May Day! May Day! Did you know that May 1 is a designated day for archives like ours to make sure our emergency preparedness plans are up to date? You can also help “save our archives” by taking a moment to make sure your own personal papers, files, and collections are safe in the event of a disaster: consider identifying top priorities, backing up files, and making sure important documents aren’t stored on the floor or in flood-prone basements.
News & Updates
In February, March, and April, hundreds of you joined us to explore 250 years of American history, take traditional mountain dancing lessons, learn to edit Wikipedia to improve coverage of regional women’s history, discover strange tales from across the state, explore Asheville’s complex history with tuberculosis, and share the legacy of the Stumptown neighborhood.
We received several new acquisitions, including additional materials from Monroe Gilmour which will be added to MS246. This collection of records documents the activities of the Western North Carolina Citizens for an End to Institutional Bigotry (WNCCEIB)—a great resource for studying activism and advocacy in WNC.
This month, we’re also saying goodbye to our spring semester intern Atticus, who has been hard at work since January on several collections processing and digitization projects. Best of luck in your future endeavors, Atticus!
Looking ahead:
Leicester History Project Launches
The Leicester History Project officially launches in May! Join us for a special kickoff event with snacks, music, activities, and community fellowship on Saturday, May 9, 2026, 2–4:30pm to mark the beginning of this new project to preserve and share the stories of our community!
In the coming months, stay tuned for community scanning days, exhibitions, and other events to document, share, and preserve Leicester history.
Community scanning days in June will be held Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 2–5pm; Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 5–7pm; and Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 11am–1pm.
One Book, One Buncombe: Happy Land
Learn and reflect on land, memory, resilience, and local history through One Book, One Buncombe. Buncombe County’s community-wide reading program is back! For 2026 we’ll be reading Happy Land by acclaimed writer and historian Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Set in Western North Carolina, the book “centers on land, memory, resilience, and local history,” OBOB chair Jen Waite explains. “It reflects on our region’s layered past through its agricultural roots, oral traditions, and our stories.”
At 5:30pm on Wednesday, May 6, join us to hear from Dr. Darin Waters about how personal and community histories shape identity as part of the One Book, One Buncombe programs taking place throughout BCPL.
Readers can discuss Happy Land with us at the Land of the Sky 101 book club on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 5:30–7pm (paired with another local history pick) or at book clubs across other BCPL branches.
George Masa & Photography Events
Discover new research about photographer George Masa in a new documentary and an author event. The documentary A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story, featuring photos and research from our collection, will premiere on Tuesday, May 12 at 9 pm on PBS North Carolina and at various locations throughout WNC.
Here at the library, on Monday, June 8, 5–6:30 pm, you can learn more about Masa and Jim Thompson, two photographers whose work helped establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, at an author talk with Ren and Helen Davis, authors of Land of Everlasting Hills.
Upcoming Closures and Schedule Changes
Please note that all BCPL locations will be closed on Thursday, May 7, in order for BCPL employees to attend a Staff Development Day. We’ll also be closed Monday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day and Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.
The Buncombe County Special Collections reading room will be open by appointment only during the week of June 22-26. Please call or email in advance to reserve time for research that week. Thank you for planning your visit accordingly!
Check out the full chronological list of BCSC events for May and June below—or visit the BCPL calendar to see all upcoming local history events.
All BCSC May-June Events
Un-Silencing the Past: How Personal and Community Histories Shape Our Identities
Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 5:30pm–7:00pm
Lord Auditorium, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville
Join BCSC as we welcome North Carolina’s Deputy Secretary of Archives and History, Dr. Darin Waters, for a lecture that explores the themes of this year’s One Book, One Buncombe selection and how they intersect with new trends in archives and public history.
This event explores the powerful ways stories—both preserved and forgotten—inform who we are. This talk will examine how family memories, neighborhood narratives, archival absences, and community traditions shape our sense of belonging and cultural identity.
Leicester History Project Kick-Off
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 2:00pm–4:30pm
Meeting Room, Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester, NC
Snacks! Music! Activities! Community! Join us to mark the beginning of a new project to preserve and share the stories of our community! This event is free and welcome to the public. All ages are welcome.
Author Event With Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:00pm–3:30pm
Ferguson Auditorium, A-B Tech, 19 Tech Drive, Asheville
Join us for a special afternoon with acclaimed author Dolen Perkins-Valdez, the featured writer for Buncombe County’s 2026 One Book, One Buncombe Community Read, Happy Land
Perkins-Valdez is a New York Times bestselling author known for richly researched historical fiction that brings overlooked stories of American life to light. Her novel Happy Land, this year’s community read selection, is inspired by the true story of a remarkable post–Civil War Black community in the mountains of Western North Carolina, a self-sustaining kingdom founded by formerly enslaved people seeking freedom, land, and a new way of life.
At this culminating event, Perkins-Valdez will discuss the history behind Happy Land, her research process, and the themes of legacy, resilience, and belonging that connect the past to the present. The One Book, One Buncombe program invites readers across the county to share in a common reading experience and come together through meaningful conversation, with this author talk serving as a highlight of the series.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from the author, ask questions, and celebrate a powerful story rooted in our region’s history.
A book signing will follow the presentation. Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe will be available to sell books.
Land of the Sky 101 Book Club
Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 5:30pm–7:00pm
Special Collections Reading Room, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville
Land of the Sky 101 is a community learning circle for those who are interested in the history of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina.
This four-part series of readings and discussions is modeled after the themes of the exhibit An Incomplete History of Buncombe County in the BCSC reading room. Readers can choose from two selections; one light read like a novel, essay collection, or poetry; and one rigorous non-fiction read written by an expert on the subject. Pick one or both! The choice is yours!
Each session is facilitated by a Buncombe County Special Collections librarian or special guest who shares expert knowledge, additional resources, and sets the context for the conversation.
On June 2, 2026, Land of the Sky 101 will discuss:
- Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
- Junaluska: Oral Histories of a Black Appalachian Community edited by Susan Keefe
Author Talk: Land of Everlasting Hills by Ren & Helen Davis
Monday, June 8, 5:00–6:30 pm
Lord Auditorium, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville
Join us with authors Ren and Helen Davis discuss their latest book about how the work of photographers George Masa and Jim Thompson helped establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Land of Everlasting Hills details the lives and work of Masa and Thompson, both of whom were influential in the decade-long campaign to establish a national park and to protect the scenic beauty and rich diversity of the Great Smoky Mountains. In addition to the historical and biographical narrative—which includes more than thirty relevant photographs embedded within the text—the large-format book features a selection of photographic plates representing the exceptional images that Masa and Thompson created.
Malaprop’s Bookstore will have books available for purchase during the program.
Leicester History Project Community Scanning Days
Multiple dates, June 23-27
Meeting Room, Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester, NC
More information coming soon!
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 2:00pm–5:00pm
Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 5:00pm–7:00pm
Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 11:00am – 1:00pm
Got feedback on past BCSC events or ideas for future ones? Let us know in this short, anonymous survey or email us!
To stay up-to-date on upcoming BCSC events, consider signing up for our blog via email, following us on Instagram or Facebook, or visiting the Buncombe County Public Libraries calendar. (Hint: Use the “Program Type” filter to view only events with a local history focus!)
