FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Happy 910 Day.
Every Sept. 10, communities across southeastern North Carolina have a reason to celebrate the people, places and culture connected by one of the region’s most recognizable numbers.
The 910 is bigger than Fayetteville. It stretches through communities including Fort Bragg, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Raeford, Lumberton, Elizabethtown, Laurinburg and Rockingham, along with small towns and rural communities that each bring something different to southeastern North Carolina.
It is a region shaped by longtime North Carolina families, generations of military families, historically Black colleges and universities, small businesses, local restaurants, artists, athletes, educators and community leaders.
And the 910 has produced some serious talent.
From Grammy-winning music and Hollywood movies to the NBA, NFL, Broadway and professional golf, people with roots in the region have carried a piece of home with them onto national and international stages.
Some of the most recognizable names with 910 roots or significant connections include:
J. Cole — Fayetteville-raised Grammy-winning rapper, producer and founder of Dreamville.
Brian Tyree Henry — Fayetteville native and E.E. Smith High School graduate who became an acclaimed television and film actor and Academy Award nominee.
Dennis Smith Jr. — Fayetteville native and Trinity Christian School basketball standout who went on to play at N.C. State and in the NBA.
Morray — Fayetteville rapper and singer who gained national recognition following the success of “Quicksand.”
VicBlends — Barber and entrepreneur with Fayetteville and Hope Mills roots who built an international following through social media and celebrity interviews.
Affion Crockett — Fayetteville-raised comedian, actor, writer and impressionist.
Dennis L.A. White — Fayetteville actor, filmmaker and entertainment professional.
Joshua Williams — Fayetteville native who attended Jack Britt High School and Fayetteville State University before reaching the NFL and becoming a Super Bowl champion.
Harold Landry III — Spring Lake native and Pine Forest High School graduate who became an NFL Pro Bowl linebacker.
Jeff Capel — Fayetteville basketball standout, former Duke player and longtime Division I college basketball coach.
Jason Capel — Fayetteville basketball standout who played at the University of North Carolina before entering coaching.
Julian Capel — Member of Fayetteville’s well-known Capel basketball family and part of the family’s longstanding local sports legacy.
J. Harrison Ghee — Fayetteville and E.E. Smith High School product who became a Tony Award-winning Broadway performer.
Raymond Floyd — Fayetteville native who won four major golf championships and became a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Chip Beck — Fayetteville-born professional golfer who competed on the PGA Tour and represented the United States in the Ryder Cup.
Donnell Woolford — Fayetteville football standout who became an NFL Pro Bowl cornerback.
Aaron Curry — Fayetteville and E.E. Smith standout who won the Butkus Award before playing in the NFL.
Dwayne Allen — Fayetteville football standout who reached the NFL and became a Super Bowl champion.
Doug Wilkerson — E.E. Smith graduate who became an NFL All-Pro offensive lineman and three-time Pro Bowler.
Quanera Hayes — Cumberland County track standout who became an Olympian and represented the United States internationally.
Shea Ralph — Fayetteville native who became a national champion at UConn before building a career in college basketball coaching.
Jimmy Herring — Fayetteville musician who became a nationally recognized guitarist and performed with major rock and jam bands.
Jimmy Capps — Fayetteville-born guitarist who spent decades performing at the Grand Ole Opry and became a respected figure in country music.
Benjamin Crump — Lumberton-born civil rights attorney who became nationally known through his work on major cases across the country.
Chris Chavis, known professionally as Tatanka — Robeson County native who became an internationally recognized professional wrestler.
Peggi Blu — Lumberton-born singer and “Star Search” champion who built a career as a performer and vocal coach.
Tommy Greene — Lumberton native who became a Major League Baseball pitcher and threw a no-hitter during his career.
But national fame is only part of the 910 story.
Some of the people most familiar locally are the ones who have spent years building businesses, making music, reporting the news, helping neighborhoods, mentoring young people, creating opportunities and simply becoming part of the fabric of the community.
Our list of local living legends and familiar community names includes:
Brandon Price
Sonny Kelly
Johnny Wilson
Dominique Jeanette Womack
Dennis Williams, King Thesis
Michael Williams Jr.
Julian Hill
Keith Bowen
Judith Cage
Stacey Buckner
Maurice Curry
Elizabeth Smith
Kwame Molden
Maurice Davis
DJ Ricoveli
Carl Pringle
Greg Moniy
Kres Thomas
Jane Doe
Tommy Gee
Grant Bennett
Keem Jones
Myron Pitts
Paul Woolverton
Yodo Hill
And we know we are missing some greats.
There are local living legends throughout the 910 whose names belong in this conversation, from teachers and coaches to artists, business owners, journalists, neighborhood advocates and people whose contributions may never receive national attention.
That is also what 910 Day is about.
The region has the Sandhills and Cape Fear River, country roads and growing cities, military families from around the world, generations of native North Carolinians and a food scene influenced by all of them.
Fayetteville has its identity. So does Spring Lake. Hope Mills has its own history. Raeford, Lumberton, Elizabethtown, Laurinburg and Rockingham each have communities proud of where they come from.
The towns are different, but there is something familiar about saying you are from the 910.
On Sept. 10, we celebrate all of it — the famous names, the local legends, the businesses, the food, the culture, the memories and, most importantly, the people who make this region home.
Happy 910 Day.
