Due South

Fewer than half of Asian Americans have been contacted by either political party… even though they are the fastest-growing electorate in the U.S.  Plus, Heidi Kim on leading students through a tumultuous year at UNC *encore edition . Guests Eli Chen , digital news producer, WUNC  Steve Rao , At-Large Council Member, Morrisville Town Council  Chavi Khanna Koneru , co-founder and Executive Director...

Carolina Beach ocean rescue captain Shawn Kelly tells co-host Jeff Tiberii about how rip currents form and why they can be so dangerous.  Professor Joel Fodrie tells co-host Leoneda Inge about the rich underwater world that sharks inhabit off our shores, and how to reduce the already low chances of a human-shark encounter. Johanna F. Still of The Assembly dives deep into the world of the Shibumi ,...

Part One: Booker T. Spicely Marker On July 8th, 1944, Booker T. Spicely, a U.S. Army private on active duty, was killed in Durham, North Carolina in an act of racial violence. On the 80th anniversary of his passing, we're resharing a story that originally aired in December 2023 covering the unveiling of a historical marker in Spicely's honor.   James Williams , attorney, retired public defender, l...

Hey Due South listeners! We just wanted to give you a heads-up in case you’re expecting a few new episodes from us this week. You might’ve heard on our episode Monday – the rest of this week WUNC is broadcasting a special series by our friend Roy Wood Jr., and NPR, it’s called Road To Rickwood and it’s about Civil Rights, baseball, and Birmingham, Alabama. And if you haven’t ‘met’ Roy Wood Jr. yet...

Comedian Roy Wood Jr. takes a break from stand up to sit down with historians and former Negro League players in the new NPR podcast " Road to Rickwood ." Co-host Leoneda Inge talks with Chris Holaday, author of Cracks in the Outfield Wall: The History of Baseball Integration in the Carolinas . Minor league pitcher Devin Sweet recently had a brush with the majors at a time when only six percent of...

This week's top news, how political parties are trying to win over Black voters, and an update on the state's large and small businesses. Guests: - Colin Campbel, WUNC’s Capitol Bureau Chief - Danielle Battaglia , the D.C. correspondent for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer  -Jarvis Hall , an associate professor of political science at North Carolina Central University - Katie Per...

Due South checks in with WABE political reporter Sam Gringlas about what the first presidential debate in Atlanta could mean for Georgia, the South, and the country. Then, black bear sightings are up in North Carolina, including in cities and in suburban backyards. Colleen Olfenbuttel of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission joins us to talk about where you might find black bears this summer and wh...

A cardiologist breaks down the data. Plus, members of local chapters of Black Men Run, Black Girls Run and Latinos Run join co-host Jeff Tiberii to talk about finding welcoming communities to explore the challenges and joys of running — together. Sign up for WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here .

This hour originally released on April 15, 2024. 2024 is shaping up to be quite the interesting year in country music. The release of Beyonce's Cowboy Carter on March 29 shook up the industry when one of her lead singles, "Texas Hold 'Em," shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Hot Country Songs chart, making the chanteuse the first Black woman to top the country chart in Billboard...

The archivists who are digitizing radio programs in Houston from the 1970s on, in which openly gay hosts led listeners, out or not, into pride parades, and tough conversations. Plus, encore broadcasts of a segment on a summer program to get children food, and a Southern Mixtape with Brian Burns. Guests Emily Vinson , Preservation Coordinator at Houston University Bethany Scott , Head of Preservati...

More than 2,000 jobs coming to Greensboro to build supersonic passenger jets, a heat wave welcomes in summer, and budget talks continue at the state legislature. Plus, a conversation about the U.S. Open at Pinehurst last weekend, and future plans for more big tournaments there. Join Due South co-host Leoneda Inge and a panel of reporters for discussion of the week's news. Guests Colin Campbell, WU...

New $6.6 mil initiative to restore Sugarloaf Island is underway If you summer on the coasts of North Carolina, you may be familiar with Morehead City, a popular port town in Carteret County. But slightly less well-known is the barrier island adjoining the town: Sugarloaf Island. The man-made stretch of land is just off the waterfront and for years has been a draw for tourism. It’s also a layer of...

Reimagining land at the site of a former North Carolina plantation Durham County is home to what was once one of the largest slave plantations in the South. Today part of that former plantation is called “Historic Stagville.” This weekend, people of all backgrounds and even descendants of those enslaved there, will gather for “Juneteenth” – the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in t...

Reparations for past harms to Black people is a concept that many Americans have come to support, but how to put the idea into practice has become complicated and controversial. Sala Menaya-Merritt, Director of Equity and Inclusion for the City of Asheville, talks with co-host Leoneda Inge about the efforts of Asheville’s Community Reparations Commission and the challenges they've faced as they tr...

On the heels of World War II, a handful of entrepreneurial Americans saw dollar signs. Surplus weapons in European countries were being destroyed, or sat in warehouse storage at great cost. At the same time, millions of American soldiers were returning home. With leisure time, and an intimate familiarity with firearms. Samuel Cummings was one of the men who put two and two together. He bought up s...

The Durham County Board of Commissioners approved a budget this week that includes $27 million designated for Durham Public Schools. Pinehurst hosts the U.S. Open golf tournament for the first time in a decade. NC State and UNC are two of the eight college baseball teams that made it to the College World Series. A panel of reporters joins co-host Jeff Tiberii to dig in to the week's news in the Tr...

Leoneda Inge chats with Martin Woodard, as well as Vincent Johnson and his sons Tyler Johnson and Vinnie Johnson, and fatherhood and the 2024 North Carolina Fatherhood Conference. Jeff Tiberii talks to his father James Tiberii about their differing parenting styles. 

Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be above normal this year, with as many as seven major hurricanes. Plus, a Church bell ringer celebrates Pride Month for everyone who will hear (and millions on TikTok) Guests: Matthew Rosencrans , lead hurricane seasonal outlook forecaster, NOAA  Ellen Shumaker , Director of Outreach, Safe Plates Program, NC State Xilei Zhao , assistant professor, Universi...

Co-host Leoneda Inge chats with Dr. Jonathan Klein about Swim for Charlie, a nonprofit organization that teaches swimming and water safety to second graders in NC. Flyleaf Books' Maggie Robe and The Bitter Southerner's Alison Law chat about their summer reading picks. Jodee Nimerichter, executive director of the American Dance Festival talks about this year's events and offerings.

Five years ago, North Carolina passed a law requiring public school students complete an economics and personal finance course to earn their high school diploma — as the class of 2024 graduates this spring, co-host Jeff Tiberii talks with a student, a teacher, and a panel of experts about financial education.

Sending more children to court as adults. A ruling that at-home abortion pills can be taken in North Carolina. And a candidate for Governor campaigns with anti-birth control group. Join co-host Jeff Tiberii and a roundtable of reporters for a review of the week’s news from around North Carolina.

Co-host Leoneda Inge discusses youth vaping numbers across the state, as well as prevention efforts with Kelly Kimple, Senior Medical Director for the Health Promotion Division of Public Health at the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Also on today's Due South, co-host Jeff Tiberii is joined by Duke history professor Cecilia Márquez, author of the new book Making the Latino South: A Hist...

Producer's note: Join Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii for “Due South Live!” Friday, June 14, 7:30pm at Motorco Music Hall in Durham. We'll be talking about Southern food with Chef Ricky Moore from Saltbox Seafood Joint, Mike D of Mike D’s BBQ and Bill Smith, famed chef from Crook’s Corner. Tickets and details. John T. Edge on Defining Southern Food The Southern Foodways Alliance has tirelessly docum...

As college tuition and student loan debt continue to soar, many high school graduates are taking a fresh look at alternatives to going straight from high school to 4-year college. We talk with a panel of experts to explore the post-secondary enrollment trends in North Carolina in community colleges, technical and vocational schools, and apprenticeship programs, as well as the emotions, pressures,...

Roberts has been running the University since January. In this interview with Co-Host Leoneda Inge, he reflects on controversial decisions, policy changes, and campus protests. Plus, WUNC Higher Education reporter Brianna Atkinson and WRAL Sports Investigative reporter Brian Murphy add context. Guests: Lee Roberts , Interim Chancellor UNC-Chapel Hill Brianna Atkinson , Higher Education reporter an...