North Carolina
Meet the New Jersey woman who was pivotal to North Carolina sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The sit-ins of the South became a pivotal part of civil rights history, and in 1960, a North Carolina college student from the Philadelphia area took a stand by being one of the first to sit down at a whites-only lunch counter.
Nancy Kirby’s story begins in Haddonfield, New Jersey, where she grew up and graduated from high school at age 16. She was planning to stay local for college by attending the University of Pennsylvania or Temple University – two schools Kirby said offered her full scholarships. Her mother, however, insisted she go away and attend an HBCU.
“She wanted me to have an experience where I was not in the minority,” Kirby said.
Kirby decided on Bennett College, a historically Black college for women in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was her first time in the segregated South, and when she arrived there in the late 1950s, the Civil Rights Movement was starting to catch on.
Kirby said her mother warned her against participating in the movement, fearing it would jeopardize her ability to graduate.
The sit-in demonstrations were a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement when Black people sat down at whites-only lunch counters. The first to do it are known as the “Greensboro Four,” four North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University students who took a stand by sitting down at the Woolworth lunch counter. They sparked an evolution, and their story has been told by many over the last 60 years. There’s even a statue of the four men on North Carolina A&T’s campus, but it turns out there’s more to the story.
Decades after the sit-ins, Linda Beatrice Brown wrote a book titled “Belles of Liberty” to set the record straight.
“They didn’t come up with this idea by themselves at all, and I got tired of hearing that story be told the wrong way. The Bennett women deserve a whole lot more credit than they get,” said Brown, a Bennett alum who knows firsthand about the planning and organizing that happened before that first sit-in on Feb. 1, 1960.
“This was not just true of Greensboro, but true of the whole Civil Rights Movement: Women didn’t get the credit they should have in terms of being the movers and shakers of this movement,” Brown said.
At 20 years old and 450 miles from home, Kirby was one of those movers and shakers.
“My mother called again and said ‘do not get involved in that.’ By this time, I had already been arrested,” Kirby said.
Despite her participation in the sit-ins, Kirby graduated from Bennett College in 1960. With the exception of those four years in college, Nancy Kirby has lived in the Philadelphia area her whole life. She spent the majority of her career working at Bryn Mawr College.
Only in recent years have she and other women been recognized for their role in the movement that changed the course of history.
North Carolina
North Carolina basketball makes NCAA Tournament field as last team in: Social media reacts
College basketball coaches: Who is overpaid and underpaid?
USA Today’s Paul Myerberg breaks down NCAA basketball coaches who deserve more money, and others that may not be up to their salary standards.
Sports Pulse
After days and weeks of wondering whether it would end up on the right side of the men’s NCAA Tournament bubble, one of the most historically decorated teams in men’s college basketball heard its name called on Selection Sunday.
The fact it did, though, has generated some controversy.
North Carolina was among the most debated teams heading into the NCAA Tournament selection show, with 22 wins and the pedigree of being one of the sport’s blue bloods.
Coach Hubert Davis’ team ultimately didn’t have to wait long to learn its fate, with the Tar Heels’ name showing up on the 68-team bracket in the first region that was revealed on CBS’ selection show. North Carolina will head to Dayton, Ohio to take on fellow No. 11 seed San Diego State in the First Four, with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the tournament’s first round.
It’s a silver lining for a North Carolina program that has suffered through a disappointing 2024-25 season. After coming into the season No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after earning a No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels limped to a 14-11 start, but caught fire to end the season, winning eight of their final 10 games, with the only two losses coming to No. 1 Duke.
Like many bubble teams, though, there were plenty of holes to find on their resume.
North Carolina went just 1-12 in Quadrant One games. While it stacked up some wins late in the final month of the season, none of its eight victories since Feb. 15 have come against a team ranked in the top 65 of the NCAA’s NET rankings.
Adding to whatever anger, frustration and shock there was over North Carolina’s making the field is that the chair of the NCAA Tournament selection committee was Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham. While it could understandably be viewed as a conflict of interest, Cunningham was unable to be in the room while North Carolina was being discussed.
This year marks the 19th time the Tar Heels have made the NCAA Tournament the past 21 times the event was held.
UNC basketball makes NCAA Tournament: Social media reactions
Prior to this season, the Tar Heels had never received lower than a No. 8 seed to the NCAA Tournament.
The high school basketball season is complete in the Tar Heel State, with champions in four classifications crowned by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
Here is a look at what happened.
4-A
North Mecklenburg 59, New Hanover 56
Carson Evans scored 24 points and Chadlyn Traylor had 22 as North Mecklenburg rallied to beat New Hanover for the second year in a row in the state championship game.
Ashton Pierce had 8 points and 7 rebounds for the Vikings, who finished the season with a 30-3 record.
New Hanover stormed to a 14-0 lead. The Vikings rallied, cutting the lead to seven in the second quarter. They went ahead in the third quarter.
Rodmik Allen led the Wildcats with 14 points while Kellum Brown had 13 points and C.J. Kornegay had 10 points.
It was the second straight season of heartbreak for the Wildcats, who are 62-2 with both losses coming to North Mecklenburg in the state championship game.
3-A
Ben L. Smith 64, Southern Durham 62 (OT)
Jyi Dawkins scored 29 points, including two free throws in the final seconds of overtime, as the Golden Eagles prevailed.
Dawkins, who had 7 rebounds and made 8-of-9 free throws, was named MVP.
The Golden Eagles’ Tayshawn Mann had forced overtime on a driving layup with 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
Kenny Miller Jr. had 13 points and 5 rebounds for the Golden Eagles. Mann had 6 points, 4 assists and 4 steals.
A.J. Morman Jr. and Jackson Keith each scored 23 points to lead Southern Durham.
2-A
Reidsville 71, Northwood 54
The nationally ranked Rams capped off the season with a 60-game winning streak and two consecutive state championships. Reidsville is 90-1 over the last three seasons, with the loss coming in the 2023 state championship game.
Dionte Neal led the Rams with 24 points. Kendre Harrison, the Rams’ 6-foot-7, 243-pound junior forward who has committed to Oregon for football, had 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks.
Cam Fowler led Northwood with 27 points and 8 rebounds.
1-A
Corvian Community 58, Southern Wake Academy 55 (OT)
R.J. Moore scored a game-high 26 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, as the Cardinals won the state championship. Moore, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, was named MVP.
Corvian (25-7) battled from behind to win its first state championship.
Malachi McCutcheon added 15 points for the Cardinals.
Sophomore guard Kobe Plata led the Lions (29-5) with 19 points.
4-A
Lake Norman 43, Wakefield 41
Lake Norman won its first state championship in dramatic fashion, defeating Wakefield 43-41 when Rayana Minard made a bucket at the buzzer. A pass from Alexis Shehan set up the game-winner.
Shehan led the Wildcats with 13 points. Minard scored 10 points and was named MVP.
Lake Norman (30-1) lost only to Hebron Christian Academy, a nationally ranked Georgia school.
3-A
Western Alamance 76, Stuart Cramer 58
Western Alamance used balance to overcome a sensational individual effort by Stuart Cramer star Oshauna Holland.
Senior guard Tina Bowers scored 26 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead the way for Western Alamance. Another senior guard, Allie Sykes, had 22 points and 5 assists.
That was enough to offset the 5-foot-8 Holland, who scored nearly every point for the Storm. Holland finished with 49 points, making 15-of-29 field goal attempts. She was 17-of-17 from the free throw line.
It was close early but Western Alamance built a 20-point lead by the third quarter and coasted to victory.
Western Alamance (28-4) dominated in the playoffs, winning by no less than 14 points in the Warriors’ six games.
2-A
Southeast Alamance 43, North Wilkes 33
Southeast Alamance won’t even have a senior class until the 2025-26 school year but that didn’t stop the Stallions from winning a state championship in the new school’s second year.
Clara LaChappelle led the way with 14 points and 10 rebounds, earning MVP honors. Shaniya Paylor had 12 points and Natalie Lopez had 9.
Ralee Bare led North Wilkes with 16 points but
1-A
Cherokee 84, East Bladen 48
Defending champion Cherokee turned a close game into a rout in the second half with a 41-8 run.
Whitney Rogers led the Braves with 33 points. Dvdaya Swimmer posted a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. She also had 6 assists and 5 steals.
Laila Smith led East Bladen with 24 points while Nene Ward had 12 points and 8 rebounds.
Cherokee (28-2) lost only to nationally ranked Georgia school Hebron Christian and Winston-Salem Prep’s national team.
To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App
AccuWeather’s 2025 spring forecast
AccuWeather’s l preview of the spring forecast.
Severe weather is expected in Western North Carolina beginning tonight, Saturday, March 15.
National Weather Service forecasts call for showers and thunderstorms as well as gusty winds Saturday night through Sunday night. A wind advisory and hazardous weather outlook have been issued, warning residents of the area of possible danger brought by the storm front.
Here’s what we know about the hazards beginning Saturday night.
Heavy wind warning
A wind advisory issued by the NWS at 1:56 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, is affecting Buncombe, Graham, Haywood, Macon, Madison, Northern Jackson, Southern Jackson and Swain Counties. The advisory, in affect from 6 p.m. Saturday until 2 p.m. Sunday, warns of south winds reaching 20-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph expected in the valleys. Winds will gust as high as 70 mph on high peaks and ridgetops.
Winds of this force may blow around unsecured objects and blow down tree limbs, potentially resulting in some power outages. Extra precaution is also advised for drivers, as driving may be more difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
Thunderstorms, possible flooding, tornadoes
A hazardous weather outlook issued by the NWS at 2:53 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, is affecting northeast Georgia, WNC and Upstate South Carolina. Also in affect 6 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday, the outlook warns of a powerful storm system that will bring heavy rain and severe storms.
Main hazards mentioned in the outlook included damaging wind gusts, as well as “a strong tornado or two” possible in the affected region during the storm. In a Friday report from the Citizen Times, NWS Meteorologist Chris Horne said that while no widespread or severe flooding is expected, some areas of WNC could see heavy or excessive rainfall that could lead to isolated flooding. This was reiterated in the outlook, with highest possibility for flooding in the S.C., Georgia and southwest N.C. mountains.
Strong to severe storms may redevelop Sunday afternoon, but NWS confidence is currently low.
Asheville weekend weather
Saturday, March 15 – Showers and possibly a thunderstorm beginning overnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 57 degrees. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 16 to 21 mph and gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Sunday, March 16 – Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 12 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 12-1 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 71 degrees. South southeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A 40 percent chance of showers remains between 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Mostly cloudy Sunday night, with a low around 35 degrees. North northwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Hendersonville weekend weather
Saturday, March 15 – Scattered showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 58 degrees. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 24 mph and gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Sunday, March 16 – Showers and thunderstorms before 12 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 12-1 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog between 7-8 a.m. High near 69 degrees. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 17 to 21 mph and gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A 20 percent chance of showers continues before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy overnight, with a low around 37 degrees. West wind 7 to 14 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
Rams re-sign RB Ronnie Rivers to 1-year deal
Donald Trump To Rename Washington DC To 'District Of America'? Fact Checking Viral Claims
Know Before You Go: Cleveland’s St. Patrick’s Day parade
School choice coming to Texas? | Texas: The Issue Is
Texas A&M falls to Alabama in Game 3 2-0 behind another poor performance at the plate
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
‘Absolutely Ridiculous’: Democrats Seethe at Schumer for Backing G.O.P. Spending Bill
Longtime Rep. Nita Lowey dead at 87
Spain's president urges solidarity with Russia's EU neighbours
Trump Guts Voice Of America News Agency, Musk Says “Nobody listens to them anymore.”
Black Lives Matter Plaza Is Gone. Its Erasure Feels Symbolic.
-
News1 week agoGene Hackman Lost His Wife and Caregiver, and Spent 7 Days Alone
-
Politics1 week agoRepublicans demand Trump cut American legal association out of nominee process
-
Politics1 week agoAgriculture secretary cancels $600K grant for study on menstrual cycles in transgender men
-
News1 week agoStates sue Trump administration over mass firings of federal employees
-
News1 week agoTrump Seeks to Bar Student Loan Relief to Workers Aiding Migrants and Trans Kids
-
Politics1 week agoKristi Noem says 2 leakers accused of disclosing ICE operations ID'd: 'Put law enforcement lives in jeopardy'
-
News5 days agoGrieving Covid Losses, Five Years Later
-
World5 days agoUkraine accepts 30-day ceasefire in US talks: What it means for Russia war