May 1, 1845North Carolina first in nation for School of the BlindGovernor Morehead School, a school for the blind and deaf, opened in Raleigh. The building was located two blocks west of the State Capitol and had four teachers and 23 students between the ages of 8 and 32. The school became the first to produce a newspaper made for and by the deaf. Musicians Doc Watson and Ronnie Milsap are among the school’s most notable alumni. May 2, 1863 Stonewall Jackson wounded in battleConfederate Lt. Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and his staff rode out in darkness on Plank Road in an effort to reconnoiter Union positions. On their way back, the men ran into the picket line of the 18th North Carolina who opened with volleys at a possible attack. Jackson was struck three times and wounded, and four of his staff were killed and three others injured. While in the hospital, Jackson contracted pneumonia and passed away May 10.May 3, 1856 Last duel recorded for Old North State citizensThe last recorded duel between North Carolina citizens and possibly in the South took place between Joseph Flanner and William Crawford Wilkings. While both men were from Wilmington, the duel took place just across the border in South Carolina. Dueling was rare in the Colonial South until British and French officers brought the practice to popularity during the Revolutionary War. Dueling reached its peak in North Carolina in 1802 when John Stanly killed former Gov. Richard Dobbs Spaight. The General Assembly reacted by banning the practice, but the law was largely unenforced and dueling still occurred between the state’s political elite. Gradually, public opinion shifted. The last duel between North Carolinians resulted in Wilkings’ death.May 4, 1959 Birth of country music star Randy TravisCountry music star Randy Travis was born in Union County and raised on a Marshville turkey farm. Travis began playing guitar at 10 and, after several run-ins with the law, dropped out of school at age 15. Lib Hatcher, owner of a Charlotte music club where Travis played, eventually adopted him in an effort to help him get back on track. Travis moved to Nashville and later signed with Warners Bros. Records in 1985. Throughout his career, Travis received six Grammy Awards, seven Academy of Country Music Awards and nine American Music Awards.Source: North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
