world around him. Find these books, or any of the other many Fred Chappell works, at your local bookstore or library! You're sure to find something just for you.

Destination North Carolina

Need vacation ideas? Why not vacation in North Carolina! From mountains to beaches, bike trails and waterways, North Carolina is the perfect vacation getaway for the summer.

Already a native to North Carolina? Why not take a day trip to visit some of North Carolina's well known attractions such as the Biltmore Estate or visit the home of legendary NC author Thomas Wolfe, both located in beautiful Asheville, NC.

The North Carolina Literary Map is a great resource for planning your next trip. Check out these titles below and more at the North Carolina Literary Map in the Travel Non-Fiction Genre.





Happy Travels! 

 Pictures Provided By  http://www.lib.unc.edu/dc/nc_post/; amazon.com

Happy Election Day

Every 4 years November 6 is a big day for Americans. Election Day! Below are some historical tidbits about former presidents.

Did you know that 3 former presidents got their start in North Carolina?

Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) was born in the area of Waxhaws near the North and South Carolina border. Even though his parents lived in North Carolina there is a debate among historians as to which state Jackson’s birth actually took place. Jackson lived in South Carolina during his early childhood years but returned to North Carolina after the Revolutionary War to study law in Salisbury, North Carolina. He was then appointed to be a “prosecuting officer for the Superior Court, in Nashville, Tennessee, which at that time was a part of the Western District of North Carolina”. In 1976, Tennessee became a separate state, taking Jackson with them as the state’s first congressman. He was elected president in 1828 and again in 1832.
http://ncpedia.org/biography/jackson-andrew

James K. Polk (1795-1849) was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on his family's farm. His education was informal until 1813 when he enrolled in a Presbyterian school in Columbia. In 1816, Polk transferred to North Carolina to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with honors in 1818. In 1819, Polk moved to Tennessee to study law. This led to Polk attaining his first political post in 1823 where he won the election to the Tennessee House of Representatives. Polk "Young Hickory" served as Speaker of the House for the last four years of this term. In 1839 Polk won the election to become governor of Tennessee. In 1844, Polk defeated competitors Clay and Birney to become president of the United States. The James K. Polk Memorial is located in Pineville, North Carolina. The site consists of a reconstructed house, kitchen, and barn as well as the relocated Polk family cemetery and is "the probable birthplace" of the nation's eleventh president.

http://ncpedia.org/james-k-polk-memorial

http://ncpedia.org/biography/polk-james

Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and grew up in a small wooden house where he taught himself to read while apprenticing in a tailor shop. Johnson fled Raleigh after causing mischief with some friends. During this time he lived in Carthage and Laurens, North Carolina but returned to Raleigh after a year to continue his apprenticeship. However, there was no longer a need for an apprentice and no other work to be found so Johnson and his family made their way west to Tennessee. Even though Johnson was never formally educated, he went on to be elected president of the United States in 1865. Johnson’s childhood home is still preserved today at Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh, NC.
http://ncpedia.org/biography/johnson-andrew

Fun fact: All 3 presidents were elected to office from the state of Tennessee.
http://ncpedia.org/biography/johnson-andrew

To learn more about the history of political parties in North Carolina check out this article from NCpedia.

No matter who you are voting for today, we hope you take the opportunity to exercise your right to vote.

Favorite Spots

Hi everyone! Thanks for the comments about your favorite NC locations. We love to hear what you think! Our commenters said that their favorite places were Asheville and the Sandhills region. Here we’ll give you all some more information about authors and books in these areas.

For the Sandhills region we found that author Roberta Isleib stumbled upon the town of Pinehurst when she headed down to North Carolina for a work conference. After exploring the town a bit, she decided to set one of the books in her golf lovers’ mystery series here. The book, Fairway to Heaven, follows Cassie Burdette as she plays in a golf tournament on the same team as her estranged father and on-again off-again boyfriend, while holding down maid of honor duties for her best friend. Then the bride’s father disappears. What’s a girl to do?! Investigate of course….
(www.robertaisleib.com/golf/pinehurst.htm)

Did you know?

• Pinehurst was on the list of names for what we now call Martha's Vineyard.
• The landscape architect who was in charge of the design of Pinehurst also designed Central Park in New York City.
• Pinehurst is home to Maniac Hill which was the first driving range in the US.

For more history about Pinehurst check out www.pinehurst.com.

For all you Asheville and mountains lovers out there, we have many well-known authors associated with this town as well as numerous books set in this location. Some well-known authors are Sarah Addison Allen, Mark de Castrique, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Frazier, and Thomas Wolfe to name a few. Throughout our research we have found that many authors find their way to our lovely North Carolina mountains in their writing career to be inspired by the beautiful vistas of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Check out the view below and you'll see why!

Photo from Apple Wood Manor.