Abraham Kenmore
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Itinerant scribbler, writing from NY, NC, GA and SC. He/him, usual caveats apply.
Articles by Abraham Kenmore
Basic Pistol: Living and Dying by the Gun in America
To write “Basic Pistol: Living and Dying by the Gun in America,” sociologist Harel Shapira took dozens of firearms classes — interviewing fellow students and teachers alike. Shapira, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, spoke with Abraham Kenmore shortly before the book was published. The following is excerpted from that conversation with edits for length and clarity. What was the moment you decided to write this book? I’m gonna answer in multiple moments.
Durham Judicial Officials Are Unnecessarily Putting People on ICE’s Radar for Low-Level Crimes
Lea una traducción al español de este artículo aquí. Katherin Guillen-Acosta’s journey to a federal immigration detention center began with a Durham County magistrate filling out a form he was never supposed to complete. Guillen-Acosta was arrested on June 24 for failing to appear in court on two traffic misdemeanors from 2022. The magistrate filled out a form authorizing her release with a $1,000 bond and a warning not to drive without a license.
Los Funcionarios Judiciales de Durham están Poniendo Innecesariamente a Personas en la Mira de ICE por Delitos Menores
Read this article in English here. El camino de Katherin Guillén-Acosta hacia un centro federal de detención migratoria comenzó cuando un magistrado del condado de Durham llenó un formulario que nunca debió haber llenado. Guillén-Acosta fue arrestada el 24 de junio por no comparecer ante el tribunal por dos delitos menores de tránsito cometidos en 2022. El magistrado llenó un formulario autorizando su liberación con una fianza de 1,000 dólares y una advertencia de no conducir sin licencia.
How to read the news
For years, WNYC’s On The Media (OTM) has shared out nifty little breaking news guides, telling readers how to get the best of the deluge of information they find — and how to avoid being misled or amplifying fake news. Some of the original OTM advice from 2013 is pretty obvious at this point. We all know to watch out for mistakes in the initial coverage. Ditto for anonymous and unnamed sources, or stories that rely on information from other news sources.
Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America
Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America traces how the political and religious divisions of England’s Civil War became a powerful metaphor for abolitionism and slavery prior to the United States Civil War. Author David S. Reynolds, a distinguished professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, spoke to Abraham Kenmore about the book a few weeks after its publication in early June.
An Army Brat Takes Command of Fayetteville’s Airborne Museum Foundation
Margaret Britten assumed the role of executive director of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation on July 1, where she will lead the independent, nonprofit foundation that supports the Army-run museum in Fayetteville. Britten has spent her entire career in veteran advocacy organizations. She comes to the foundation after seven years working for Team Red, White & Blue, where she was the senior director of advancement.
Fayetteville’s Airborne Museum Poised for Major Renovations at Last
This column first appeared in CityView Magazine’s “The Military Issue” July 2026 edition. Later this year, workers should start to demolish many of the permanent exhibits at the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum (ASOM)—the first part of a two-phase project to totally revamp one of the U.S. Army’s most public-facing museums and one of Fayetteville’s top tourist destinations.
America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries
“America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. is the Princeton professor’s attempt to trace the moments when the United States has marked its founding — and who has been left out of these commemorations. Each chapter begins with a fragment of sheet music from composer Joel Thompson, forming a work written for the book. Glaude spoke with Abraham Kenmore shortly before the book published on May 26.
America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries
“America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries” by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. is the Princeton professor’s attempt to trace the moments when the United States has marked its founding — and who has been left out of these commemorations. Each chapter begins with a fragment of sheet music from composer Joel Thompson, forming a work written for the book. Glaude spoke with Abraham Kenmore shortly before the book published on May 26.
From Roofs to Roads, Fort Bragg Juggles $3 Billion in Maintenance Needs
Fort Bragg has $3 billion in maintenance backlogs. That’s according to information shared by leaders at the installation during the “State of Fort Bragg” presentation on May 5. “We’ve got an endless—roads, roofs, HVACs, you name it—list of projects to get after,” Garrison Commander Col. Chad Mixon said during the event. That eye-popping number makes more sense considering the sheer scale of the installation. There’s 1,462 miles of road, and just over 40% needs repairs.
What You Need to Know About Fort Bragg’s All American Gate Closure
If you use the All American Freeway entrance to enter Fort Bragg, now is the time to start planning an alternative route. After July 4, the All American Freeway entrance and Gruber Road Bridge will close as the entrance road and bridge is rebuilt, Lt. Gen. Greg Anderson, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, said during the “State of Fort Bragg” event on May 5.
A Year After Federal Job Cuts, Workers in the Triangle Are Still Picking Up the Pieces
Hundreds of careers across the Triangle were abruptly derailed a year ago as the federal government made sweeping cuts—offering buyouts to civil servants, eliminating grants, and dismantling organizations like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In the congressional district hardest hit by federal grant cuts, there’s no clear way to measure the impact or where all those workers ended up. But the sense of loss is real.
A Year After Federal Job Cuts, Workers in the Triangle Are Still Picking Up the Pieces
Hundreds of careers across the Triangle were abruptly derailed a year ago as the federal government made sweeping cuts—offering buyouts to civil servants, eliminating grants, and dismantling organizations like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In the congressional district hardest hit by federal grant cuts, there’s no clear way to measure the impact or where all those workers ended up. But the sense of loss is real.
Alexander Russo's The Grade
Despite the massive attention that artificial intelligence (AI) tools are receiving in the worlds of education and journalism, education-focused outlets have mostly been slow to formalize or publicize their policies on what is and is not acceptable use of AI by reporters — much less to actually produce AI-assisted education coverage The education journalists we talked to for this story are experimenting with how new tools can help them work better and faster — or avoiding them all together.
As Fort Bragg Soldiers Deploy, Fayetteville’s Support Network Takes Action
As the Iran war enters its third month, the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg has been in the news as more soldiers from the division are deployed to the Middle East. The roughly 1,500 soldiers sent from the division may have captured headlines, but these deployments are part of the rhythm of life for Fort Bragg and the support network for the military in Fayetteville.
Fort Bragg Soldier Charged With Betting, Profiting $400,000 on Maduro Raid
A Special Forces soldier at Fort Bragg has been indicted for allegedly placing Polymarket bets on a raid he participated in—netting over $400,000. Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, was part of the planning and execution of the raid—called “Operation Absolute Resolve”—that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. According to the indictment, he placed several bets on U.S. military actions in Venezuela in the days leading up to the raid.
Days of Love and Rage
Anand Gopal’s Days of Love and Rage is a history of how the city of Manbij in Syria ousted the Assad regime in 2011 — and the extraordinary experiment in democracy that followed — through the eyes of the people who made it happen. Gopal spoke with The Contrarian on March 3, a day after the book launch. The following is excerpted from that conversation, with edits for length and clarity. Your book has close to 2000 interviews; eight years of reporting on your part.
Alexander Russo's The Grade
In October, the Boston Globe Magazine ran a story with the eye-catching headline New England schools are failing — and ‘nobody seems to care.’ New England is in the midst of a “Northern nosedive,” the Christopher Huffaker piece claimed, with scores on the gold standard National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test slipping across the region. Boston’s flagship paper calling the regional schools “failing” seemed bold — perhaps even overheated.
Gangsters of Capitalism
For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, The Contrarian is holding a series of conversations with historians and journalists about aspects of our national history. Jonathan M. Katz is a freelance journalist who previously covered Haiti and other international assignments for the Associated Press. He wrote his first book, The Big Truck that Went By, on the 2010 Haitian earthquake and his experience covering it.
Gangsters of Capitalism
For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, The Contrarian is holding a series of conversations with historians and journalists about aspects of our national history. Jonathan M. Katz is a freelance journalist who previously covered Haiti and other international assignments for the Associated Press. He wrote his first book, The Big Truck that Went By, on the 2010 Haitian earthquake and his experience covering it.
Special Forces Major Beneficiary of Authorized Construction at Fort Bragg
Millions of dollars in funding are authorized for Fort Bragg construction projects in the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law in late December—more than half of it going to Special Operations Command facilities. The annual military policy bill covers a massive range of issues, from setting troop pay raises to moving forward with the federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe. It also authorizes expenditures on military construction at bases across the country and around the world.
24 Hours at the Capitol...
Nora Neus’s “24 Hours at the Capitol: An Oral History of the January 6th Insurrection” came out just ahead of the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. In it, she creates a minute-by-minute account by weaving together multiple sources — including original interviews along with established records. Neus spoke with The Contrarian about her book. The following is excerpted from that conversation, with edits for length and clarity.
Fayetteville Students See VA Benefits Paused During Shutdown
Hundreds of Fayetteville-area students may have been impacted by delays in Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits during the federal government shutdown. The program, known as Chapter 35, provides monthly funds directly to the survivors and dependents of military service members who have died or been totally disabled as a result of service.
Book Review: The Price of Democracy
The opposition to taxation in America has usually come not from grassroots opposition but from anti-democratic economic elites, according to Vanessa S. Williamson’s The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History. Williamson spoke with The Contrarian about her book. The following is excerpted from that conversation, with edits for length and clarity. You’ve written about taxes extensively.
Vogtle drives up energy costs for Georgians – Scalawag
Editor's Note: This piece was written prior to the 2025 Georgia Election, which delivered a victory for the state's progressive coalition who tirelessly advocated for the ousting of the Republican stronghold of the Public Service Commission. The election of Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson over Republicans Fitz Johnson and Tim Echols marked the first time statewide election victories for the Democrats have won statewide elections to a state-level office in Georgia since 2006.
New command to be established at Fort Bragg soon
A new Army command is coming to Fort Bragg before the end of the year. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George estimated earlier this month that the new Western Hemisphere Command will be coming to Bragg within six to eight weeks, according to Inside Defense reporting. That puts the timeline for consolidation somewhere between late November and early December. A number of Army units are being combined under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the name of streamlining the Department of Defense.
What would it take to privatize Fort Bragg's commissaries?
Privatized commissary shops could come to military installations across the country—including the two at Fort Bragg. The Department of Defense is soliciting information from grocery stores on what it would take to privatize the 178 commissary locations across the United States. The information is for “market research purposes only,” and the Pentagon is not looking for bids or quotes.
Will the Army Shut Down Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Museum?
This story was originally published in CityView. For Mike Lopez, the small 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum at Fort Bragg is a cornerstone of the military unit he once served with. But he worries it may not remain there much longer. In June, the Army announced plans to consolidate its current 41 museums down to just 12.
Supporters rally to keep 82nd Airborne museum open
For Mike Lopez, the small 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum at Fort Bragg is a cornerstone of the military unit he once served with. But he worries it may not remain there much longer. In June, the Army announced plans to consolidate its current 41 museums down to just 12.
Go Back and Fetch It
On Sept. 16 Kristina R. Gaddy, author of The Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo’s Hidden History and Rhiannon Giddens, Grammy-Award winning musician and founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops will release Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo. The book is a collection of transcribed music from Black musicians across the Americas and the Caribbean from 1687 to the Civil War, along with essays on each piece.
The Right of the Republic
Osita Nwanevu, contributing editor at The New Republic and a columnist for The Guardian, is publishing his first book tomorrow. The Right of the People covers a lot of ground—an explanation and defense of democracy, an argument about the systemic barriers to democratic governance in the United States, and a possible path towards a truly democratic society. Nwanevu spoke with The Contrarian about the book. The following is excerpted from that conversation, with edits for length and clarity.
Your Thanksgiving Reading: The Hurricane Helene Recovery
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“Over the past 13 days, I have witnessed what it means to be ‘True Blue’ from the dedication of so many on our campus who worked countless hours to get campus ready for us to begin classes today,” President Dr. Anita Gustafson wrote on Oct. 9. “It certainly takes a village to handle a challenge such as the damage that Helene caused to our campus. The day the storm hit, we quickly formed an operations team to address the safety of our students and the immediate needs of the campus.
By Jennifer Shutt Verified, Jessica Holdman Verified, Abraham Kenmore Verified, Vic MacDonald-Editor
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The Clinton Chronicle
Verified
Hardening Our Schools - Against Cellphones
Legislature Posted Saturday, November 9, 2024 1:00 am PUBLIC MONEY FOR PRIVATE EDUCATION: Also to be addressed quickly is a GOP priority blocked by the state Supreme Court earlier this fall, when the court ruled South Carolina’s fledgling K-12 voucher program violated the state constitution’s ban on public money directly benefiting private education.
Record number of South Carolinians voted in this election
Voters line up at Calhoun Academy of the Arts in Anderson before polls opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Paul Hyde/Special to the SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA – A record number of South Carolinians cast a ballot in the general election, the State Election Commission announced Thursday. The Commission estimates 2,557,000 voters participated in the election, about 24,000 more voters than four years ago.
Hurricane relief, taxes, vouchers among GOP House leadership priorities Original
COLUMBIA — Providing hurricane relief, cutting income taxes and reinstating K-12 scholarships for private schools are top priorities for Republicans in the state House following historic GOP election gains that make it easier for them to push through their agenda. They are among the broad goals outlined Wednesday by House Speaker Murrell Smith and House GOP caucus leaders in a letter ahead of the caucus’ organizational meeting in Columbia next week, where they’ll discuss the details.
After a House member resigned, he won anyway. Now a special election is set. Original
Voters in March will replace former House Rep. Marvin Pendarvis in a special election, after the North Charleston Democrat won re-election on Tuesday despite resigning two months earlier. Pendarvis was the only candidate for the 113 House District and won with over 97% of the vote. The North Charleston Democrat said Wednesday he tried, unsuccessfully, to withdraw from the race shortly after he resigned on Sept. 16 and would not accept the seat he won by default.
SC Republicans celebrate red wave that gives GOP biggest advantage in 150 years Original
COLUMBIA — South Carolina Republicans took a victory lap Wednesday celebrating wins that stretched from the White House to the Statehouse. President-elect Donald Trump won South Carolina by 18 points over Vice President Kamala Harris on his path to a second term, according to unofficial state vote tallies. The Associated Press declared him the 47th president at 5:35 a.m. Wednesday, after Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes put him over the top of the necessary 270 votes in the Electoral College.
Republicans appear to flip 4 seats in SC Senate, hold in the House Original
COLUMBIA — The Republican Party flipped as many as four seats in the state Senate on Tuesday, while holding seats in the state House they picked up two years ago. The Republicans went into the election just one seat away from a supermajority in the Senate. The GOP has controlled the Senate since 2000, but in a chamber where rules allow a single senator to block legislation, Republicans were looking for greater ability to control the agenda.
SC sending 2 women to Congress for first time ever, as Rep. Mace wins re-election Original
COLUMBIA — U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace has handily won a third term representing the coastal 1st District in what had been considered South Carolina’s only potential congressional flip. The election sends two South Carolina women to Congress for the first time ever, after Republican Sheri Biggs trounced her opponent in the ruby red 3rd District seat — as expected.
Trump wins SC for 3rd consecutive presidential contest Original
Republican Donald Trump has easily won South Carolina, scooping up the state’s nine electoral votes in his third consecutive presidential contest. As of 8:01 p.m., when The Associated Press made the call, the former president had 56% of the vote to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 38%, but with only 20 precincts reporting, according to unofficial results from state election officials. The tallying continues nationwide in the race to reach the necessary 270 votes in the Electoral College.
Almost half of registered voters in SC cast ballots early
COLUMBIA – Over 1.5 million South Carolinians voted early this year for the general election, or more than 45% of all registered voters in the state. “We are thrilled to see this record-breaking turnout during the early voting period as we head into a highly anticipated Election Day,” Howard Knapp, executive director of the State Election Communication, in a statement Monday.
Almost half of registered voters in SC cast ballots early Original
COLUMBIA – Over 1.5 million South Carolinians voted early this year for the general election, or more than 45% of all registered voters in the state. “We are thrilled to see this record-breaking turnout during the early voting period as we head into a highly anticipated Election Day,” Howard Knapp, executive director of the State Election Communication, in a statement Monday.
Voters in 18 SC counties will set their own sales taxes Original
by Abraham Kenmore, SC Daily Gazette November 3, 2024 COLUMBIA — Beyond electing officials this November, voters across South Carolina are also deciding how much they’ll be paying in sales taxes within their county. Voters are being asked in 18 of South Carolina’s 46 counties — 40% —whether they approve increasing their local sales taxes or continuing to pay an extra penny on the dollar for construction or, in one county, to reduce property taxes.
State panel votes to pull 7 books from SC schools, delays decision on ‘Crank’
COLUMBIA — A state education committee postponed deciding whether a novel about a young woman who becomes addicted to meth should be removed from all public high schools in South Carolina. The vote to delay a decision on “Crank” marked the only time Thursday that a State Board of Education panel didn’t follow recommendations from the Department of Education, which presented 11 books for approval or rejection.
What not to do: Don't wear your let's go brandon hat (you know what it means) and don't take a ballot selfie, don't carry a gun
On Election Day, all precincts open at 7 a.m. The cutoff for anyone to join a line is 7 p.m. Anyone in line at that point can stay in line as long as it takes to vote. SLED investigating dispute over a voter’s ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ hat Voters can’t wear campaign garb into polling places. It’s a law, not a courtesy, that sparked a scuffle at an Orangeburg County early voting site that’s under investigation by state law enforcement.
SLED investigating dispute over a voter's hat considered illegal campaign material • SC Daily Gazette Original
Voters can’t wear campaign garb into polling places. It’s a law, not a courtesy, that sparked a scuffle at an Orangeburg County early voting site that’s under investigation by state law enforcement. State law doesn’t allow campaign materials within 500 feet of the entrance to a polling location. That rule isn’t limited to candidates. It also means voters can’t broadcast their support of anyone on the ballot by distributing or wearing hats, shirts, buttons, pins, posters and flyers.
State panel votes to pull 7 books from SC schools, delays decision on 'Crank' • SC Daily Gazette Original
COLUMBIA — A state education committee postponed deciding whether a novel about a young woman who becomes addicted to meth should be removed from all public high schools in South Carolina. The vote to delay a decision on “Crank” marked the only time Thursday that a State Board of Education panel didn’t follow recommendations from the Department of Education, which presented 11 books for approval or rejection.
(Still) wanted: Poll workers for Election Day in SC Original
COLUMBIA — Two of South Carolina’s most populous counties are still recruiting poll workers with just days to go before Election Day. York and Richland Counties are looking for several hundred people to help out for the final day of voting. York County, which has more than 197,000 registered voters, had recruited over 900 poll workers at one point. But people started dropping out earlier this week.
Rep. Mace leads all SC congressional candidates in total raised heading into Election Day Original
COLUMBIA — U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is leading the pack in fundraising among congressional candidates in South Carolina. Campaigns have filed their final disclosures, showing how much they have raised, so far, over the entire two-year election cycle and how much they still have available to spend between Oct. 16 and Election Day. New dollar amounts in this final pre-election filing cover just two weeks since the third quarter filing.
In this rural SC county, restoring power after Helene took weeks Original
MCCORMICK — For Joanna Huoni, Helene was the second storm she lived through in three months. Huoni was living in an RV in Texas, receiving cancer treatments, when she was hit by Hurricane Beryl. “I lost everything, so I came home to mom’s,” she said. Home was in the town of McCormick, where Huoni, 63, was living with her sister and her elderly mother when Helene hit. The storm tore the power lines from their house, starting a small fire, Huoni said.
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