Benard Carson is a storyteller and a member of the North Carolina Storytellers Association (NCTA). Storytelling has always been more than entertainment. It is one of humanity’s oldest technologies — a vessel for memory, identity, wisdom, and hope. Across Africa, among African Americans, and throughout cultures around the world, storytelling has served as a bridge between generations and a guide for communities seeking meaning, strength, and connection.
In Africa, storytelling is foundational. Long before written scripts, African societies preserved history, science, ethics, and cosmology through oral tradition. Griots, praise poets, elders, and community historians carried the responsibility of remembering — not just events, but the lessons inside those events.
For more than 30 years, storytelling has played a major role in my life—my way of honoring our ancestors, uplifting our communities, and preserving the wisdom, humor, and resilience of the African diaspora.
My expertise is rooted in decades of community engagement, cultural programming, and storytelling across diverse audiences. I have worked with elders, veterans, youth, and community groups, always with a focus on connection, dignity, and shared humanity. I am at my best when I am working with people—listening, encouraging, organizing, and helping others find their voice. Collaboration is one of my strengths, and I bring a steady, thoughtful leadership style grounded in service.
I propose storytelling workshops and performances for seniors, nursing homes, and at other community locations, including veteran homes and sites chosen in Pitt County and surrounding counties. These sessions will engage storytellers in the exploration of personal and collective stories, asking and hopefully answering fundamental questions about their identity and culture. I feel it is equally important to give each person moments of enjoyment in a storytelling environment.
Seniors and other audiences will benefit from retellings of stories from early childhood, teen, and adult life. The telling and retelling of these stories can be of significant help to families and friends. These memories are usually passed down to grandchildren and great-grandchildren.