Blog
Victory for Mr. Hannon
On Friday, September 5, 2025, Emancipate NC Attorney Dillon Sharpe secured a full acquittal for his client, Mr. Hannon, who had been wrongfully charged after a violent encounter with Wake County Sheriff’s Deputies. Mr. Hannon was assaulted by deputies after being held...
Confederate Monument Removed after Years of Advocacy and Protest
Late on the night of August 30, the Confederate monument that loomed over downtown Edenton for generations was finally taken down. The removal—quiet, unannounced, and carried out under cover of darkness—came only after nearly three years of relentless protest and...
Article in The Assembly Highlights Emancipate NC Case
A recent article in The Assembly shines a spotlight on the injustice that Emancipate NC clients—and countless others across North Carolina—continue to face. Ten years after the state legalized hemp, North Carolina still hasn’t updated its crime lab testing methods....
50 Years of Resistance, 50 Years of Resilience
This year, Emancipate NC proudly marks 50 years of fighting for justice. Excitement is growing for our 50-year celebration: 50 years of Resistance, 50 Years of Resilience. On September 27th at 6 PM at 1809 Chapel Hill Rd in Durham, we will gather with community...
Executive Director Dawn Blagrove to be Honored in October
The North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Institute, Inc. (NCAPRI) will be honoring Dawn as their Community Leader Award recipient at their 49th Annual Education & Awards Banquet Celebration. Congrats Dawn!
Apply Now: 2025–2026 Justice League Fellowship
Emancipate NC is thrilled to announce that applications are open for the 2025–2026 Justice League Fellowship! What is the Justice League? The Justice League is an organizing fellowship for justice-impacted individuals and youth, designed to help participants: Build...
Greenville Free Legal Information Fridays: August 29 and September 19
Get informed. Stay empowered. On Friday, August 29 and Friday, September 19, 2025, join Emancipate NC’s Dedan Waciuri and Attorney Dillon Sharpe at The Office in Greenville for an evening of practical legal knowledge and community connection. Time & Location: 📍...
Save the Date: September 27, 2025!
For five decades, Emancipate NC has worked alongside communities to dismantle systemic racism, fight mass incarceration, and build true liberation. Join us as we honor the past, celebrate the victories, and look ahead to the next 50 years of justice. ✨ Help power...
Free Legal Information Friday
📅 August 22, 2025 & August 29, 2025 🕓 4:00 – 7:00 PM 📍 The Office – 804 West 5th Street, Greenville, NC Emancipate NC’s Dedan Waciuri and Attorney Dillon Sharpe are back in Greenville for Free Legal Information Friday—a community-centered event where you can get...
Pack The Court for James Richardson, Sr. – August 26
James Richardson Sr. has been wrongfully incarcerated for more than 15 years for crimes he did not commit. On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, James finally has a chance to present newly uncovered evidence—evidence the State withheld during his trial—that supports his...
Off Probation Celebration!
Pioneering Public Safety in Fayetteville
Fayetteville is taking a bold step toward compassionate, community-centered public safety with the creation of the Office of Community Safety (OCS)—shifting from an enforcement-first approach to collaborative, non-armed crisis intervention that prioritizes care,...
Slaughtering The Innocent: A New NC Law Will Keep Innocent People Locked Up
By Phillip Vance Smith II A new North Carolina law taking effect on December 1, 2025, will impose a seven-year limit on filing post-conviction appeals through a Motion for Appropriate Relief (MAR), potentially preventing wrongfully convicted people from proving their...
Dawn Blagrove Presents at the 10th Annual HBCU Think Tank
Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove was a featured presenter at the 10th Annual HBCU Think Tank, themed BLACKOLOPY—a celebration of collective Black ownership, economic empowerment, political awareness, and cultural pride. BLACKOLOPY, inspired by Monopoly...
Civil Rights Lawsuit Challenges Greenville Police Over Illegal Hemp Search
By Emancipate Attorney Jaelyn Miller Emancipate NC attorneys Jaelyn Miller, Elizabeth Simpson, and Dillon Sharpe have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Greenville Police Department after a student was wrongfully searched and cited for marijuana...