UNC-TV Presents.
BIOGRAPHICAL CONVERSATIONS WITH.JAMES HOLSHOUSER, JR.
Three-Part Series Captures the Life & Times of the Former North Carolina Governor

In three consecutive Sunday evening episodes, beginning Sunday, February 5, at 7 PM, UNC-TV presents the many contributions of a legendary North Carolina politician during the all-new special Biographical Conversations with.James Holshouser, Jr.

Motivated by an interest in reforming the state's judicial nomination system, Boone, N.C., native James Holshouser, Jr. began his political career as a North Carolina Legislator in 1962. As a member of a small, but growing Republican Party, Representative Holshouser quickly rose to positions of leadership, eventually becoming the youngest state party chairman at the age of 32.  In 1972, after several terms in the legislature, Holshouser announced his candidacy for the governorship of North Carolina and the following year was inaugurated as the state's first Republican governor since the turn of the century.  While at the helm, Holshouser fostered local progress during a national recession, establishing a system of rural health clinics, expanding the North Carolina's public parks system and playing an instrumental role in the restructuring of the state's higher education system. 

Series host Shannon Vickery takes part in the one-on-one exchanges with this influential politicianthroughout all three episodes of Biographical Conversation with.James Holshouser, Jr. From candid reflections of his childhood in the North Carolina Mountains and early service in the state legislature, to later reminiscences of his term as our state's first Republican governor in the 20^th century and life since leaving the Governor's mansion, the series shares the history and heritage of one of North Carolina's most influential public servants.

Biographical Conversations with.James Holshouser, Jr.,is part of an ongoing series produced by UNC-TV. North Carolina's late Senator Terry Sanford, former Senator Jesse Helms, historian John Hope Franklin, former University of North Carolina President and North Carolina People host William Friday, philanthropistMary Duke Biddle Trent Semans, photographer Hugh Morton, civil rights attorney Julius Chambers and state legislator Ruth Easterling were featured in previous Biographical Conversationswith. specials.

Biographical Conversations with. is an ongoing original production of UNC-TV funded by a generous grant from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation. Materials collected for the programs are available to scholars, researchers and the public. UNC-TV is the statewide broadcast network of the University of North Carolina and is made possible through a unique partnership of public investment and private support. Its commitment to producing programs for and about North Carolina make it one of the state's most valuable sources of information.

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