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NC Folk

Helping communities across the state connect their heritage arts and traditions to local development, education, and active citizenship

Musings

MartĂ­n RamĂ­rez and the USPS

by Evan Hatch   In a quirky and remarkable gesture, the United States Post Office issued a limited-edition set of Forever stamps featuring the work of Sr. MartĂ­n RamĂ­rez. This gesture is remarkable because this semi-famed Mexican American artist is considered by many to be a visionary artist – a category of artists generally relegated… Read More →

Calvin Trillin expounds on NC BBQ

by Evan Hatch Calvin Trillen’s thoughtful New Yorker piece offers some insights into the battle over North Carolina BBQ, and into North Carolina culture. It is a pleasant piece and its greatest strength is to recognize the futility in defining North Carolina BBQ. We know what BBQ is. And we know what it isn’t. No amount… Read More →

Watch This Is My Home Now: The Montagnard Community in Greensboro

by Evan Hatch Documentarian Mariah Dunn Kramer found her calling early in film making through a fortuitous turn of events. In 2013, her participation through the “Smithsonian Young Historians, Living Histories” program led Kramer to conduct intensive oral history work with with Greensboro’s Montagnard youth. The experience only marked the beginning of this venture. This… Read More →

Ethics of the documented – Finding Vivian Maier

The newly released documentary Finding Vivian Maier tells the story of John Maloof’s purchase of a box full of old negatives at auction, hoping they would relate to the book he was writing about his Chicago neighborhood. Instead, they led him to the discovery of street photographer Vivian Maier. As Maloof learns more about her work (which… Read More →