He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, the London School of Economics and the University of Virginia. He is also co-founder of the May 20th Society, a non-profit dedicated to commemorating the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. He writes frequently on local North Carolina history and politics. His book The First Declaration of Independence? The Disputed History of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence of May 20, 1775 (read the JAR review) was published in 2013 by McFarland & Co. 16 Politics During the War (1775-1783) March 10, 2015