How can a state be represented by Jesse Helms and John Edwards at the same time? Journalist Rob Christensen answers that question and navigates a century of political history in North Carolina, one of the most politically vibrant and competitive southern states, where neither conservatives nor liberals, Democrats nor Republicans, have been able to rest easy. It is this climate of competition and challenge, Christensen argues, that enabled North Carolina to rise from poverty in the nineteenth century to become a leader in research, education, and banking in the twentieth. In this new paperback edition, Christensen provides updated coverage of recent changes in North Carolina's political landscape, including the scandals surrounding John Edwards and Mike Easley, the defeat of U.S. senator Elizabeth Dole, the election of the state's first woman governor, and voters' approval of an African American candidate for president. The book provides an overview of the run-up to the 2010 elections and explains how North Carolina has become, arguably, the most politically competitive state in the South.

Louisiana had the Longs, Virginia had the Byrds, Georgia had the Talmadges, and North Carolina had the Scotts. In this history of North Carolina's most influential political family, Rob Christensen tells the story of the Scotts and how they dominated Tar Heel politics. Three generations of Scotts--W. Kerr Scott, Robert Scott, and Meg Scott Phipps--held statewide office. Despite stereotypes about rural white southerners, the Scotts led a populist and progressive movement strongly supported by rural North Carolinians--the so-called Branchhead Boys, the rural grassroots voters who lived at the heads of tributaries throughout the heart of North Carolina. Though the Scotts held power in various government positions in North Carolina for generations, they were instrumental in their own downfall. From Kerr Scott's regression into reactionary race politics to Meg Scott Phipps's corruption trial and subsequent prison sentence, the Scott family lost favor in their home state, their influence dimmed and their legacy in question. Weaving together interviews from dozens of political luminaries and deep archival research, Christensen offers an engaging and definitive historical account of not only the Scott family's legacy but also how race and populism informed North Carolina politics during the twentieth century.

A comprehensive, illustrated history of North Carolina spanning from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. When first released in 2005, The Tar Heel State was celebrated as a comprehensive contribution to North Carolina’s historical record. In this revised edition, historian Milton Ready brings the text up to date, sharpens his narrative on the periods surrounding the American Revolution and the Civil War, and offers new chapters on the 1920s; World War II and the 1950s; and the confrontation between Jim Hunt, North Carolina’s longest-serving governor, and Jesse Helms, a transformational, if controversial, political presence in the state for more than thirty years. Ready’s distinctive view of the state’s history integrates tales of famous pioneers, statesmen, soldiers, farmers, and captains of industry; as well as community leaders with often-marginalized voices, including those of African Americans, women, and the LGBTQ+ community that have roiled North Carolina for decades. This beautifully illustrated volume gives readers a view of North Carolina that encompasses perspectives from the coast, the Tobacco Road region, the Piedmont, and the mountains. From the civil rights struggle to the building of research triangles, triads, and parks, Ready recounts the people, events, and dramatic demographic shifts since the 1990s, as well as the state’s role in the rise of modern political conservatism and subsequent emergence as a modern megastate. In a concluding chapter Ready assesses the current state of North Carolina, noting the conflicting legacies of progressivism and conservatism that continue to influence the state’s political, social, and cultural identities. “Ready provides a skillful and well-written addition to the state’s historical literature.” —Jeffrey Crow, author of New Voyages to Carolina: Reinterpreting North Carolina History” “An eminently readable, fast-paced, and thorough survey of North Carolina’s past.” —Alan D. Watson, University of North Carolina at Wilmington “A scholarly and compelling story of the divergent experiences of the state’s masses—full of interesting facts and details that are often absent in other studies on the same subject.” —Joyce Blackwell, president, The Institute for Educational Research, Development and Training “It is essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand the history of North Carolina and will be of immense benefit to those interested in the roles African Americans have played throughout the history of the state.” —Olen Cole Jr., North Carolina A&T State University