Princeville, North Carolina, has endured many threats throughout its history. But the town that stakes its claim as the oldest chartered by Black Americans nearly 140 years ago faces another challenge: climate change.
PRINCEVILLE, N.C. — As she exits her hometown's only restaurant clutching an order of cabbage and hush puppies, Carolyn Suggs Bandy pauses to boast about a place that stakes its claim as the oldest town chartered by Black Americans nearly 140 years ago.Yet Princeville, on the banks of the Tar River in eastern North Carolina, is one hurricane away from disaster.
"These are sacred African-American grounds," says Bobbie Jones, Princeville's two-term mayor, using words that echo Bandy's."How dare we be asked to move our town?" When freed slaves settled the land that is now Princeville, they didn't choose the site because it was the best land. It was all the former slaves could afford.
But most dangerous to Princeville's survival today is its unfortunate location. The town sits in a bend in the Tar River, 124 miles from the Atlantic Ocean at the edge of North Carolina's coastal plain. When slow-moving storms come ashore and move inland, drenching rains drain into the rivers and flood towns along the banks.
"In that moment, in that boat, you didn't know what the future was going to hold," he says."You didn't know whether there was going to be a Princeville or not." The town is full of single-family homes and an apartment complex interspersed with empty buildings that have been boarded up and abandoned as a result of the two latest floods. A church sits with its windows covered in plywood.
Jones thinks the town's compelling past could be a lure for tourism. Theming a community around its history, after all, has proved lucrative and restorative for many places. But after so much flooding, very little of historic Princeville is left. Historical consultant Kelsi Dew says the town is seeking funds to preserve the house and would like to see it placed on the National Register of Historic Places. But in another irony for Princeville, Dew says raising the house above flood levels would make it ineligible for a listing,"as it would compromise the historical context."
And many struggling towns trying to keep and attract young people have found their efforts insufficient.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Black Adam Footage Description Teases Dwayne Johnson's Brutal HeroDwayne Johnson's brutal BlackAdam arrives at CinemaCon with new footage showing off his intense power.
Read more »
Aquaman 2 Footage Description: Black Manta's Villain Origin ContinuesA more villainous Black Manta takes center stage in new Aquaman2 footage screened at CinemaCon. Plus, Jason Momoa dons his classic comics costume!
Read more »
Senate confirms Marisa Darden, who becomes first Black woman U.S. attorney in northern Ohio historyThe U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Marisa Darden as the top federal prosecutor in northern Ohio, making her the first Black woman to be appointed to the role.
Read more »
What Were Black Lives Matter Leaders Doing With a $6 Million House?George Floyd’s death brought millions of dollars to a leading Black Lives Matter group. Where did the money go?
Read more »
'The Official Wakanda Cookbook' brings cuisine from 'Black Panther' to lifeWakandan food forever.
Read more »