The Broadside

During his prolific six-decade career, Billy Graham traveled across the world preaching Christianity to millions. Along the way, he became one of the most influential religious figures in America. His prominence sparked friendships with several American presidents, and he became a regular presence as an advisor in the Oval Office. But his home was always in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. And this month, his home state unveiled a statue of Graham in the U.S. Capitol — one of two that each state is allotted in the building.Featuring: Bill Martin, Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute and author of “Prophet With Honor: The Billy Graham Story”Links:  Watch the unveiling of Billy Graham’s statue at the US Capitol building. You can find a transcript of the episode here. The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NASCAR is the most popular motorsport series across America, but its roots run deep as a regional sport in the South, especially in our home state of North Carolina. That history has heavily influenced the growth of motorsports in the US, which has produced a disproportionate amount of Southern drivers — and fans. But in recent years, a surprising new trend has begun to level that playing field: the explosion in popularity of esports.Featuring: Rajah Caruth, Driver in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Steve Myers, Executive Vice President and Executive Producer at iRacing Ray Smith, Director of Gaming and Esports at NASCAR Links:You can find a transcript of the original episode here.The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it comes to where our trash goes, for most of us it's out of sight, out of mind. But for the residents of a once-thriving Black community in North Carolina, it’s right next door. Sampson County is the site of the largest landfill in the state, and isn’t projected to be full for another 20 years. For the people who live next to it, this mountain of trash has dire consequences — and they want it shut down.Featuring:  Cameron Oglesby, freelance environmental journalist and oral historian   Taryn Ratley, fourth-generation Snow Hill resident Whitney Parker, fourth-generation Snow Hill resident and community organizer Links:  Read Cameron Oglesby’s reporting for The Assembly on Roseboro’s Snow Hill neighborhood and its 50-year fight against North Carolina’s largest landfill here. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we're revisiting a story from last year that's recently been back in the headlines. Discount stores like Family Dollar and Dollar General have become ubiquitous in the American landscape — especially in the South. They can be convenient and even necessary, but some advocates warn that their rapid spread is creating food deserts. But while pushback to dollar stores grows, researchers say that we need more data to know their true impact. So how many dollar stores are too many?Featuring:Stephan Bisaha, reporter at Gulf States NewsroomLinks: Check out Stephan Bisaha’s extensive reporting for the Gulf States Newsroom on dollar stores in the South. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The majority of funding for state wildlife programs comes from hunting licenses and taxes associated with hunting, fishing and guns. But a generational decline in hunters and a deadly disease are threatening the foundation of that wildlife management system. In North Carolina, a coalition of hunters and conservationists are trying to head off this looming crisis in the great outdoors.Featuring: Guy Gardner, Co-manager at the Harnett Area Deer Donation Site Judy Gardner, Co-manager at the Harnett Area Deer Donation Site Gabor Szentivanyi, hunter and mentor in training Deet James, Hunter Engagement Coordinator at North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Kip Adams, Chief Conservation Officer for the National Deer Association Links:  Check out WUNC contributor Zachary Turner’s reporting on the efforts to recruit the next generation of North Carolina hunters. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The grocery store banana as we know it is a monoculture, which means that from Tokyo to Tulsa nearly everyone eats the same variety. That lack of diversity makes the plant incredibly vulnerable, and it’s facing an existential threat in the form of a devastating fungus. The cure may be growing in an office park in North Carolina.Featuring:  Bradley George, Reporter at WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio Matt DiLeo, VP of Product Development at Elo Life Systems Andrew Zaleski, Contributor at Bloomberg Businessweek Links:  Read Andrew’s deep dive into the worldwide race to save the banana for Bloomberg Businessweek here. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A little more than 75 years ago, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball's major leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers. But integration in the South was slow going and took a slightly different path. This week, we look at what it took to integrate Southern baseball and how one group in rural North Carolina is ensuring that the next generation of young Black ballplayers get a chance at bat.Featuring:  Brian Patterson, COO of the Buck Leonard Association Chris Holaday, historian and author of Cracks in the Outfield Wall: The History of Baseball Integration in the Carolinas Rose Hunter, Co-founder of the Buck Leonard Association Special thanks to the Durham Bulls for letting us record gameday audio at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.Links:  Find out more about the Buck Leonard Association here. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A decade ago, thousands of tons of toxic coal ash poured into the Dan River. The spill—the third largest of its kind in US history—was a devastating environmental disaster. But today, the event is perhaps best known for its legacy of legislation, as environmental activists and communities across North Carolina turned a local disaster into a national rallying cry for change.Featuring:  Celeste Gracia, Environmental Reporter at WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio Brian Williams, Program Manager at the Dan River Basin Association Tiffany Hayworth, Executive Director at the Dan River Basin Association Frank Holloman, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center Amy Adams, former Campaign Coordinator at Appalachian Voices Bill Norton, Spokesperson at Duke Energy Links:  Check out Celeste’s recent reporting for WUNC on the ten year anniversary of the Dan River coal ash spill and its lasting impact on environmental policy. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

North Carolina and South Carolina are home to the most restrictive public sector collective bargaining laws in the country. In fact, they’re the only two states that ban all government employees from unionizing. And that doesn’t show signs of changing anytime soon. But a group of educators in Durham, North Carolina isn’t letting that stop them from fighting for a seat at the table. This week on the Broadside, we ask what it means to call yourself a union in a state where striking and collective bargaining are both illegal—and what that says about the history of labor organizing in the South.Featuring:Liz Schlemmer, Education Reporter at WUNC-North Carolina Public RadioLinks:  Check out Liz’s recent reporting on the history of unions in the South and her coverage of recent labor organizing efforts among teachers in Durham, NC. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Women have been playing basketball since the game was invented, but the most fervent fandom has always been reserved for the men's game — until now. We explore why it took so long for us to pay attention to women's basketball, and what that means for the future of the sport.Featuring:  Kate Fagan, journalist and author of Hoop Muses: An Insider's Guide to Pop Culture and the (Women's) Game Kayla Jones, Graduate Assistant Coach for NC State women's basketball Stephanie Menio, Assistant Athletic Director and Sports Supervisor for women's basketball at NC State Special thanks to WUNC’s Mitch Northam, whose expertise was invaluable in the reporting of this story. Thanks also to Annabelle Myers and Matti Smith at NC State, and Dana Gelin at UNC-Chapel Hill.Links:  For more on how NIL is changing college athletics, check out this recent episode of WUNC's Due South. You can find a transcript of the episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by making a donation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.