Fifty years ago, as the number of Black athletes began to grow rapidly at Southern universities, a group of young men joined forces in Raleigh in a quest for a national college basketball championship. Now, after the death of an irrepressible teammate, they look back on the bond they still share.
Past Stories
Posted inHigher Education
Tensions Rise Within the UNC System Board of Governors
Three board members are lodging a strong complaint against a mandated move of the System Office to Raleigh by the end of 2022, revealing internal tension over how the heavily Republican Board is run and led.
Posted inMedia
On Guard in Asheville
The Asheville Watchdog is powered by a cadre of accomplished journalists who retired to the North Carolina mountains. The staff’s investigative reporting has made a splash, and they’d like it to be a model—but it’s unclear whether their startup can be duplicated.
Posted inHigher Education
NC Promise’s Imminent Expansion
From The Assembly’s Sunday Newsletter: Sources confirm a major college affordability program will expand to a fourth UNC System institution: Fayetteville State University
Posted inSports
Duke University and the Troubles of College Sports
A veteran professor enjoys Cameron craziness as much as any Blue Devils fan, but says big-time college sports dominate what are supposed to be nonprofit academic institutions. Even at Duke, which considers itself a shining star, there’s academic corner-cutting, rampant commercialization, and some unsettling racial dynamics.
Posted inCourts & Justice
Police Reform Finds Its Backlash
Durham was transforming the police long before ‘Defund’ became a national discussion. But after an electoral shift in the deep blue city, the future of an aggressive push on policing alternatives is uncertain—and shootings continue.
Posted inHigher Education
UNC’s Mild-Mannered Change Agent
After a quiet, decades-long rise to power, Peter Hans is atop the UNC System. He brings strong personal and political skills, but is short on executive experience. Can a great conciliator keep his restive factions at bay and shepherd the institution through its next big transformation?
Posted inBusiness & Economy
David Tepper’s Charlotte Conquest (and SC, too)
The Carolina Panthers owner is a tough finance bro who knows how to use leverage to get what he wants—and he wants a lot from Charlotte, including a new stadium. It’s a complicated challenge for a city that’s never seen anyone quite like him.
Posted inMusic
Playing Above Its Weight
Merlefest, a famous and eclectic music festival in Wilkes County, is one of the area’s few institutions that has stood the test of time and lifted up its community. Its future success will depend on keeping the evolving and sprawling festival young.
Posted inK-12 Education
The State’s Looming Constitutional Crisis
The long-running Leandro case has promised transformative investments in K-12 education. As a judge prepares to take action, the state is anticipating a constitutional impasse with enormous consequences for students and North Carolina’s system of checks and balances.
