William Friday Teachers Retreat: Carolina Voices

“The event was indeed a retreat. I feel one of the biggest strengths was being appreciated and treated as a professional. The sessions were balanced and well-paced. I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of activities and quality of the presenters. The title was Carolina Voices, and I believe we heard many, including our fellow teachers. This was a first-class educational experience.”

This is just one of the dozens of glowing reviews of the William Friday Teachers Retreat: Carolina Voices Exploring the Diverse History & Heritage of the Tar Heel State, held on November 11-13 at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library. A group of 32 fantastic teachers from 21 counties across North Carolina were treated to three days of lectures, scholarly discussion, immersive field trips, and more! Some highlights include a performance of Fire of Freedom: A Portrait of Abraham Galloway, a one-man show, written by Howard Craft, starring actor and writer Mike Wiley , readings from distinguished Professor Bland Simpson, a presentation by Professor Ben Frey about Cherokee life in North Carolina today, a powerful performance – “From Slavery to Civil Rights” from acclaimed Gospel singer Mary D. Williams at the historic Dickerson’s AME Church in Hillsborough, and a special teacher appreciation dinner at Chapel Hill favorite, 411 West. The weather during the Retreat could be described as dismal, but our teachers weren’t fazed as they braved a downpour for a historic tour of Hillsborough, NC with Professor Wayne Lee. Check out the rest of the agenda here.

This wonderful experience was made possible by the generous support of the North Caroliniana Society.

“This was most definitely a relaxing retreat and it reinforced my excitement for teaching. I loved all of the people who shared their experience with us. I especially loved their enthusiasm for their subject matter. When your speaker/teacher is excited about what they do, it is impossible to not feel and want to carry on that same excitement. This experience opened my eyes to the wonders of our state. It made me want to find out more about why we are the way we are, what shaped us into what we are today.”