William Stevens Powell was born in Johnston County, North Carolina, in 1919. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UNC. In between, he served for five years in the US Army during World War II.

In his early years at the university he worked as a researcher and curator. He went on to teach history at UNC for 13 years before retiring as professor emeritus in 1986.

William Powell, photo via NC Literary Hall of Fame.

William Powell, photo via NC Literary Hall of Fame.

Throughout his long career he chronicled the history of North Carolina, publishing more than 100 books on the topic, including the Encyclopedia of North Carolina.

He received the North Carolina Award for Literature in 2000, and was inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2008.

Powell was 95 when he passed away last week. He is survived by his wife, Virginia, three children and 11 grandchildren. The family is planning a private service.

Related Stories
‹
Perl, Pioneering UNC Neuroscientist, Dies At 88
Neuroscience pioneer Dr Edward R. Perl has passed away at age 88.
Tell Me Something: Helping Students Learn, with UNC's Matt Bernacki
Education professor Matt Bernacki discusses UNC's Center for Learning Analytics - and how their work is helping educators teach students.
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: The Flea Flicker
Chapelboro's very own Curran Campbell remembers the electric opening stages of UNC's game against Duke at Kenan Stadium in 2015.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: UConn
UNC will make a rare road trip up to New England when it visits UConn Saturday. The Huskies enter the game with a 4-4 record, having dropped their last game on the road at Air Force. UConn is an independent and thus does not play any conference games. Jason Candle is in his first season […]
'2 Steps Forward, 3 Steps Back': Michael Malone Troubled After UNC's Opening Win
How was Michael Malone feeling after his first official win as the Tar Heels’ head coach? Satisfied? Pleased? Perhaps not. As he sat down at the press conference dais in the Smith Center following UNC’s 80-72 win against Western Carolina, he looked around the room. “You guys have as much fun as I did?” he […]
UNC Men's Basketball Fights Off Western Carolina in Michael Malone's Official Debut
Though Western Carolina did not make anything easy, UNC led wire-to-wire in a 80-72 win Monday night in Chapel Hill.
UNC Women's Basketball Loses to No. 21 Oklahoma in 2026-27 Season Opener
No. 21 Oklahoma outscored UNC 31-14 in the third quarter and led by as many as 20 points in the fourth on its way to a 91-79 win against the Tar Heels in the “Oui Play” event in Paris Monday. The third-quarter explosion blew open what had been a competitive game. Carolina recovered from an […]
UNC Men's Basketball vs. Western Carolina (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
UNC will officially open the 2026-27 regular season when it hosts Western Carolina at the Smith Center Monday night. It’s just the third meeting ever between the Tar Heels and Catamounts. If you aren’t attending the game, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to listen on the radio can […]
UNC's Billy Edwards Named ACC Quarterback of the Week
After lighting up the scoreboard in the Tar Heels’ 38-35 loss against No. 1 Miami at Kenan Stadium Saturday night, UNC’s Billy Edwards was named the ACC Quarterback of the Week. Billy Edwards is your ACC Quarterback of the Week 💪 pic.twitter.com/LdhxhJSjuO — Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) November 2, 2026 Edwards put together one of the […]
The Morning News: Basketball Season, Election Day, Tar Heel Football Heartbreak
In today's news: UNC basketball season gets underway, early voting wraps up, and UNC football comes up just short against Miami.
›