Chapel Hill/Carrboro History
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donbosco
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I wrote the following in 2009 upon the passing of Dr. John Hope Franklin. It appeared at that time in ‘The Carrboro Citizen.’ “‘THE OPEN MIND OF JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN’ — The life of John Hope Franklin has now been celebrated, as it should, in publications across the world. Adding substantively to those august acknowledgments and outpourings of genuine affection is beyond this commentary. Still, Dr. Franklin did touch my life as historian and activist. I teach history at Guilford College and when news of his passing was broadcast, a friend gently intruded upon our departmental meeting to tell us. A respectful silence fell over that small group of historians.
Dr. Franklin’s work informs my classroom in many ways. In teaching courses on the history of the American South, I loan out my copy of ‘The Free Negro in North Carolina, 1790-1860’ pretty much every semester. This semester, an adult student, an African-American woman born in Alabama into a family of sharecroppers, has it and is applying it to research she is doing for a final paper. She had first heard of Dr. Franklin in a video we viewed, ‘Dr. Frank: The Life and Times of Frank Porter Graham’ as he spoke of how Graham had never worried about how people might view his associations, instead seeking out diverse ways of seeing in order to further deepen his own. Dr. Franklin appears in the video a tall and formal man carefully choosing his words so as to most precisely portray the life of the man in question. Graham (most known for being president of #UNC 1930-1949) took much heat over his associations but never let that stop him from seeking the exchange of ideas and the concomitant progress they might bring to bear on the world.
I met Dr. Franklin through Sam Reed. Sam was Ukraine-born, a tireless worker for equal rights and a communist. At the age of 80, Sam founded the newsletter ‘The Trumpet of Conscience’ and in his retirement here in (Durham) North Carolina worked tirelessly to bridge racial divides. Scholars like William Chafe, James David Barber and Dr. Franklin were persuaded and cajoled by Sam Reed to write for ‘The Trumpet.’ In 1995, I worked on various projects sponsored by Sam and the publication. When Dr. Franklin spoke at the 10th anniversary of Sam’s publication in 1996, he referred to himself as a “Friend of The Trumpet.” He was also a friend of Sam Reed’s and much in the spirit of Frank Porter Graham, John Hope Franklin also sought associations that others might shun. After all, Sam was a known communist who had, during the days of the most stringent McCarthyism, served time for expressing himself in ways unpopular to the powers that be.
Dr. Franklin’s life was also one of articulating ideas unpopular with those that run society. That was, in fact, the essence of his history. And Dr. Franklin’s research was deep and full, impeccably documented and unassailable as to his interpretation of sources, assuring that his work could never be successfully attacked on grounds of scholarship. Historical actors that challenge the prevailing thought assail hegemony. We can all take a great cue from Dr. Franklin in both remaining open to radical voices and minding our own pronouncements for their accuracy. Positive change needs such scholars and thinkers and hard workers as Dr. Franklin, Sam Reed, and Frank Porter Graham. That to me is the inspiration of Dr. Franklin.” End 2009 Article.
Though today I’d certainly feel compelled to write one more draft, I think that homage holds up relatively well. I still find that trio of scholar-activists admirable and worthy of emulation. #UNC, however has had a rough row to hoe since, recently most famously over the badly bungled mis-hiring of Nikole Hannah-Jones. Geeta N. Kapur has written about the university and race in, "To Drink from the Well: The Struggle for Racial Equality at the Nation's Oldest Public University.” In a July 7, 2021 article in ‘Facing South’ online magazine she recounted the following about Frank Porter Graham: “In a keynote speech he delivered to an integrated audience of 1,500 people in Birmingham, Alabama in 1938 at the Southern Conference for Human Welfare — an organization committed to improving social justice, civil rights, and instituting electoral reforms to repeal the poll tax in the South — President Graham said, ‘The black man is the primary test of American democracy and Christianity.’ President Graham was also a fierce defender of academic freedom. In his inauguration speech on Nov. 11, 1931, he told us: ‘Along with culture and democracy, must go freedom. Without freedom there can be neither true culture nor real democracy. Without freedom there can be no university. Freedom in a university runs a varied course and has a wide meaning … In the university should be found the free voice not only for the unvoiced millions but also for the unpopular and even the hated minorities. Its platform should never be an agency of partisan propaganda but should ever be a fair forum of free opinion.’” VOICES: On UNC's troubled racial past and present | Facing South
Historical context is important. In its fullest realization it can liberate. It can also, if manipulated or half-recognized give cover where none is due. John Hope Franklin, Frank Porter Graham, and Sam Reed were born, respectively, in 1915, 1886, and 1906. They each saw clearly the wrongness in both the racism rampant during their lives and in the half-remembering of it, proving that clear vision for the generations that went before us was, indeed, possible, albeit perhaps rarer than it should have been. This sentiment is well worth heeding today as voices on The Right work so very hard to keep our true past out of textbooks and classrooms, attack Critical Thinking and the disciplines that most bring them to students, and work to shut down Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.
#OTD in 1947 John Hope Franklin (1915-2009) published ‘From Slavery to Freedom,’ the formative survey text even today in AFAM History. President of the #OAH, #AHA, & #SHA, he spent most of his career in N.C., finishing at #Duke. Scholar/Activist John Hope Franklin’s Pathbreaking Textbook
heelinhell
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The Zoom had a special every night of the week. I think Thursdays were "spaghetti night"
I ate many meals at the Zoom. The owner of the Zoom also owned the "Rat" where I worked during my college years
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His wife's Gift store on Franklin Street had my favorite ever Red Licorice "strings "The Zoom had a special every night of the week. I think Thursdays were "spaghetti night"
I ate many meals at the Zoom. The owner of the Zoom also owned the "Rat" where I worked during my college years
They also owned The Ranch House on Airport Road and the Villa Teo on Franklin Street (where Whitehall Antiques is today).The Zoom had a special every night of the week. I think Thursdays were "spaghetti night"
I ate many meals at the Zoom. The owner of the Zoom also owned the "Rat" where I worked during my college years
The Ranch House was so busy that they added a parking lot across Airport Road and dug a nice passageway under the road so customers could easily and safely cross the street.
Bill Neal was the chef at Villa Teo in about 1975 before Bill and his wife, Moreton, opened La Residence in what is now Fearrington House.
heelinhell
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Bebe Danziger used to make a surprise visit to the Rat once a week for dinner to make sure we were on the ball
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donbosco
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Go for it
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Please keep them coming. You have at least 2 loyal listeners.
evrheel
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I ate at the Rat my first and my last day (4 years later) at Carolina and got sick both times
Those were the only days I ate at the Rat
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evrheel
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Before it was the Villa Teo, It was the Villa Tempesta
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Thank you There some Tempesta kids my age A daughter that was as as pretty as her name ! I am pretty sure this guy who was a mail carrier for like 59 years was their uncle
Speaking of Whitehall Antiques-which for years was next to the big residence/restaurant Villla-A Mrs Wilkins owned it and her Husband and two boys owned/ran Twin Lakes golf Course in North Chatham
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When UNC built the Cogeneration facility-the VC had a plaque in his office that this was at the time the most expensive construction project in the history of NC government
UNC’s very own Pink Floyd cover.
bumeister
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I was alone in my friend group in my dislike for the Rat. Didn't care for Spanky's either, come to think of it.
A curmudgeon from a young age.
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I remember going to Spankys for lunch with some ladies at the office .Our waitress had a very short skirt-real short. A real wonderful Southern "mom" type I was with pulled her aside
"Honey don't you even think about leaning over cause the whole restaurant will see your pretty little bottom"
Thats my only memory of Spankys