Whether it's the history we learned in school, the stories our families have passed down, the information we gather on TV and social media, or simply the places and people we've come to know over the years, we all have our own ways of learning history. But the stories of a place are wildly diverse, full of differing perspectives, personal triumphs and tragedies, ordinary life, untold tales and a richness we do not fully comprehend through facts alone.
Photo: After the Battle of Roanoke Island in 1862, hundreds of newly self-emancipated people took refuge on Roanoke Island. Learn about this history on November 10 at the Kill Devil Hills Library as part of the All of Us series. Photo courtesy Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Facebook
As America neared its 250th anniversary in 2026 and the nation began planning events to honor its history, a group of Outer Banks locals began wondering about the possibility of looking at Outer Banks history a different way – from perspectives not often shared in school or through mainstream narratives and through the lens of the arts.
“As we were approaching the 250th anniversary, we asked, what does that look like from an arts perspective?” says Jessica Sands, executive director of Dare Arts and one of the primary planners of All of Us. “It evolved over a year. It was really a jumping-off point.”
For Susan Sawin, program director of the Bryan Cultural Series and owner of Island Bookstores, who did much of the planning with Sands, the idea was also about finding a way to bring local history to more people.
“It was all floating around in our heads, and it was a good way of promoting and learning rich local history that kids don’t learn and promoting more voices in local history,” Sawin says.
The result of their 18 months of conversations and planning is coming to fruition this fall. A multidisciplinary series called All of Us, consisting of nine events and hosted by 13 Outer Banks organizations and locations, illuminates history through the arts.
Running from October through December, the series uses poetry, film, painting, writing, oral tradition, pottery and music to amplify underrepresented voices and lesser-known stories.
Photo: Historian, researcher and artist Joan Collins' exhibition "Beyond Pea Island" will be on display at Dare Arts from November 6 to December 19. Pictured here are her grandparents Marshall and Gussie Berry Collins. Collins says she hopes the exhibit will inspire others to learn and take action to preserve their family history, as she has done.
“All of Us creates space for stories of struggle and resilience, creativity and connection,” says Gray Michael Parsons, president and founder of The Secotan Alliance, in a press release about the events. “By bringing artists, organizations and audiences together across Dare County, All of Us encourages curiosity, meaningful conversation and a deeper appreciation for the past we share, reminding us that our community's story belongs to all of us.”
For Sands, the heart of All of Us goes beyond simply learning more about local history. At its core, she says, the series is about bringing people together.
“We are providing an opportunity for us to get together and connect with fun art experiences,” Sands says. “If we can learn about our own history through the lens of others’ experiences along the way, it can make for a more compassionate and caring community. It’s a chance to remember that we’re all friends and neighbors who live together in a community. At the end of the day, we all want the same things.”
Sawin shares that goal.
“I hope people come out and meet some of their neighbors,” she says. “The main goal is to get everyone out in comfortable spaces in the community.”
And while the series offers a chance to learn, it also offers a chance to see local history from perspectives that may be unfamiliar.
“Altogether the program ensures that the lived experiences of generations of people are seen, heard and remembered,” Sawin says. “It may challenge some beliefs, and I hope people come away saying, ‘I never knew that and I want to learn more.’”
The opportunity to look beyond the familiar is woven throughout the series, from its first program to its final event.
The first program in the lineup was held October 3, called Youth Poets Laureate with N.C. Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Greene and emerging young voices at the Theatre of Dare in Kitty Hawk.
While some of the art exhibits will be shown into late December, the final program in the series will be on December 2: Artwork & Storytelling with Joan Collins, titled “Beyond Pea Island – The Stories That Carry Us Forward,” at Dare Arts in Manteo. Collins is the daughter of Lt. Herbert M. Collins, who was one of the last to serve at the historic Pea Island Life-Saving Station. But her family story goes beyond that well-known history, and she will share it through poetry and artwork about her family.
“I didn’t expect to be a part of this when we started talking about this 18 months ago,” Collins says, “but my contribution turned out to be fitting for the program because my event is so reflective of what we are all trying to do.
“Coupled with the Pea Island Station history, I want to use our family as a representation of so many overlooked stories. There are so many people who have stories that have been overlooked. I have been blessed to be able to trace mine and learn so much, but this is not just about the Collins family.”
To Collins, her offerings of poetry and art are part of a movement she calls a “past-forward movement.”
“We look at the past to move forward,” she says.
That idea of looking back to better understand where we are and where we're going runs throughout All of Us. The remaining programs offer a variety of ways to explore the Outer Banks' past, from Indigenous history and the Freedmen's Colony to environmental stories, family histories, music, poetry and visual art.
Taken together, the programs offer a different way to experience history and remind us that history can be shared and learned in many different ways: a poem, a painting, a piece of pottery, a film or a spoken story.
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
