RALEIGH — What do Nina Simone, headache powders, Blackbeard, moonshine and Grandfather Mountain have in common? They all had a role to play in the history of North Carolina. And they can all be found in “This Day in North Carolina History,” an illustrated, day-by-day look at our state’s history and culture, to be published Aug. 8 by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History.

This daily chronicle of North Carolina history, compiled by Ansley Herring Wegner of the North Carolina Office of Archives and History and Jeff Miles, formerly of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Marketing and Communications office, features important topics and stories from the state’s past, from sensational crimes to famous citizens to homegrown businesses such as Mt. Olive Pickles and Texas Pete.
The book sprang from the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ popular blog of the same name, which has attracted thousands of readers from across the country since its inception six years ago.
A page is dedicated to each day of the year and features fascinating looks into North Carolina’s past, including such widely diverse topics as NASCAR history, the roots of bluegrass and traditional music, the struggle for civil rights, North Carolina’s military role, famous (and infamous) North Carolinians, and so much more.
The fully illustrated paperback will be available for $35 beginning Aug. 8 through UNC Press, online retailers, and in select bookstores.
Wegner has worked in the North Carolina Office of Archives and History since 1994 and has been the administrator of the Highway Historical Marker Program since 2014.

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, call 919-807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.