For centuries, the Great Dismal Swamp on the border of North Carolina and Virginia served as a sanctuary for escaped slaves known as maroons. Today, the same harsh conditions that shielded those self-emancipated people from slavery make it difficult for historians and archeologists to understand the extent of their settlements. But that secret world is slowly being uncovered.

Featuring:

• Dan Sayers, archaeologist, anthropologist and professor at American University
• Marcus Nevius, author of City of Refuge and history professor at the University of Missouri
• Eric Sheppard, tour guide in the Great Dismal Swamp

Cover image: Lake Drummond at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. Credit: Rebecca Wynn/USFWS

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MrBeast, the world's most popular YouTuber, and his billion-dollar business are based in a surprising place: Greenville, North Carolina. So what does it all mean for this small city in eastern North Carolina?

Featuring:

• Jordan Santos, former MrBeast contestant
• Brian Gordon, business and technology reporter for The News & Observer
• Bret Oliverios, business owner in Greenville, NC

Links:

• The News & Observer: MrBeast filmed ‘Beast Games’ in his NC hometown. We were up late to watch.

Cover image: Contestants competing in a MrBeast challenge to win a $300,000 Lamborghini. The winner was the last person to take their hand off the car. Photo by Fidias Panayiotou/YouTube.

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Pimento cheese, aka Carolina caviar, is as synonymous with Southern food culture as sweet tea and fried chicken. But the origin story of this spreadable cheddar cheese and pimento pepper dish is much more complicated and a lot less Southern than you might think.

Featuring:

• Vivian Howard, chef, restauranteur and PBS host

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The late 1960s and 1970s were marked by the emergence of radical and revolutionary political movements in America. The common narrative places much of the action in major urban centers like Chicago, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area. But a new documentary film is challenging that story by highlighting the incredible history of the first Black Panther Party chapter in the South, which was located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Featuring:

• Tressie McMillan Cottom, professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, opinion columnist at The New York Times, and director of the documentary film Power to the People, Y'all

Link:

• For screening info and announcements about Power to the People, Y'all visit the film's official Instagram page.

We are hosting free a virtual event on Thursday, June 18th. Join us to find out how the podcast gets made each week and how we choose our stories. We'll also share some of our favorite moments from the show and some behind the scenes goodies. Sign up to attend here:

https://www.wunc.org/events-calendar/event/the-making-of-the-broadside-28-05-2026-09-54-39

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The game of cricket is rapidly gaining popularity across the US. But if you want to see what the future of the sport in America might look like, you need to visit a field next to an airport in the town of Morrisville, North Carolina.

This episode originally published on June 27, 2024 during the 2024 Cricket T20 World Cup which was co-hosted by the United States.

Featuring:

• Hasham Malik, captain of Morrisville Warriors Cricket Club
• Babar Baig, former president of Triangle Cricket League
• Satish Garimella, Mayor Pro Tem of Morrisville, NC
• Abhiram “Abhi” Bolisetty, former US international player
• Philip Service, head coach for Triangle Cricket League

Cover photo: A cricket batter at Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina.

We are hosting free a virtual event on Thursday, June 18th. Join us to find out how the podcast gets made each week and how we choose our stories. We'll also share some of our favorite moments from the show and some behind the scenes goodies. Sign up to attend here:

https://www.wunc.org/events-calendar/event/the-making-of-the-broadside-28-05-2026-09-54-39

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Nearly 100 years ago, a radical school called Black Mountain College opened its doors. It featured no grades, very few tests and lots of avante garde art. And although it was a short-lived experiment, this quirky liberal arts college located in the mountains of western North Carolina would become one of the most influential institutions of higher learning in the world.

Featuring:

• Alice Sebrell, Director of Preservation at the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Links:

• The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Cover image: Renowned architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller in his studio at Black Mountain College. Fuller taught at the school from 1948-1949, where he developed the geodesic dome. His architectural designs from that era would later feature in buildings around the world.

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Appalachia is Bigfoot territory. In a big way. This week, we look at the mythical beast's legend, lore and sizable economic impact in the region. And we follow one reporter’s journey through the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina in search of Sasquatch.

This episode originally published on July 18, 2024 and features a trip to the Western North Carolina Bigfoot Festival in Marion, NC. The 2026 festival is scheduled for August 29.

Featuring:

• Emily Cataneo, reporter for The Assembly

Links:

• Check out Emily's story on Appalachian Bigfoot culture at The Assembly here.
• You can find a transcript of the episode here.

Cover image: Jerry Millwood walks into the woods in western North Carolina during a Bigfoot hunt with journalist Emily Cataneo. (Cornell Watson for The Assembly)

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The first Asian residents of North Carolina were a world-famous pair of conjoined twin brothers. And they later became quite possibly the country’s first Asian American citizens. This week, we tell the almost unbelievable story of Chang and Eng Bunker and explore the complicated legacy they left behind in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Featuring:

• Joe Orser, author of The Lives of Chang and Eng: Siam's Twins in Nineteenth-Century America
• Eli Chen, digital news producer at WUNC News

Links:

• From Now On from the musical Chang and Eng
• The Siamese Twins Museum in Mount Airy, NC

Cover photo: From the National Portrait Gallery and The Frederick Hill Meserve Collection, Chang and Eng Bunker and children circa 1860.

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Forever chemicals like PFAS have permeated much of the country’s water supply for decades. These containments are linked to severe health problems, yet critics say federal and state government efforts to clean up waterways in places like North Carolina's Cape Fear River aren't doing nearly enough.

Featuring:

• Celeste Guajardo, environment reporter at WUNC News
• Will Stone, editor and reporter for NPR's Science Desk

Links:

• NPR: The MAHA movement is mad about the weedkiller glyphosate and Trump's EPA

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There are tens of thousands of Indigenous mounds located throughout the United States. For Native Americans, these earthen structures are revered as sacred places. Despite their importance to Native cultures, many of these sites have been damaged or destroyed in the past, and very few are actually owned by tribes today. But the fascinating story of one mound in Franklin, North Carolina is highlighting recent efforts to preserve these important sites and put them back in tribal hands.

Featuring:

• Angelina Jumper, cultural resources supervisor for Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
• Lilly Knoepp, NC Local’s regional reporter for Western North Carolina
• Ben Steere, archaeologist and professor at Western Carolina University
• Johi Griffin, tribal historic sites keeper for Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Links:

• NC Local: There are dozens of Indigenous mounds in North Carolina. Why do tribes only own a few?
• The Trailhead newsletter from Lilly Knoepp and NC Local

Cover image: Noquisiyi Mound in Franklin, North Carolina. Photo by Harrison Keely/Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.

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