North Carolina Reads to Discuss "Money Rock" and the War on Drugs

Author and experts to discuss the 1980's cocaine epidemic and its impact in Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- North Carolina Humanities' statewide book club, North Carolina Reads, is bringing Charlotte author Pam Kelly and local topic experts Dr. Seth Kotch and Dr. Barbara Lash together to discuss "Money Rock: A Family's Story of Cocaine, Race, and Ambition in the New South" at the Charlotte Museum of History on April 25 at 7:00 PM.

On April 25, Pam, Seth, and Barbara will discuss the story of Belton Lamont Platt, nicknamed Money Rock, and of a striving African American family in Charlotte, swept up and transformed by the 1980's cocaine epidemic. They will discuss themes from the book including racism, segregation, the War on Drugs, and mass incarceration. This conversation is moderated by NC Humanities Trustee and former Charlotte Observer Editor, Rick Thames.

Pam Kelley will be available to sign books and meet with readers during an hour-long, pre-event reception starting at 6:00 PM. A limited number of books will be available to purchase on site at the museum gift shop. The North Carolina Reads discussion of "Money Rock" begins at 7:00 PM and will end with an audience Q+A.

This event is free, and registration is required if you plan to attend in person. If unable to attend live in Charlotte, readers do not need to register and can tune into a livestream of the event on NC Humanities' YouTube channel starting at around 7:00 PM.

In "Money Rock", the saga begins in 1963 when a budding civil rights activist named Carrie gives birth to Belton Lamont Platt, eventually known as Money Rock, in a newly integrated North Carolina hospital. Pam Kelley takes readers through a shootout that shocks the city, a botched FBI sting, and a trial with a judge known as "Maximum Bob". When the story concludes more than a half century later, Belton has redeemed himself. But three of his sons have met violent deaths and his oldest, fresh from prison, struggles to make a new life in a world where the odds are stacked against him. This gripping tale, populated with characters both big-hearted and flawed, shows how social forces and public policies—racism, segregation, the War on Drugs, mass incarceration—help shape individual destinies.

"Money Rock" is the third book selection from North Carolina Reads, NC Humanities' statewide book club. North Carolina Reads features five books that explore issues of racial, social, and gender equality and the history and culture of North Carolina. The people, places, and events in each of the books pose critical questions about how North Carolinians view their role in helping to form a more just and inclusive society.

At the heart of North Carolina Reads is NC Humanities' desire to connect communities through shared reading experiences. North Carolina Reads uses books as a way to create space for talking about important, timely issues.

From February through June, NC Humanities is hosting monthly book club discussion events where participants can hear from guest speakers, including book authors and topic experts. Libraries, community groups, and individuals across North Carolina are encouraged to read along with NC Humanities and host community programs of their own to accompany NC Humanities' events. Readers can also download NC Humanities' curated Reading Schedule and Discussion Questions Guide and Program Guide for free, both of which are designed to help fuel local, community discussions. All North Carolina Reads discussions will be recorded and available on YouTube.

Learn more and register to attend the remaining North Carolina Reads book discussion events:

• May 23 at 6:30 PM – "Under a Gilded Moon" online conversation with author Joy Jordan-Lake and Dr. Jennifer Le Zotte
• June 27 at 6:30 PM – "Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Popular Music" online conversation with author David Menconi and Dolphus Ramseur

A former reporter for the Charlotte Observer for more than 30 years, Pam Kelley has won honors from the National Press Club and the Society for Features Journalism. She contributed to a subprime mortgage exposé that was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

Dr. Seth Kotch, associate professor at UNC Chapel Hill, conducts research in modern American history, specifically the social history of criminal justice. His book, "Lethal State", was published by UNC Press in February 2019.

Dr. Barbara Lash teaches at UNC Charlotte. She has spent 20+ years working for news stations across the country. She studies how the traditional news media covers topics like athletics and crime and how that helps shape urban geography.

Please note that selected North Carolina Reads books are intended for readers 18 and over and may not be suitable for some audiences.

About North Carolina Humanities: Through grantmaking and public humanities programs, North Carolina Humanities connects North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The North Carolina Center for the Book, the state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library Congress, is a program of North Carolina Humanities that promotes books, libraries, literacy, and reading around the state. To learn more visit www.nchumanities.org.

SOURCE North Carolina Humanities