A new novel by Kianna Alexander, Carolina Built, shares a fictionalized narrative about the incredible life of Josephine Leary (1856-1923), a Black businesswoman who lived in Edenton, NC. Alexander was inspired by a tweet from a literary agent who was visiting Edenton and saw an exhibit featuring Leary. This connection lead Alexander to the digitized collection of Leary's papers and a visit to the Rubenstein Library to conduct further research. Selections from the Leary Papers will be featured in an exhibit case in Perkins Library in January 2023.
This exhibition was sponsored in part by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.