Season 3, Episode 1: Symbolism

In 2001, some state lawmakers were engaged in a less-than-sweet debate: Which berry should be named the official berry of North Carolina? We tracked down the teacher and fourth-graders who started it all with a class project and got a lot more than they bargained for. Plus, meet the former state senator who voted against EVERY new state symbol. His reasoning says a lot about the things we pick to represent us.

Jeremy Markovich: writer, producer, mixer, host

James Mieczkowski: producer

Elizabeth Hudson: editor-in-chief

Music in this episode:

• Closing Song: Carolina’s The Place I Gotta Be, by Charlie Albertson

Special Thanks: Gerry Cohen, Lauren Horsch

Read the 2015 ourstate.com story on State Sen. Richard Stevens

Photo illustration by: Jason Chenier