Mecklenburg County’s own Declaration of Independence? Tonya Council, granddaughter of culinary legend "Mama Dip"

Due South · May 20, 2025 · 50m

May 20, 1775, is a date you may recognize from the North Carolina state flag. It represents what was supposedly the first declaration of independence made by any of the 13 colonies involved in the American Revolution. That date was added more than a century ago, but its authenticity was first contested by Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

A budget proposal passed by the state senate would end the state-funded commission, which has helped exonerate 16 people since 2007. The commission is the only state-backed innocence commission in the U.S., though representatives in the state of Texas are…