Bert Bennett, UNC alum and political power broker who helped shape NC’s moderate reputation, dies

Posted Jul 18, 2018
Bert L. Bennett Jr., who for 40 years was North Carolina’s most important Democratic Party power broker helping shape the state’s reputation for moderation, died Monday at age 97 in Pfafftown. Bennett, a Winston-Salem businessman, used his extensive statewide network to elevate Democrats Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt to the governor’s office. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Related: Campus Connections

Best-selling novelist, UNC alum Sarah Dessen reflects on her ‘Change of Plans’
At UNC, Sarah Dessen initially chose psychology as her major. But after she took a creative writing class with the late Doris Betts, she was...
Wed Jul 29, 2026

A guide to Chapel Hill's vibrant music scene
Some of my favorite memories at Chapel Hill have taken place in loud rooms lit by colorful stage lights. Listening to live music with friends...
Tue Jul 28, 2026

The Delicious Legacy of Chapel Hill’s Favorite BLT
Perched just off Highway 15-501 in Chapel Hill, NC, the old-school breakfast and lunch joint Merritt’s Grill serves such comforting Southern classics as pulled pork...
Mon Jul 27, 2026

UNC students gather to remember James Cates Jr. 55 years after his murder: 'A 22-year-old like us'
When students are walking to and from their classes every day, they can find a plaque located by the Pit and beside the Undergraduate Library...
Sun Jul 26, 2026