Hillary Clinton's challenges
Is it too early to start putting the 2016 presidential election in historical perspective? Maybe. But it is never too early to ask presidential historian and UNC-Chapel Hill emeritus history... Read More
NC SPIN Posts by D. G. Martin
Is the Civil War over?
One hundred and fifty years later, is the Civil War finally over? On Saturday we will mark the 150th anniversary of the April 26, 1865 final surrender by Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston of... Read More
Who and what do you believe
Last week two men claimed they had been robbed of about $5 million worth of gold bars they were transporting along I-95 in Wilson County. According to their story, when they pulled over on I-95 to fix... Read More
A Black history month Valentine
Each February we celebrate Valentine's Day and Black History Month. There is an important, but seldom if ever mentioned, connective link. Here it is briefly: Valentine's Day's symbol is a heart, and... Read More
Who could succeed Tom Ross?
Five years ago, when the University of North Carolina board of governors was searching for a candidate to replace Erskine Bowles, I wrote in this column, “The Board will be looking for the new... Read More
Tom Ross: 30 years later, in William Friday's footsteps
He's got great job security,” someone asserted a few years ago when Tom Ross's job seemed to be at risk after the party affiliation of UNC’s board of governors changed. He explained, “Look, if... Read More
Jim Leutze mad as hell and wants his state back
I am mad as hell and I want my state back.” Former UNC-Wilmington Chancellor Jim Leutze wanted to use this phrase as the title for his new book about modern North Carolina history and politics... Read More
Remembering the wise words of a public intellectual
Who are North Carolina’s public intellectuals? Over the years we have been blessed with influential and thoughtful people whose wise commentaries about the state’s concerns often moved pubic... Read More
North Carolina's last liberal
What was the greatest political upset in North Carolina political history? Old timers will tell you that it was Kerr Scott’s victory in the Democratic primary for governor in 1948. Scott, a dairy... Read More
New lessons from old wars
At the end of a two-day conference about World War I at UNC-Chapel Hill, I asked a leading military historian what approach he would recommend to the United States to deal with the challenge of ISIS... Read More
