Submerged NC Webinar Series

collage of shipwrecks

This webinar series presented by Monitor National Marine Sanctuary in collaboration with the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology highlights research conducted for over 45 years to honor and protect the hallmarks of North Carolina's underwater cultural heritage - shipwrecks. Join us each month as scientists and educators present a look into the unique underwater museum and memorials to generations of mariners who lived, worked, died, and fought off our shores.


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Diving into the African American History of Eastern North Carolina— The Underwater Archaeology of Cape Fear Rice Plantations

April 23, 2024 at 7 a.m. Hawaii / 10 a.m. Pacific / 12 p.m. Central / 1 p.m. Eastern

Join underwater archaeologist Dr. Emily Schwalbe as she presents research on the submerged archaeology of rice plantations in Brunswick County, North Carolina. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Cape Fear region was the only place in North Carolina that had the environment for commercial rice agriculture. Rice plantations were operated by enslaved Africans, who also used the local creeks and rivers to travel and, in some cases, escape enslavement. Much of the archaeological evidence of these activities is now underwater, but Emily’s recent work alongside local North Carolina organizations has identified and recorded sites that tell new stories about plantation histories. Be sure to register for this webinar to learn about African American history, plantations, and the underwater archaeology of North Carolina rivers!

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