In the African American communities that were home to menhaden fishermen-- in Morehead City and Beaufort, in rural communities such as North River and Harlowe, and in fishing ports up and down the coast-- it seemed like everybody lost a loved one when the Parkins went down.
World War II on the North Carolina coast
When Fishermen Harvested Seaweed: The Agar Industry in Beaufort, N.C. during the Second World War
This is the story of seaweed harvesting on the North Carolina coast during World War II and of a wartime crisis that led to the construction of a factory in Beaufort that turned that seaweed into agar, a jelly-like substance that was critical for making vaccines, treating infections, and diagnosing diseases.
David Cecelski 