© 2026 Blue Ridge Public Radio
Blue Ridge Mountains banner background
Your source for information and inspiration in Western North Carolina.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Political Path For North Carolina

A young boy drinks from a segregated water fountain in front of a courthouse in Halifax, NC, 1938
Library of Congress
A young boy drinks from a segregated water fountain in front of a courthouse in Halifax, NC, 1938

Is North Carolina moving toward prosperity and justice for all, or is the state repeating political mistakes of the past? That is a question a state lawmaker and history professor were both keen to explore. 

North Carolina Democratic Rep. Verla Insko and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill history professor Jim Leloudis talk about North Carolina's political path; past and present.

North Carolina Democratic Rep. Verla Insko and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill history professor Jim Leloudis are taking a deep dive into the history of state politics and policies from the 1860s until today. They will share their analysis and personal reflections at the upcoming panel discussion "North Carolina Politics and Policies: Then and Now” hosted by Carolina Public Humanities at UNC-Chapel Hill. It takes place Saturday, Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters building.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with Insko and Leloudis about transformative moments in the state’s political history.

Copyright 2017 North Carolina Public Radio

Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.