Political junkies can immerse themselves in Tar Heel campaigns past and present by day and dine on politics by night during a conference Sept. 14-15 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Political junkies can immerse themselves in Tar Heel campaigns past and present by day and dine on politics by night during a conference Sept. 14-15 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The two-day conference at Wilson Library will feature scholars talking about eight political campaigns in the state from the 19th and 20th centuries. On the evening in between, rival political consultants Carter Wrenn (Republican) and Gary Pearce (Democrat) will share strategic insights on current campaigns and war stories from past races.
Advance registration is required for both the Friday-Saturday conference ($10 per person) and the Friday evening dinner ($50 per person). The full program and registration instructions are available at: www.bit.ly/nccampaigns.
Wrenn directed campaigns for candidates including Ronald Reagan and N.C. senators Jesse Helms and Lauch Faircloth. Pearce worked as an adviser to Gov. Jim Hunt, Erskine Bowles and other state political figures. Together they publish the blog www.talkingaboutpolitics.com.
At the conference, “‘To Gain Attention to Their Various Claims’: Historic Political Campaigns in North Carolina,” participants will learn about notable campaigns from William Alexander Graham’s 1852 bid for vice-president to Isabella Cannon’s 1977 run for Raleigh mayor.
The North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library is the organizer of the two-day event. The Southern Historical Collection is a co-sponsor.
An exhibit of campaign literature, letters and political cartoons drawn from the North Carolina Collection and Southern Historical Collectionwill be on view during the conference and through Dec. 28 in Wilson Library’s third floor grand reading room. “Who May Vote? Disenfranchisement in North Carolina, 1865-1900” will examine both systematic attempts to limit voting and instances of intimidation and political rhetoric that discouraged African-Americans, women and poor voters.
Library contact: John Blythe, blythej@email.unc.edu, (919) 962-1172