History of North Carolina in Timeline

North Carolina, located in the Southeastern United States, is the 28th-largest and 9th-most populous state. It is bordered by Virginia, the Atlantic Ocean, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Raleigh serves as the state's capital, while Charlotte is its most populous city, also recognized as a major banking center, second only to New York City. The Research Triangle, home to a significant research park, represents another key metropolitan area within the state. North Carolina, along with South Carolina, forms the Carolinas region on the East Coast. The state's population was recorded as 10,439,388 in the 2020 census.

December 17, 1903: First Flight at Kitty Hawk

On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully piloted the world's first controlled, sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina's Outer Banks.

1914: Camels Sales

By 1914, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was selling 425 million packs of Camels a year.

1926: Mount Olive Pickle Company Founded

In 1926, the popular pickle brand Mount Olive Pickle Company was founded in Mount Olive.

1954: Hurricane Hazel

In 1954, Hurricane Hazel, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in North Carolina, becoming the strongest storm ever to hit the state.

1959: Establishment of Research Triangle Park

In 1959, Research Triangle Park was established as the largest research park in the United States.

1960: Greensboro Sit-ins

The Greensboro sit-ins in 1960 played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement to bring full equality to American blacks.

January 24, 1961: Goldsboro B-52 Crash

On January 24, 1961, a B-52G crashed near Goldsboro after a fuel loss, dropping two nuclear bombs.

1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964

After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, it helped enforce the constitutional rights of Black citizens in North Carolina.

1965: Voting Rights Act of 1965

After the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, it helped enforce the constitutional rights of Black citizens in North Carolina.

1968: "Carolina in My Mind" Release

In 1968, James Taylor released the song "Carolina in My Mind", which has been called an unofficial anthem for North Carolina.

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1973: Golden Corral Founded

In 1973, Golden Corral, a popular North Carolina restaurant chain, was founded in Fayetteville.

1974: NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Greensboro

In 1974, the city of Greensboro hosted the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.

1976: Democrat to Win the State

Barack Obama becomes the first Democrat to win North Carolina, since 1976.

1976: Carter Victory

In 1976, Jimmy Carter won North Carolina.

1980: Life Expectancy in 1980

Between 1980 and 2014, male life expectancy in North Carolina increased by an average of 6.9 years, while female life expectancy increased by 3.2 years.

1986: Archaeological Findings at Joara

Since 1986, archaeological findings at Joara have confirmed the 16th-century settlement, along with a journal by Pardo's scribe Bandera.

1988: Charlotte Hornets Franchise

In 1988, North Carolina gained its first professional sports franchise, the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

1989: Cook Out Founded

In 1989, Cook Out, a popular fast-food chain, was founded in Greensboro and has begun expanding outside North Carolina.

1990: Hispanic Population Growth

Between 1990 and 2000, North Carolina's Hispanic population more than doubled.

1992: Clinton Came Close to Winning

In 1992, Bill Clinton came within a point of winning North Carolina.

1992: Election of African American U.S. Representative

In 1992, another African American was elected as a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.

1994: NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Charlotte

In 1994, the city of Charlotte hosted the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.

1995: Carolina Panthers First Season

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL) began their first season in Charlotte.

1996: Clinton Narrowly Lost

In 1996, Bill Clinton narrowly lost North Carolina.

1996: Discovery of Queen Anne's Revenge

In 1996, Intersal, Inc. discovered the remains of a vessel likely to be the Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard's flagship, which was later added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

1996: SAT Scores Ranking

In 1996, North Carolina ranked 48th nationally in SAT scores.

1997: Carolina Hurricanes Move to Raleigh

In 1997, the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL) moved to Raleigh.

2000: Hispanic Population More Than Doubled

Between 1990 and 2000, North Carolina's Hispanic population more than doubled.

2000: Bush Victory

In 2000, George W. Bush easily won North Carolina by more than 13 points.

2000: U.S. District Court Ruling on the 12th Congressional District

In 2000, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled that the 12th congressional district was an illegal racial gerrymander.

2000: Economic Division

Since 2000, there has been a clear division in the economic growth of North Carolina's urban and rural areas, with urban areas prospering while rural areas have faced economic challenges.

2001: U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Ruling on 12th Congressional District

In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Eastern District of North Carolina's ruling in Easley v. Cromartie, stating that the 12th district boundaries were not racially based but a partisan gerrymander, a political question the courts should not rule upon.

2001: STEM Industries Growth

Since 2001, Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) industries in the area surrounding North Carolina's capital have grown 17.9 percent.

2002: USDA Survey

In 2002, according to the USDA surveys, North Carolina ranked second in the production of Christmas trees.

2004: SAT Testing Rate

In 2004, 76% of North Carolina high school students took the SAT.

2006: Acquisition of Charlotte Observer

In 2006, The Charlotte Observer was acquired by the company that owns The News and Observer.

2006: Carolina Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup

In 2006, the Carolina Hurricanes captured the Stanley Cup, marking the only major professional team from North Carolina to have won a league championship.

2007: USDA Survey

In 2007, according to the USDA surveys, North Carolina ranked second in the production of Christmas trees.

May 3, 2008: USS North Carolina Commissioned

On May 3, 2008, a new USS North Carolina, a nuclear attack submarine, was commissioned in Wilmington.

2008: Obama Victory

By 2008, demographic shifts, population growth, and increased liberalization in densely populated areas propelled Barack Obama to victory in North Carolina, the first Democrat to win the state since 1976.

2009: Board Chairman Named CEO

In 2009, the chairman of the North Carolina State Board of Education also became the "chief executive officer" for the state's school system.

January 15, 2010: International Recognition for Truffles

On January 15, 2010, North Carolina gained international recognition as a hub for truffles.

2010: 2010 Census - Racial Composition

According to the 2010 census, the racial composition of North Carolina was 68.5% White, 21.5% Black or African American, 8.4% Latin and Hispanic American, 4.3% some other race, 2.2% Multiracial American, 2.2% Asian American, and 1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.

2010: American Community Survey Data

Based on American Community Survey 2010–2014 data, North Carolina's median household income was $46,693.

2010: Primary Language Spoken at Home

In 2010, 89.66% of North Carolina residents age five and older spoke English at home as a primary language, while 6.93% spoke Spanish.

2010: Forbes and CEO Magazine Rankings

In 2010, North Carolina was recognized as the third-best state for business by Forbes Magazine and the second-best by Chief Executive Officer Magazine.

2010: Total Gross State Product

In 2010, North Carolina's total gross state product was $424.9 billion.

2010: Largest Christian Denomination

In 2010, the Southern Baptist Convention was the single largest Christian denomination in North Carolina, with 4,241 churches and 1,513,000 members.

2010: Republican Majority Legislature

In the 2010 midterm elections, North Carolina voters elected a bicameral Republican majority legislature for the first time in more than a century.

April 2011: Worst Tornado Outbreak

In April 2011, the worst tornado outbreak in North Carolina's history occurred, resulting in at least 24 deaths.

2011: Civilian Labor Force

In 2011, North Carolina's civilian labor force was at around 4.5 million with employment near 4.1 million.

November 2012: State Debt

In November 2012, North Carolina's state debt was reported at $2.4 billion by one source and $57.8 billion by another.

2012: Birthplace of Residents

Based on 2012 numbers, 58.5% of the people residing in North Carolina were born there, 33.1% were born in another state, 1.0% were born in Puerto Rico, and 7.4% were foreign-born.

2012: Romney Win

In 2012, Mitt Romney eked out a two-point win in North Carolina.

2012: State Law Changed

In 2012, state law changed, requiring 11th-grade students to take the ACT.

2013: Forbes Article

According to a Forbes article written in 2013, employment in North Carolina gained many different industry sectors.

2013: Durham-Chapel Hill Named "Tastiest City"

In 2013, Southern Living named Durham–Chapel Hill the South's "Tastiest City".

2013: Bomb Safety Mechanisms Failure Revealed

In 2013, it was revealed that three safety mechanisms on one of the bombs dropped in 1961 had failed, leaving just one switch preventing detonation.

2014: Pew Research Center Study

According to the Pew Research Center's 2014 study, other prominent Protestant groups in North Carolina were non/interdenominational Protestants and Pentecostalism.

2014: American Community Survey Data

Based on American Community Survey 2010–2014 data, North Carolina's median household income was $46,693.

2014: Republican Congressional Delegation

In 2014, Republican David Rouzer won the state's 7th congressional district seat, increasing the congressional delegation party split to 10–3 in favor of the GOP.

2014: Life Expectancy

In 2014, the average life expectancy for males in North Carolina was 75.4 years, and for females, it was 80.2 years.

2015: Federal Courts Order Redistricting

In 2015, federal courts again ordered redistricting in North Carolina due to lawsuits challenging the state congressional district map, alleging under-representation of voters.

2016: Cooper Elected Governor

In 2016, Democrat Roy Cooper was elected governor, despite Donald Trump winning the state.

2016: Trump Carries State

In 2016, Donald Trump carried North Carolina.

2017: Life Expectancy Range

Using 2017–2019 data, life expectancy for North Carolina counties ranged from 71.4 years to 82.3 years, with a state average of 78.1 years.

2018: Immigrant Origins

As of 2018, the top countries of origin for North Carolina's immigrants were Mexico, India, Honduras, China, and El Salvador.

2018: Charlotte Visitor Statistics

In 2018, Charlotte was the most-visited city in North Carolina, attracting 28.3 million visitors.

2018: Gross State Product

North Carolina's 2018 total gross state product was $496 billion.

March 2019: Redistricting case reaches U.S. Supreme Court

In March 2019, the redistricting case from North Carolina reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which also heard a related partisan gerrymandering case from Maryland.

September 2019: Hurricane Dorian

In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian hit North Carolina.

2019: Language Spoken at Home

In 2019, 87.7% of North Carolina's population aged 5 and older spoke English, and 12.3% spoke another language. The most common non-English language was Spanish.

2019: SAT Testing Rate Fell

In 2019, the SAT testing rate in North Carolina fell to 46% due to the new ACT requirement.

2019: Life Expectancy Range

Using 2017–2019 data, life expectancy for North Carolina counties ranged from 71.4 years to 82.3 years, with a state average of 78.1 years.

January 1, 2020: Newspapers in Publication

As of January 1, 2020, there were approximately 240 newspapers in publication in the state of North Carolina.

2020: Wake County Most Populous

After the 2020 census, Wake County became the most populous county in North Carolina, overtaking Mecklenburg County.

2020: North Carolina gains a seat in Congress

As a result of the 2020 census, North Carolina gained another seat in the 118th United States Congress, bringing the total to 14.

2020: Cooper Reelected

In 2020, Democrat Roy Cooper won re-election as governor.

2020: Trump Carries State Again

In 2020, Donald Trump carried North Carolina.

2020: 2020 Census - Racial Composition Changes

In 2020, North Carolina experienced a decline in its non-Hispanic white population; non-Hispanic whites were 62.2%, Blacks or African Americans 20.5%, American Indian and Alaska Natives 1.2%, Asians 3.3%, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders 0.1%, people from other race 5.9%, and multiracial Americans 6.8%.

2020: Raleigh Ranked Third Best City

In 2020, Raleigh ranked the third best city for technology due to the state's growing technology sector.

2020: Southern Baptists Largest Denomination

In 2020, the Southern Baptists remained the largest denomination with 1,324,747 adherents, though Methodists and others were collectively overtaken by non/interdenominational Protestants numbering 1,053,564.

2020: 2020 Census Results

In 2020, the United States Census Bureau determined the population of North Carolina was 10,439,388.

2020: North Carolina's Voting Accessibility Ranking

In a 2020 study, North Carolina was ranked as the 23rd easiest state for citizens to vote in.

2021: US Life Expectancy

In 2021, the estimated life expectancy for the United States as a whole was 79.2 years.

February 4, 2022: North Carolina Supreme Court strikes down congressional and state legislative district maps

On February 4, 2022, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the congressional and state legislative district maps drawn by the GOP-controlled General Assembly on terms of partisan gerrymandering in a 4–3 ruling.

July 2022: Airport Ranking

In July 2022, Charlotte Douglas International Airport ranked as the 11th busiest airport in the United States, while Raleigh-Durham International Airport ranked as the 37th busiest.

2022: Homeless Population

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 9,382 homeless people in North Carolina.

2022: Judicial Elections

Following the 2022 judicial elections, Republicans gained a majority in the North Carolina Supreme Court.

April 28, 2023: North Carolina Supreme Court Overturns Ruling on Gerrymandering

On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court overturned its previous ruling in a 5–2 decision, which cleared the way for gerrymandering in the next redistricting cycle.

October 25, 2023: New Maps Approved by General Assembly

On October 25, 2023, the new maps approved by the General Assembly heavily favor the GOP, with allegations of racial bias made against the maps as well.

November 2023: Lawsuit Filed Against North Carolina Senate District Map

In November 2023, a lawsuit was filed against the North Carolina Senate district map in the Eastern District of North Carolina, arguing the map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

December 2023: Two Lawsuits Filed Challenging Congressional and Legislative Maps

In December 2023, two lawsuits were filed in the Middle District of North Carolina, challenging congressional and legislative districts as racial gerrymanders.

2023: Population Estimates for Municipalities

According to the 2023 population estimates, Charlotte has the largest population, while Raleigh has the second-largest population in North Carolina.

2023: Major Combined Statistical Areas

As of 2023, North Carolina has four major combined statistical areas (CSA) with a population over 1 million.

2023: 2023 Population Estimates

In 2023, the Charlotte metropolitan area had an estimated population of 2,805,115, and the Research Triangle had an estimated population of 2,368,947.

January 26, 2024: Preliminary Injunction Denied

On January 26, 2024, a preliminary injunction to block the current North Carolina Senate district map was denied, citing the Purcell principle.

March 2024: Lawsuits Consolidated

In March 2024, the two lawsuits filed in December 2023 were consolidated together.

March 28, 2024: Appeal Upheld by U.S. Court of Appeals

On March 28, 2024, the ruling denying the injunction was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which upheld the lower court's decision.