Haint Blue

By Unknown derivative work: MagentaGreen - This file was derived from   Wilmington vigilantes.tif :  , Public Domain, Link Wilmington, NC Coup Wiki There is a great two part podcast about the Wilmington, NC coup of 1898 presented by Stuff You Missed in History Class .  The series provides some relevant background on Reconstruction moving towards how this period played out specifically in Wilmington.  A worthwhile listen! Note:  The Wilmington Coup of 1898 is often framed as a "race riot."  Whether or not the term is technically correct the Coup was rooted in deep seeded issues of racism.  As such, the podcast covers matters of politics, racism and brutal violence.  Part 1 Part 2

GenX, Environmental Justice, and North Carolina's Legacy of Pollution Here in the Wilmington, much of the public is concerned about the quality of the drinking water .  Apparently, a subsidiary of the chemical giant Dupont, Chemours Company, dumps it's waste into the Cape Fear River about 70 miles upstream of where Wilmington extracts water for public use (see map above).  While Dupont has done this for at least 30 years, recent detection of the chemical "GenX" in the water supply has caused a local and national stir .  GenX is related to the production of Teflon, a chemical beloved by many for it's 'non stick' qualities and used everywhere from cooking utensils, to clothes, to automobile windshields.  Still, no one recommends the stuff should be ingested directly.  The chemical is not well understood, but the nature of its chemical composition points to a potential carcinogen and serious public health threat. You can read more about GenX and Nor...